BYRON – Selectman Anne Simmons-Edmunds submitted her letter of resignation at the close of Tuesday night’s board meeting.

It takes effect immediately, Chairwoman Linda Joyal said.

“She just said that she was too busy and no longer had time,” Joyal said.

Simmons-Edmunds has been on the board since 2008. Her departure leaves just Joyal and James Ramey, who were elected in March.

“I don’t believe we can appoint a selectman,” Joyal said, “I believe we have to elect one.”

Joyal said she will begin researching the process Wednesday.

Simmons-Edmunds did not participate in the special town meeting last Thursday, and remained quiet Tuesday as residents continued to question the town’s finances and record-keeping.

The town hired RHR Smith & Co. of Buxton this spring to audit the town’s books and other financial records — the first audit in the past five years. An initial report revealed significant financial discrepancies, including missing funds, Ramey told residents at the April 12 board meeting.

Immediately before that meeting, Allison Freeman submitted her letter of resignation as Byron’s town clerk, treasurer and tax collector, citing harassment, a town divide and an inability to fulfill the requirements of the job.

Selectmen appointed former Town Clerk/Treasurer/Tax Collector Rosey Susbury to those positions.

At Tuesday’s meeting, residents pushed selectmen to enact security measures, such as cameras to monitor the interior of the Town Office.

Susbury said the town is well on its way to a “fresh start.”

She also said the newest version of QuickBooks accounting software has been installed on the town computer, and that she, Deputy Clerk Tina Pellerin, Ramey and Joyal will each have a password so any activity can be traced to the user.

The town previously had Quickbooks 2015, but Susbury said it was not being utilized.

“There was a lot that could be done with it, but wasn’t done with it,” Susbury said. “Mostly checks were being written through it, but that was the bulk of it.”

According to Susbury, only outgoing financial transactions were being recorded with the software. Incoming transactions were recorded on handwritten treasurer’s receipts, a process that has created problems for the accountants auditing the town’s records.

“It was just the money going out,”” she said. “There was nothing posted for what was coming in.”

In other matters Tuesday, the town hired Steve Wight of Byron to fill the public works position.

Ramey and Joyal recently attended training for their new roles as assessors. John O’Donnell of John E. O’Donnell & Associates of New Gloucester provided free training and said he would be available to answer questions they might have.

The next selectmen meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 12.

emarquis@sunmediagroup.net

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