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 section 71 of chapter 48 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the prudential committee of the Dartmouth Fire District Number 3 shall appoint a treasurer for a term not to exceed three years.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding section 1, the incumbent in the office of treasurer upon the effective date of this act shall continue to hold the office and to perform the duties thereof until the expiration of his term or a precedent vacating of the office; provided, however, that a person elected to said office in an election by which this act is accepted shall hold the office and perform the duties thereof until a person is appointed to the office under the provisions of said section 1.

SECTION 3. This act shall be submitted to the voters of the Dartmouth Fire District Number 3 at a district election in the form of the following question which shall be placed on the official ballot to be used in said election: "Shall an act passed by the general court in the year 2000 entitled, 'An Act providing for the appointment of the treasurer of the Dartmouth Fire District Number 3', be accepted?"

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