Section 131. Any department head of a city or town applying for tenure for members of his department who have served for five consecutive years or more shall file an application statement with the city or town clerk.

In a city, the department head shall deliver copies of said application statement in hand or send same by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the mayor and to each member of the city council. Upon receipt of the application statement, the city clerk shall post a copy thereof in his office. The department head shall forthwith and at his own expense cause a copy of his said statement to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city once a week for three consecutive weeks. Not less than thirty days after said posting and not less than seven days following the applicant's compliance with the publication requirement, the city council shall vote to approve or deny said application. If the city council approves said application, it shall then be presented to the mayor for his approval or denial. If the mayor approves the said application, at least one hundred and twenty days prior to the next municipal election, the city clerk shall cause to be printed on the ballot for such municipal election a question in substantially the following form:

If a majority of the votes cast in response to the question is in favor of granting tenure, any member of such department who has served continuously for five years shall thereupon have tenure in said department. If less than a majority of such votes cast is in favor of granting tenure, the applicant's request for tenure for members of his department is denied. If the application statement is denied either by vote of the city council, by the mayor or by vote of the electorate at a municipal election, the applicant shall be ineligible to apply for tenure for members of his department for a period of two years following such denial.

In a town, the department head shall deliver copies of said application statement in hand or send same by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to each selectman. Following receipt of such notice, the selectmen shall vote to approve or deny said application. If the board of selectmen vote to approve said application, the town clerk, at least one hundred and twenty days prior to the next town election, shall post a copy of the said application statement and the selectmen's written approval on the town bulletin board or such other place used for the posting of public notices within the town hall premises. The selectmen shall then cause to be included in the town warrant for said election a question in substantially the following form:

If a majority of the votes cast in response to the question is in favor of granting tenure, any member of such department who has served continuously for five years shall thereupon have tenure in said department. If less than a majority of such votes cast is in favor of granting tenure, the applicant's request for tenure is denied. If the application statement is denied either by vote of the board of selectmen or by vote of the electorate at a town election, the applicant shall be ineligible to apply for tenure for members of his department for a period of two years following such denial.