SECTION 1:  At the municipal election to be held in the City of Holyoke in the year 2017 and in every other odd-numbered year thereafter, the City Council to be elected thereat shall hold office for four (4) years from the first Monday in January next following their election and until their successors are elected and qualified.

SECTION 2: So much of Chapter 438 of the Acts of the year 1896, as appearing in Chapter 189 of the Acts of the year 1992, and any acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto, as are inconsistent with this act, are hereby repealed.

SECTION 3: This act shall be submitted for acceptance to the qualified voters of the City of Holyoke by the City Clerk placing the following question on the official ballot to be used in the City of Holyoke at the regular municipal election to be held in the year 2015:

“Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year 2015 entitled, ‘An Act Establishing a Four Year Term for the Office of City Councilor in the City of Holyoke’ be accepted?”

If a majority of the votes in answer to said question is in the affirmative, this act shall take effect forthwith for all purposes relating to the municipal election to be held in said city in the year 2017, and shall take full effect beginning with said election, but not otherwise.

SECTION 4: The city solicitor shall prepare a fair, concise summary and purpose of the law to appear with the question no later than 60 days before the election in accordance with section 58A of chapter 54 of the General Laws.

SECTION 5: The General Court may make clerical or editorial changes of form only to the bill, unless the Mayor and City Council approve amendments before enactment by the General Court. The Mayor and City Council are hereby authorized to approve amendments which shall be within the scope of the general public objectives of this petition.

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