Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 41, § 41A

Notwithstanding the provisions of section thirty-five, the treasurer of a city or town may deliver or cause to be delivered to the head of a municipal department or his designee the payroll checks for the employees of such department, with the approval of the board of selectmen in towns, and of the mayor in cities, or of the city manager in cities operating under a Plan D or Plan E charter.