AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SELECT BOARD IN THE TOWN OF NORTHFIELD
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 any general or special law to the contrary, the executive body of the town of Northfield, previously known as the board of selectmen, shall be known as the select board and shall have the powers and authority of a board of selectmen under any general or special law.
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the select board in the town of Northfield shall consist of 5 members. Each select board member shall serve for a 3-year term, with not more than 2 select board members’ terms running concurrently.
SECTION 3. At the first annual town election following not less than 64 days after the effective date of this section, 1 additional select board member shall be elected for a 3-year term and 1 additional select board member shall be elected to a 2-year term. The terms of those members currently serving as select board members at the time of the acceptance of this act shall be unchanged by adoption of this act.
SECTION 4. Sections 2 and 3 of this act shall be submitted to the voters of the town of Northfield at a regular or special town election to be held in the town in the form of the following question that shall be placed on the official ballot:
"Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year 2019, entitled 'An Act establishing a select board in the town of Northfield' 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 is in the affirmative, sections 2 and 3 of this act shall take effect in the town of Northfield, but not otherwise.
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved, December 12, 2019.