AN ACT ESTABLISHING A 3-MEMBER BOARD OF SELECTMEN IN THE TOWN OF AYER.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding sections 1 and 2 of chapter 41 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, there shall be 3 members of the board of selectmen in the town of Ayer.
SECTION 2. In order to provide for a reduction in the number of members from 5 to 3, there shall appear on the ballot at the first annual election occurring at least 64 days following acceptance of this act, the office of selectman, with the instruction to vote for 3 candidates and such other information as will aid the voters. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes at the election shall serve a term of 3 years, the candidate receiving the second highest number of votes shall serve a term of 2 years and the candidate receiving the third highest number of votes shall serve a term of 1 year. Next to the name of any incumbent selectman appearing on the ballot as a candidate for election to said office shall appear the words, “candidate for re-election”. No other term of office for a selectman shall appear on the ballot at such election. Upon election of 3 selectmen, the terms of the incumbent members of the 5-member board of selectmen shall terminate and the board of selectmen shall be immediately reconstituted as a 3-member board. Thereafter, all members of the board of selectmen shall be elected to terms of 3 years.
SECTION 3. This act shall be submitted for acceptance by the voters of the town of Ayer at an annual or special election in the form of the following question:
Shall the act passed by the general court in the year 2013 entitled, “An Act establishing a 3-member board of selectmen in the town of Ayer”, be accepted?
If a majority of the votes cast in answer to that question is in the affirmative, sections 1 and 2 shall take effect in the town of Ayer, but not otherwise.
Approved, July 22 , 2013.