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. (a) The mayor of the city of Northampton shall be the appointing authority for all sworn firefighter positions including the fire chief. All firefighter positions in the city of Northampton covered by this act shall be exempt from chapter 31 of the General Laws.

(b) Pursuant to the collective bargaining agreements between the city of Northampton and the International Association of Fire Fighters (I.A.F.F.) and the Northampton Deputy Fire Chiefs' Association (N.D.F.C.A.), effective July 1, 2004, the following employees shall be covered by this act and the code of ordinances of the city of Northampton:

(1) all firefighters, firefighter/EMT's, fire inspectors,

(2) all fire captains, and

(3) all deputy fire chiefs.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding chapter 250 of the acts of 1883, any other general or special law or any ordinance of the city of Northampton to the contrary, appointments, promotions, disciplinary actions and terminations of all sworn fire personnel in the city of Northampton shall be conducted in conformity with such requirements as may be set forth in: (a) a collective bargaining agreement; (b) an employment contract in effect between the city and the individual; or (c) the personnel policies of the city of Northampton and the Northampton fire department.

SECTION 3. Each incumbent employee who has the present status of permanent civil service employee in the fire department shall retain this civil service status until the employee no longer serves in that position.