AN ACT REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOLYOKE.
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. Section 9 of chapter 438 of the acts of 1896, as appearing in section 8 of chapter 189 of the acts of 1992, is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sentences:- The city council of the city of Holyoke shall consist of 13 members, with 1 member elected from each ward and 6 members elected from the city at large. The councilors elected in the year 2015 shall continue to hold office until the qualifications of their successors elected in accordance with this section.
SECTION 2. Said section 9 of said chapter 438, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 4, the word “eight” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 6.
SECTION 3. This act shall be submitted for acceptance to the qualified voters of the city of Holyoke by the city clerk placing the following question on the official ballot to be used in the city of Holyoke at the regular municipal election to be held in the year 2015:
“Shall an act passed by the general court in the year 2015 entitled, ‘An Act Reducing the Size of the City Council of the City of Holyoke’ be accepted?”
If a majority of the votes in answer to the question is in the affirmative, this act shall take effect forthwith for all purposes relating to the municipal election to be held in the city of Holyoke in the year 2017 and shall take full effect beginning with that election, but not otherwise.
SECTION 4. The city solicitor shall prepare a fair, concise summary and purpose of this act to appear with the question not later than 35 days before the election in accordance with section 58A of chapter 54 of the General Laws.
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved, September 29, 2015.