With the bulk of Town Meeting's business complete and the fifth Selectman to be sworn in shortly, the Board of Selectmen is looking ahead to the tasks at hand.

Members of the Board of Selectmen say there are several things on their radar that need to be addressed now that the busy election and Town Meeting season is winding down. Among those things: filling key positions, finding a town administrator and permanent accountant, and working to increase tax revenue through economic development.

Meanwhile, special legislation that will allow Selectmen-elect Peter Teitelbaum to officially join the Board of Selectmen is on Governor Deval Patrick's desk for his signature. Teitelbaum takes over for Michael Schneider, who resigned earlier this year.

"There are some important issues that require a full Board of Selectmen," said Selectman Steve Holmes, who became chair when the board reorganized following the April election.

The board will have to decide who will next sit in the town administrator's seat, following the April departure of Town Administrator Mark Andrews, who took a job in Wenham. Collector/Treasurer John Foster is filling the position in the interim.

"I think we need to review the job description, review the [job] posting, and put it out," Holmes said, adding: "Five Selectmen should do that -- not four."

Selectman Alan Slavin, elected in April, echoed that sentiment.

"We don't want to settle with someone," Slavin said. "We want someone who's really going to be a longterm solution."

Wareham has been without a permanent town accountant since April of 2011. The Selectmen will have to find a permanent solution for the office.

Accountant Elizabeth Zaleski was fired in April, 2011, after a draft financial audit revealed a $919,000 discrepancy in the town's books. After appealing the dismissal and reaching a $42,500 settlement agreement, Zaleski was reinstated but agreed to immediately resign her post. She now serves as town accountant in Raynham.

Accounting firm Baystate Municipal Accounting Group was hired last November after, despite posting the job twice, the town failed to attract what officials considered suitable individual applicants. Baystate's current contract ends June 30.

"We have to get our financial house in order," said Slavin, adding that the Board of Selectmen should provide guidance to the new town administrator as to "what the future is going to be for the town."

Hand-in-hand with organizing the town's financials is is bolstering economic development.

Holmes noted that newly-hired Community and Economic Development Authority director Salvador Pina would be key in doing that.

"[Pina's] got a lot of ideas," Holmes said. "Hopefully he's going to help us turn things around and get on the ball."

Teitelbaum said that economic development is high on his priority list once he is officially on the board.

"The most important goal is to entice the employers to town and expand our tax base," Teitelbaum said. "After that, I think that we need to draw upon our unfulfilled tourist potential."

Among the other things Holmes says should be addressed by a full board: how to proceed with the Proposition 2½ override and debt exclusions. The measures — aimed at saving teaching positions, funding renovations, and purchasing materials — were proposed by the School Department to ease the impact of cuts in next year’s budget.

Town Meeting this month authorized spending money generated through the override and debt exclusions should the Selectmen choose to put the measures on an election ballot and should the voters approve the measures at the ballot. Only the Selectmen can put those measures on the ballot — so the ball is in the board’s court.

"The School Department will come to the Board of Selectmen and make a presentation and I'm sure they'll be requesting that the board put [the measures] on the ballot," Holmes said. "Each individual member is going to have to dig into their own souls ... and then vote."

The Board of Selectmen, which is the branch of town government charged with setting town policies, is also gearing up to review and revise those policies.

"Some of these policies were written so many years ago," said Holmes, noting that each member of the Board of Selectmen is tackling various policies. "We've been talking about [policy review] for so long. ... I don't like any dust settling under my feet."

Selectman Cara Winslow noted that, in members' review and revision of policies, the Selectmen should begin setting goals for the future.

"Now is the time for the board to really take a close look at where we're at and collectively form some goals and visions for the future," said Winslow, "and review, revise, and craft policy to lead the town in a direction going forward."

In a brief comment, Selectman Ellen Begley noted: "I feel that an individual should not be determining what the vision of the board is ... The board should be determining what the vision should be." She added: "We need to have a conversation and come together with a collective vision."

Slavin said he hopes to also work on fostering a relationship between the Board of Selectmen and members of the community.

"Going back to the basics," Slavin explained, so residents can have "respect, trust, and confidence" in the Selectmen.

Slavin is organizing the "Board of Selectmen Days," an effort to get the board members out in the community, perhaps at a Wareham Gatemen game or at a Wareham Village Association event, for example.

"Get the Selectmen out in front of people," said Slavin. "Give people a chance to get to know who they've elected."

Winslow noted that community outreach is also high on her list of priorities.

"I think the community has spoken loud and clear that they want to see stuff get done," said Winslow. "They know we have difficult decisions to make and they know that we have to move in a direction. ... We need to set goals and work toward those goals."