LEVANT – The board of selectmen accepted the resignation Wednesday night of Chairman David CoWallis.

CoWallis, who was not present for the meeting, stated in his resignation letter that he opposed the application process the board followed in hiring a new town manager, as well as the decision to change the position from full to part time.

“I believe that a full-time manager is needed to continue the progress that we have made in the past years,” CoWallis wrote in the letter. “I also feel that I cannot work with a board that will review applications for [prospective] managers and look for qualifications and experience, narrow the selection down based on that information, then disregard that and decide to hire, based on no application or list of qualifications and experience.”

Former selectman Scott Pullen was hired in December to replace former full-time town manager Derik Goodine, who resigned from his seven-year post in September to become manager of the western Maine town of Naples.

Pullen will be paid $20,000 a year with no benefits to work 20 hours per week, though he has said he will likely work extra hours on his own time for no pay.

Pullen was approved 3-1 at a Dec. 22 selectmen’s meeting, with CoWallis voting against the hiring. Pullen resigned from his selectmen’s position the same day.

In his capacity on the board, Pullen had reviewed submissions from other applicants for the town manager’s position.

CoWallis’ resignation generated little discussion Wednesday, other than the selectmen’s decision to send the veteran town official a letter of appreciation for his service.

Selectman Stephen Call was chosen Wednesday as the new board chairman, and Selectman Dean Andrews was nominated as co-chairman.

The board scheduled a special election for Tuesday, Feb. 8, to fill the seats vacated by Pullen and CoWallis, rather than wait for the regular November election.

“I’d just as soon get it done as soon as possible,” Andrews said Wednesday.