LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen voted unanimously Friday to appoint Deputy Clerk Alexander “Alex” Pawson of Jay as acting town manager and Assistant Fire Rescue Chief Bobby Cummins as interim chief.

The decisions were made at a special board meeting at the Town Office.

They come four days after Town Manager Amanda Allen agreed to take an indefinite paid administrative leave while a Portland attorney investigates allegations made in a nonbinding petition asking selectmen to take a vote of no confidence in her leadership. It is expected to be completed within two months.

Pawson previously worked as deputy town clerk, tax clerk and other town positions in Greene. He was hired by Allen about six months ago. Among his roles as deputy town clerk are Bureau of Motor Vehicles register, deputy tax collector and election worker, which he will still handle.

He plans to get started this month developing the annual budget for the April 25 annual Town Meeting and election. It will be the first time the town holds its annual meeting in April — not June — to coincide with the Regional School Unit 73 budget vote and annual town meetings in Jay and Livermore.

The three towns are members of RSU 73.

Pawson said he would have the annual town report ready before the April meeting. It has been produced after the town meeting for the past two years. A state law requires the report to be available at least three days before the meeting.

“I am excited to get through it, get through the weeds and bring us back to normal,” Pawson said.

Selectmen are developing a stipend for the additional work.

Cummins has been a firefighter in Livermore Falls for 20 years. He was also on the fire brigade at Pioneer Plastics in Auburn for four years.

A stipend is also being negotiated for the extra work.

The town is seeking applicants for part-time fire rescue chief.

It has been without a chief, both interim and part-time, since September.

 

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