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. Chapter 17 of the acts of 1947 is hereby amended by striking out section 3 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 3. Appointive Powers of Selectmen. - The selectmen shall appoint, and may remove, members of the board of appeals, the board of library trustees, cemetery commissioners, election officers, and the registrars of voters, except the town clerk.

SECTION 2. Said chapter 17 is hereby further amended by striking out section 19 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 19. Appointment of Board of Cemetery Commissioners. - The board of selectmen shall appoint a board of cemetery commissioners to consist of 5 suitably qualified persons. One of the persons shall be appointed for a term of 1 year, 2 for a term of 2 years, and 2 for a term of 3 years; and annually thereafter there shall be appointed by the board of selectmen, a member for a term of 3 years in the place of the member whose term is to expire. The members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. The current serving cemetery commission members shall complete their appointed terms. If for any reason a vacancy occurs in the membership of the board of cemetery commissioners, the vacancy shall be filled forthwith by the board of selectmen for the unexpired term. Upon the appointment and qualification of the members of the board of cemetery commissioners as provided in this section, the members of the then existing board of cemetery commissioners appointed hereunder shall organize for the proper conduct of their duties and shall possess all the powers and rights and be subject to all the duties and liabilities conferred or imposed by law upon boards of cemetery commissioners of towns, but in the performance of their duties they shall be subject to the general supervision and direction of the board of selectmen. They shall be sworn to the faithful performance of their duties by the chairman of the board of selectmen or by a justice of the peace.