Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of chapter 41 of the General Laws to the contrary, the clerk of the town of Lancaster shall be appointed by the board of selectmen of said town for a term of three years and upon such terms and conditions as said board of selectmen shall determine.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1, the incumbent in the office of the town clerk upon the acceptance of this act by the voters of the town of Lancaster shall continue to hold said office and perform the duties thereof until the expiration of his term or an earlier vacating of office.

SECTION 3. This act shall be submitted to the voters of the town of Lancaster at a regular or special town election to be held in said town in the form of the following question which shall be placed on the official ballot: "Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year 1997, entitled 'An Act providing for the appointment of the town clerk in the town of Lancaster', be accepted?"

If a majority of the votes in answer to said question is in the affirmative, this act shall take effect, but not otherwise.