(a) The County Commission of Jackson County is hereby authorized to contribute public funds in an amount not to exceed four thousand dollars ($4,000) in any fiscal year to an organized and established rescue squad operating within the county which shall have been in existence for at least five years on April 12, 1988. After the county commission shall have adopted and recorded in its minutes a resolution to make such contributions, payment shall be made from any funds in the county treasury not otherwise appropriated upon the warrant of the chair of the commission.
(b) For purposes of determining the eligibility of rescue squads applying for such contributions, there is hereby established a county board of directors composed of the county civil defense director, the sheriff, and the judge of probate who shall serve as ex officio members of such board and without compensation for their services. The county civil defense director shall preside at all board meetings.