NEW GLOUCESTER – Selectmen on Monday unanimously appointed Barbara Seaver to serve as clerk, road commissioner, tax collector, treasurer and welfare director as a search is launched for a new town manager.

Seaver, a longtime employee of the municipality, is deputy town clerk, registrar of voters, deputy tax collector and assistant treasurer.

“One of the difficulties we faced as a town was the resignation of the town manager that ended at the end of the business day on Friday,” board Chairman Lenora Conger said of Rosemary Kulow. “We can’t make appointments until the person has vacated the position.”

She said the town’s attorney advised the board on the necessary procedures.

Selectmen also issued the required certificates of settlement to Kulow in regard to the tax collections processed during her five years as town manager. That clears the way for Seaver to take on the duties as tax collector.

“Selectmen have the supervising capacity of the town with the absence of a town manager as they start to do a search with due diligence for a new town manager,” Conger said.

Maine Municipal Association is assisting the town with the search.

In other business, the board approved a 20-item change order for the construction of the town’s fire and rescue station on Route 100. The board agreed to allow increases in spending totaling $91,140 for the $1,959,800 project.

Some of the increases come from the rising price of structural steel, asphalt curbing, overhead doors, reinforcement bars, sprinkler piping, electrical lighting and mechanical piping costs. Other costs were deleted: a hydrogeological study, a vehicle exhaust system that will be amended, a flagpole allowance and utility fees allowance for Central Maine Power. The well depth was increased from 300 feet to 600 feet on the site for an additional $3,450.

The project includes a contingency fund of $195,980 for changes.

Zachau Construction of Freeport and Bunker and Savage Architects of Augusta were awarded contracts last May.

The board agreed to research the feasibility of using the former dump site on the Bald Hill Road as a dog park, as requested by a resident.