Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 111, § 26

In each city, except as hereinafter provided, the board of health shall consist of three persons, one of whom shall be a physician. No one of them shall be a member of the city council. One member shall be appointed in January of each year for three years from the first Monday of the following February. Unless otherwise provided in the city charter, the members shall be appointed by the mayor, subject to confirmation by the board of aldermen, and may be removed by the mayor for cause, and vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the residue of the unexpired term. Members of the board shall receive such compensation as the city council may determine. Boards of health in towns shall be chosen as provided in chapter forty-one. This section shall not apply to any city in which a different type of organization is authorized by special legislative act or by the acceptance of sections twenty-six A to twenty-six E, inclusive.