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 any general or special law to the contrary, the town manager of the city known as the town of Watertown is hereby authorized to appoint members to the licensing board of said town, subject to the approval of the town council as provided in the home rule charter of said town. Said board shall consist of three members, each of whom shall have been a resident of said town for at least two years immediately preceding such appointment. Members shall be appointed in accordance with section 4 of chapter 138 of the General Laws and shall serve for terms of three years or until their successors are appointed and qualified. Said town manager shall also appoint one alternate member, subject to the approval of the town council as provided in said home rule charter. The alternate member shall have been a resident of said town for at least two years immediately preceding appointment and shall be appointed without regard to party enrollment. The alternate member shall sit on the board at the designation of the chairman in the case of absence, inability to act or conflict of interest on the part of any member of the board, or in the event of a vacancy on the board until such vacancy is filled in the manner provided for in this act.

SECTION 2. A person appointed to the licensing board shall not be engaged, directly or indirectly, in the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages, and if once appointed a member engages in such manufacture or sale, that member's office shall immediately become vacant.

SECTION 3. The licensing board of the city known as the town of Watertown shall exercise all powers and perform all duties generally conferred upon licensing boards pursuant to the General Laws.

SECTION 4. A member of the licensing board of the city known as the town of Watertown in office on the effective date of this act shall continue in office for the remainder of that member's current term. At the expiration of such current term, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of this act.

SECTION 5. All votes and actions of the licensing board of the city known as the town of Watertown taken before the effective date of this act and which included the vote or action of an alternate member are hereby ratified, validated and confirmed as though such alternate member had been authorized by law to sit on said licensing board.

SECTION 6. This act shall take effect upon its passage.