Wareham lost a Selectman and gained a town administrator on Tuesday.

Selectman Ellen Begley announced her resignation during the Board of Selectmen's meeting, not long after the board had officially appointed Interim Town Administrator Derek Sullivan to the permanent position.

“I somehow got my priorities mixed up,” said Begley, noting that her top priorities are God and her family. Begley said that either the Tuesday, Jan. 15, meeting or the one following it will be her last.

Begley had one year left in her three-year term.

There are now three Selectmen seats up for grabs at the annual town election in April.

Begley said that she did not want to cost Wareham the money it would take to have a special election to fill her seat. “That’s why I had to make my decision quickly," she noted, so the seat can be added to the April ballot.

Last year, when Selectman Michael Schneider -- also elected in 2011 -- announced his resignation in early February, the town had to seek special state legislation in order for the post to be added to the April annual election ballot, in order to avoid holding a costly special election. If Schneider had resigned by January 30, the position could have simply been added to the April ballot.

Selectman Peter Teitelbaum won the seat, and had to wait until May to be sworn in, as the legislation made its way to the governor.

Selectman Cara Winslow told Begley that she'll miss her, but added: “I certainly applaud your courage to restructure your priorities.”

Earlier in the evening, the Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint Sullivan as the town's permanent town administrator. The initial appointment is for one year, but an extension may be negotiated after six months.

Sullivan was hired at a yearly salary of $98,500.

The board voted to enter into formal contract negotiations with Sullivan last month. He had been filling the position since August.

“I’m happy and proud to be appointed to the position,” said Sullivan.

He’s stepping into the position at a time when Wareham is facing serious financial problems.

“We know that our expenses outpace our revenues, and that’s going to be our challenge,” he noted.

Sullivan holds a Master's of Public Administration from the Suffolk University Sawyer School of Management, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island.

Wareham was without a permanent town administrator since Mark Andrews resigned in April, 2012. Andrews was hired by the board in November, 2009, and resigned before his contract with Wareham expired to take an interim town administrator job in Wenham.

Treasurer/Collector John Foster had filled the interim position until Sullivan took over in August.

The Selectmen had looked outside of Wareham's borders for a town administrator, and a screening committee narrowed the field down to three candidates, but in September, the board decided not to appoint any of finalists.