Section 13. The city manager and the town manager in cities and towns having such a manager, otherwise the mayor in cities and the selectmen in towns, shall appoint for a term of three years a local superintendent of shade tree management and pest control, hereinafter called the local superintendent, for the suppression of the public nuisances named in section eleven. Said local superintendent shall be qualified by training and experience to enable him to carry out efficiently the powers and duties of his position, and shall be licensed or certified to apply pesticides in accordance with the rules and regulations of the pesticide board in the department of food and agriculture. The commissioner shall be notified in writing forthwith of the said appointment, and the name and address of said local superintendent. Said local superintendent shall, pursuant to the advice and general direction of the chief superintendent, destroy said public nuisances within his city or town, including wood infected by said Dutch elm disease or infested with the beetles which spread said disease, or likely to become so infested, except on property under the control of the commonwealth. The local superintendent may appoint such assistants as appropriations are made for by a city or town, and may designate the tree warden to assist him.