Chap. 589.   An Act providing that the chief of police of the
TOWN OF METHUEN SHALL BE THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY FOE APPOINTMENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF SATB TOWN.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law and the acceptance of section ninety-seven A of chapter forty-one of the General Laws by the town of Methuen, the chief of police of said town shall be the appointing authority for all appointments to the police department of the town of Methuen.
Section 2. Nothing contained in this act shall be construed so as to affect the civil service status, seniority, rank, retirement and any other rights of any member or incumbents of any office within the police department of the town of Methuen; provided, however, that the board of selectmen shall be the appointing authority for the chief of police of said town.
Section 3. This act shall be submitted for acceptance to the voters of the town of Methuen at the annual town meeting to be held in the year nineteen hundred and seventy-two in the form of the following question, which shall be placed upon the official ballot to be used for the election of town officers at said meeting:—"Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year nineteen hundred and seventy-one, entitled 'An Act providing that the chief of police of the town of Methuen shall be the appointing authority for appointment to the police department of said town', be accepted?" If a majority of votes in answer to said question is in the affirmative, this act shall thereupon take effect, but not otherwise.        Approved July 29,1971.