AVON – Town Clerk Mary Dunham has been appointed to fill the vacant position of tax collector for the town, said first Selectman Robert Ellis.

The board can appoint Dunham to fill the position until the March town meeting when she can run for the seat.

The vacancy was left by the unexpected death of tax collector Steve Weiner, 62, on Nov. 24.

“He was an institution in our town for many years … well liked and will be missed terribly,” Ellis said.

Avon office hours will be from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday and 8 a.m. to noon on the fourth Saturday of the month, Dunham said Thursday.

She will begin training next week to learn to re-register motor vehicles, but for the immediate future, Avon will not be processing car registrations, Ellis said. The town of Phillips has agreed to help with registrations. Office hours there are from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Further training for registrations will be available and selectmen hope the town office will again be able to register vehicles, Ellis said.

Dunham expects it may take a year to get the office back up to speed the way Weiner handled it, she said. “Everyone came here to register vehicles and talk with him … everybody liked him,” Dunham said.