Buxton’s search for a new police chief to replace Jody Thomas, who resigned earlier this month, was complicated this week when an officer who took on some of the chief’s duties also resigned.

Cpl. Kim Emery quit last weekend. Emery was supposed to share administrative duties with officer Michael Grovo until a permanent replacement was found, said Selectman Bob Libby.

The town is looking for a new police chief to run the force of nine officers to replace 16-year-veteran Thomas, who resigned July 2 giving two weeks’ notice. Thomas was out sick July 3 and took a week of vacation the following week, after which she returned to work for a week.

The selectmen plan to create a search committee for the police chief position within the next two weeks, but posted the job opening last week. The town has received about 12 resumes for the job, which will pay $60,000 per year. That’s up from Thomas’ $59,711.60.

According to the terms of Thomas’ release, the town will pay her $46,350 during the next nine months. She will also receive one-half of her unused sick time that she earned prior to July 20. The town also provided her with a nearly two-page letter of recommendation.

Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Jean Harmon has said that the town gave Thomas nine months of pay because of her long tenure.

When the town hires a new chief, it will need to convene a special town meeting to approve the new salary, according to Harmon, because the money in the town’s budget for the chief’s salary will be needed to pay Thomas’ severance package.

If voters approve the addition to the budget, the town will pull the money from the undesignated surplus, Harmon said. If residents do not approve it, then the board would need to discuss a contingency plan, Harmon said.

“This is a first for me, and I honestly don’t know what we’d do at that point,” Harmon said.

Neither her letter of resignation nor the selectmen have provided reasons for her resignation. Selectman Dan Collomy, however, said previously that the whole thing was a “sticky mess,” though he said he could not elaborate because personnel issues are confidential.

Both Libby and Collomy said this week that Emery’s resignation did not surprise them, but wouldn’t elaborate on her reasons for leaving.

Grovo will handle the duties by himself during the search process, but, Libby said, he didn’t know if that would change.

The town will look to fill Emery’s position only after a new police chief is found, said Harmon.

Thomas’ resignation came two months after the board accepted the resignation of Larry Straffin from his fire chief duties just one month before his six-month probationary period ended.

Straffin had replaced Jim Graves, who worked with the town for less than a year. Graves replaced Jeff Grinnell, who had been with the town for seven years.

The board is looking for a certain type of police chief candidate, said Collomy.

“The police chief is approved by the town, and theoretically we’re in charge,” Collomy said. “That person is a department head, and we expect them to run the department in a professional and ethical manner.”

The Board of Selectmen has not established a “firm” hiring date, instead choosing to leave the date open until the “right candidate comes along,” Libby said.

“I just want a strong, fair leader willing to take the position on and to treat the employees fairly,” Libby said.

Libby said replacing an administrative leader is always difficult, but said he feels the town will find the right person.

“We’ll get through it with no problem,” he said. “We have a couple of good resumes that we’ve looked through.”