1. The retirement board shall act as trustee of the funds created by or collected under the provisions of sections 86.900 to 86.1280. With appropriate safeguards against loss by the retirement system, the board may designate one or more banks or trust companies to serve as a depository of retirement system funds, and as an intermediary in the investment of those funds and payment of system obligations. The board shall promptly deposit the funds with any such designated bank or trust company.

2. The retirement board shall have power, in the name and on behalf of the retirement pension system, to purchase, acquire, hold, invest, lend, lease, sell, assign, transfer, and dispose of all property, rights, and securities, and enter into written contracts, all as may be necessary or proper to carry out the purposes of sections 86.900 to 86.1280. No investment transaction authorized by the retirement board shall be handled by any company or firm in which a member of the board has an interest, nor shall any member of the board profit directly or indirectly from any such investment. All investments shall be made for the account of the retirement system, and any securities or other properties obtained by the retirement board may be held by a custodian in the name of the retirement system, or in the name of a nominee in order to facilitate the expeditious transfer of such securities or other properties. Such securities or other properties may be held by such custodian in bearer form or in book entry form. The retirement system is further authorized to deposit, or have deposited for its account, eligible securities in a central depository system or clearing corporation or in a federal reserve bank under a book entry system as defined in the uniform commercial code, sections 400.8-102 and 400.8-117. When such eligible securities of the retirement system are so deposited with the central depository system they may be merged and held in the name of the nominee of such securities depository and title to such securities may be transferred by bookkeeping entry on the books of such securities depository or federal reserve bank without physical delivery of the certificates or documents representing such securities.

3. The retirement board may contract with a bank or trust company to act as the custodian of bonds and securities acquired by the board, in which case the retirement board may authorize such custodian bank or trust company to order purchases, loans or sales of investments by such custodian bank or trust company, and may also appoint one or more investment managers to manage investments of the retirement pension system and in the course of such management to order purchases, loans, or sales of investments by such custodian bank or trust company, subject to such limitations, reporting requirements and other terms and restrictions as the retirement board may include in the terms of each such appointment. The income from investments shall be credited to the funds of the retirement system at frequent intervals satisfactory to the retirement board. All payments from the funds shall be made by the bank or trust company only upon orders signed by the secretary and treasurer of the retirement board, except as otherwise provided in this subsection. No order shall be drawn unless it shall have previously been allowed by a specific or an ongoing generalized resolution of the retirement board. In the case of payments for benefits, services, supplies or similar items in the ordinary course of business, such board resolutions may be ongoing generalized authorizations, provided that each payment other than payments to members or beneficiaries for benefits shall be reported to the board at its next following meeting and shall be subject to ratification and approval by the board.

4. Before assuming the duties of the office, the secretary and treasurer shall each be bonded for an amount determined by the retirement board at the cost of the retirement system, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties as such officer, and to account for all moneys, securities, and property which may come into their respective hands or under their respective control by virtue of such office, with a corporate surety duly licensed to transact business in this state. Such bonds shall be subject to the approval of the presiding judge of the circuit court of the county in which such cities are located.