DIXFIELD — Former Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky was hired as interim town manager Monday night by a 3-2 vote of selectmen.

He submitted his resignation Sept. 10, 2012, effective Jan. 3, after more than four years in the post.

“We were unsuccessful in our first search for a new town manager,” Chairman Mac Gill said. “We decided to rehire Gene on an interim basis to run business and help us out until we can find somebody new.”

Skibitsky will be paid per diem, Gill said.

Gill added that the board will resume its search for a town manager Feb. 1, and “cast their nets out again and see if they can find somebody.”

The board also voted in favor of disbursing the unused sick leave and personal hours of recently retired Town Clerk Charlotte Collins to other employees at the Town Office.

According to Gill, the board asked Skibitsky for advice on the matter, and he told them that after an employee retires, they would lose the hours and that disbursing it is the “way it's supposed to be.”

Near the end of the meeting, the board voted to approve police Chief Richard Pickett's request to allow him and the second-in-command to be granted the power to make arrests outside of their jurisdiction.

According to the statute, Pickett or his second-in-command could take such action “if, when possible, the foreign municipality is notified in advance or immediately after the arrest.”

“I know that Mexico, Rumford and the county police do this,” Pickett said. “It's a good thing to have. We're not looking to abuse that power either.”

mdaigle@sunjournal.com