Assistant Town Manager Sarah Bennett has been appointed acting town manager, according to a news release issued Wednesday.

She succeeds Glenn Michalowski who resigned Oct. 15 amid public blowback for an accounting error last year that put the town in a $1.3 million shortfall, causing property taxes to rise dramatically this year to make up for it.

It is part of a three-phase plan being implemented by the town that will ultimately culminate in a new town manager, according to the release.

“The Town is deeply grateful to Ms. Bennett for stepping up to serve as Acting Town Manager,” Town Council Chair Fern Larochelle wrote in the release. “This structured approach allows us to maintain stable, effective leadership today while dedicating the time necessary to conduct a thorough search for our next long-term leader.”

Appointing Bennett is the first phase of that plan. The council then plans to search for a “mid-term” interim town manager and that person will serve while the council launches a “comprehensive, nationwide recruitment effort” for a permanent town manager, according to the release.

“This search will prioritize finding an experienced professional who can provide long-term vision and strategic leadership for the Lisbon community,” according to the release.

Meanwhile, nine candidates are vying for four open Lisbon Town Council seats in next week’s election. Only one of the candidates is an incumbent. Several of the candidates are running on a platform to return the town to a town meeting style of government, which would allow residents to gather and vote on the town budget directly instead of the council making the decision.