SECTION 1. Chapter 331 of the acts of 1971 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the office of town clerk for the town of Southwick shall be separate from the office of treasurer and from the office of the collector of taxes. The office of the town clerk shall be an appointive office. The town clerk shall perform all functions of the town clerk's office and shall continue to be an ex-officio member of the board of registrars in accordance with section 15 of chapter 51 of the General Laws. The town clerk shall be appointed by the select board for a term of 1, 2 or 3 years, and may be removed by the Southwick select board at its discretion. The select board may enter into a personal services contract with the town clerk to provide for salary, fringe benefits and other conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, severance pay, reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of office, liability insurance and conditions of discipline, termination, dismissal, reappointment, performance standards and leave.

SECTION 3. The office of treasurer and the office of collector of taxes of the town of Southwick shall be separate from the office of town clerk. The offices of town treasurer and collector of taxes of the town of Southwick shall be merged into 1 office to be known as the treasurer-collector. The office of the treasurer-collector shall be an appointive office. 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 select board for a term of 1, 2 or 3 years, and may be removed by the select board at its discretion. The select board may enter into a personal services contract with the treasurer-collector to provide for salary, fringe benefits and other conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, severance pay, reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of office, liability insurance and conditions of discipline, termination, dismissal, reappointment, performance standards and leave.

SECTION 4. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, nothing in this act shall prevent the select board from appointing 1 person to service as town clerk and treasurer-collector.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon passage.