RUMFORD — Selectmen on Thursday urged members of the Rumford Public Library Growth Committee to share with residents their future plans to possibly move the library onto the former Stephens High School lot between Penobscot and York streets.

At a scheduled 5:15 p.m. joint workshop, moderator Joe Sirois said selectmen and the committee had met earlier that day in an apparent unannounced meeting to discuss library expansion options.

Thus, instead of being a planned workshop, Thursday's public meeting devolved into a question-and-answer session, during which committee member Linda MacGregor said they would like to move the library.

"You think you can move this library?" Selectmen Chairman Brad Adley asked building mover Brian Payne of Payne Construction Services Inc. of Center Strafford, N.H.

"Physically, yes," Payne said, "But there are still a few details to figure out."

Payne then explained in great detail how he would move the 397-ton library's Carnegie Building to the old high school site, on which would be built a new and bigger library. The Carnegie Building would then be attached to the new library.

He said it would take eight weeks to prepare the building for the move and, ideally, one day to get it up the hill to the lot.

"We would be going up Penobscot Street, because it's wider," Stephen Fraser of Scott Simons Architects of Portland said. "Otherwise, there would be too much tree removal."

"Is this the path that the library growth council is now pursuing?" Selectman Greg Buccina asked.

"I think at the last meeting we asked to leave the library where it was and put an addition on, or this option," Adley said.

MacGregor said that about 18 months ago the committee decided it would be better to build a new library on a new lot with greater availability for parking, move the Carnegie Building to that site and attach it to the new structure.

"Having a new library with the historic Carnegie Building present, I personally think it honors the town in a way that is wonderful," she said. "It's about hope, and it's also about history."

"Not only does it solve a whole range of questions that we have problems with in trying to decide what to do, but it brings up something new and wonderful, and that is, the moving process becomes a monumental event, not only for the Rumford community, but also for the whole state of Maine," Karl Aromaa, head librarian, said.

He said officials from all over Maine would want to come and witness the "tremendous, once-in-a-lifetime event" for the town.

During the moving process and construction of a new library, Fraser said the town would have no library for 9 to 10 months.

"All options involve disruption of services," Aromaa said.

Selectman Frank DiConzo said that in no way would he support moving the old library to the Stephens High School lot, especially after a committee member said they estimated the cost at $3.2 million but had yet to find any money through grants.

MacGregor said the committee believes it can go ahead with the move once they get the money, without a vote or decision from selectmen.

However, Selectman Robert Cameron and DiConzo both said they'd need consent from townspeople who own the old high school lot.

"I'm not for it," DiConzo reiterated. "Put it out to the people and get their answer."

Fraser said it would be easier to build a modern library and site it in the old high school lot, due to the greater availability of parking. The current site only has spaces for 22 cars.

"It's not whether I support it or don't support it, it breeds hope," Buccina said. "To squash hope is wrong."

tkarkos@sunjournal.com