SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be an office of Treasurer-Collector in the Town of Kingston. The Treasurer-Collector shall have all the powers, perform the duties and be subject to the liabilities and penalties now or hereafter conferred and imposed by law on Town Treasurers and Town Collectors of Taxes. The Treasurer-Collector shall be appointed by the Town Administrator of the Town for a term not to exceed 3 years and may be removed by the Town Administrator of the Town. The Town Administrator may establish an employment contract with the Treasurer-Collector for salary, fringe benefits and other conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, severance pay, reimbursement for expense incurred in the performance of the duties of the office, liability insurance, conditions of discipline, termination dismissal, reappointment, performance standards and leave. A vacancy in the office of Treasurer-Collector shall be filled in a like manner for the unexpired term.

SECTION 2. Upon the effective date of this act, the elected office of Treasurer and the elected office of Collector for the Town of Kingston shall be abolished and the term of the incumbents of such offices terminated. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the elected incumbents holding the office of Treasurer and the office of Collector on the effective date of this act shall continue to hold such office and perform the duties of those offices until the expiration of their respective terms, unless the incumbent sooner vacates such office. Upon the expiration of the Collector's term, the Town Administrator shall appoint a Collector who shall serve in that capacity until the expiration of the Treasurer's term or there is a vacancy in the Treasurer's position, at which time the Town Administrator shall appoint the Treasurer-Collector.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.