The River Valley Technology Center is one of seven supported by state funds.
By Eileen M. Adams
Staff Writer

RUMFORD – Passage of the research and development bond issue on Tuesday will mean at least $500,000 for the River Valley.

Norman MacIntyre, director of the River Valley Technology Center, was delighted that the $60 million bond issue passed.

“We’re close to getting the funding to make up the difference between the bids and the budget. This will go a long ways toward that,” he said Wednesday.

MacIntyre estimated that the RVTC will receive about $550,000 from the bond that will be used to renovate and rehabilitate a portion of a former bag mill into a technology center focusing on precision metal trades.

The Rumford center is one of seven state-supported technology centers scattered across Maine.

The RVTC received bids last month that were about $950,000 higher than the budget for the renovation work. MacIntyre estimated that the entire project will be done for about $2.5 million.

The remaining $400,000 needed for the work may come from a Community Development Block Grant, he said.

He, with the help of the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, is in the process of writing the grant application and expects to learn whether it will come through by the end of the month. MacIntyre said he is “guardedly optimistic” that the money will come. Final word on the grant is expected by the end of July.

The Maine Congressional delegation, along with state Sen. Bruce Bryant D-Dixfield, have been trying to get the extra money for the project from the federal Economic Development Administration, said MacIntyre, but federal budget limits have eliminated the EDA as a source.

The RVTC has already received $1.3 million from the EDA.

MacIntyre said the contract for the work will go to CCB Inc. of Westbrook once all funding is in place. The firm, one of four that submitted bids, came in with a figure of $2,474,939.

The funding will be used to completely renovate the second floor of the century-old brick structure. This includes all structural work, installation of staircases and elevators, utilities and renovation and the necessary outfitting of the attached entrance building that will be used for administrative offices.

As soon as the final word is received on the CDBG funding, work will begin. MacIntyre said the renovation should be complete by the end of March 2004.

Rumford and Mexico voters approved the bond issue by a 2-to-1 margin. All other towns in the 10-town River Valley approved the bond issue by a majority of votes except Carthage and Roxbury.

eadams@sunjournal.com