SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be in the town of Wenham the position of appointed town clerk. The town clerk shall be appointed and may be removed by the select board and shall serve at the pleasure of the select board. The town clerk shall have all the powers and duties and be subject to the liabilities and penalties imposed by law on town clerks.

SECTION 2. This act shall be submitted to the voters of the town of Wenham at the next town election following the effective date of this act in the form of the following question that shall be placed on the official ballot:

“Shall an act passed by the General Court entitled ‘An Act changing the position of town clerk in the town of Wenham from an elected position to an appointed position’ be accepted?

Below the question shall appear a summary of the act prepared by town counsel and approved by the select board. If a majority of the votes cast in answer to the question are in the affirmative, section 1 shall take effect in the town of Wenham, but not otherwise.

SECTION 3. Upon acceptance of this act by the voters of the town of Wenham, the elected office of town clerk shall be abolished and the term of the elected incumbent terminated; provided, however, that the elected incumbent holding the office of town clerk shall serve for a period of 5 months as the appointed town clerk, after which period appointments to the position of town clerk shall be made in accordance with section 1.