SECTION 1. Section 4 of chapter 197 of the acts of 1914, as appearing in section 1 of chapter 475 of the acts of 2002, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 11, the words “and accountant”.

SECTION 2. Section 5 of said chapter 197 of the acts of 1914 is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 25 and 26, the words “and accountant”.

SECTION 3. Said chapter 197 is hereby further amended by striking out section 6 and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sections:-

Section 6A. The selectmen elected as provided in section 2 shall appoint a person suitably qualified to the office of town clerk. The town clerk shall enjoy all the powers and rights and be subject to all the duties and liabilities conferred or imposed by law upon town clerks, and shall hold office for 3 years from the date of appointment and until a successor is chosen and qualified, except as is herein otherwise provided. In case of a vacancy in the office, the selectmen forthwith shall fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.

Section 6B. The selectmen elected as provided in section 2 shall appoint a person suitably qualified to the office of town accountant. The town accountant shall enjoy all the powers and rights and be subject to all the duties and liabilities conferred or imposed by law upon town accountants, and shall hold office for 3 years from the date of appointment and until a successor is chosen and qualified, except as is herein otherwise provided. In case of a vacancy in the office, the selectmen shall fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.

SECTION 4. Section 8 of said chapter 197 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 18, the words “and accountant”.

SECTION 5. Section 11 of said chapter 197 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and accountant”, each time it appears.

SECTION 6. Section 15 of said chapter 197 is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1 and 2, the words “assessors, and the town clerk and accountant” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- assessors, the town clerk and the town accountant.

SECTION 7. The last sentence of section 16 of said chapter 197, as most recently amended by  chapter 245 of the acts of 1989, is hereby amended by striking out the words “and accountant”.

SECTION 8. Section 20 of said chapter 197 is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 2 and 3, the words “clerk and”.

SECTION 9. Section 28 of said chapter 197 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and accountant”, each time it appears.

SECTION 10. Section 29 of said chapter 197 is hereby amended by striking out the words “and accountant”, each time it appears.

SECTION 11. Section 30 of said chapter 197 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 2, the words “and accountant”.

SECTION 11. Said section 30 of said chapter 197 is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 10, the words “clerk and accountant’s” and inserting in place there of the following word:- clerk’s.

SECTION 12. Section 31 of said chapter 197 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 3, the words “and accountant”.

SECTION 13. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2018.