(a) The formation of a State Association of Township Supervisors is authorized.

(b) The State association shall hold annual meetings, at a time and place within this Commonwealth as it may designate, to discuss questions and subjects pertaining to the duties of elected and appointed township officials and the improvement of township government.

(c) The State association, at its annual meeting, by majority vote of all qualified voting delegates present, may adopt and amend bylaws to govern the State association. The bylaws shall govern the qualification of delegates, election of officers, their designation, qualifications and duties, payment of dues and other organizational matters. The State association shall function under the bylaws to advance the interest of township government.

(d) The board of supervisors may designate one or more of the following elected or appointed officials of the township to attend the annual meeting of the State association: supervisors, secretary, treasurer and manager. The convention shall be held in this Commonwealth under the procedures adopted by the State association.

(e) Each township with dues paid in the State association shall elect one of those delegates designated in subsection (d) to be the voting delegate at the convention.

(f) Each township shall certify the name and address of its delegate or delegates and the designated voting delegate to the State association at least thirty days before the opening of the State convention.

(h) Membership dues of the State association are legal expenses of the townships and shall be used for the payment of expenses incurred, including, but not limited to, the rental or acquisition of real estate to be used for State association purposes and activities, cost of publications, salaries, cost of services provided to or for townships and other expenses incurred on behalf of the State association.

(i) The State association may purchase, receive, lease as lessee, accept by gift or devise or otherwise acquire and own, use and otherwise deal with any real estate in its own name for association purposes and mortgage, sell and convey, lease as lessor and otherwise dispose of all or part of the real estate.

(j) The board of supervisors may authorize a supervisor who is employed by the township to be compensated at the supervisor's regular employe rate and a supervisor who is not employed by the township to receive total or partial reimbursement for lost wages or salary if the supervisor attends a meeting for which the supervisor is a member of the executive committee, a standing committee or a trustee of the State Association of Township Supervisors subject to the following limitations: