RUMFORD – The town now owns a new business and industrial park site.

Town Manager Robert Welch announced at Thursday’s board meeting that the final papers were signed Wednesday to buy the 149-acre parcel from Rumford resident Tom Dickson for $80,000.

Signing the documents ended nearly two years of work, including securing a variety of environmental permits, at a cost of about $75,000.

Townspeople had raised about $150,000 during two town meetings to go toward the development and permitting for the parcel. It is located next to the existing industrial park, which is now virtually full, off Route 108.

“Now that we have passed all the permits and own it, we hope to begin phase I,” said Selectmen Chairman Jim Thibodeau.

Welch said he hopes the town crew will be able to begin preliminary work for the access road and sewer lines for the first phase before winter.

The plans are for the lot to accommodate about 20 two- to five-acre parcels on 54 acres. Wetlands dot much of the property, making it unfit for development. About two acres of wetlands will be destroyed if the land is developed as planned. Under a mitigation plan, the town will compensate for the loss with an alternative plan approved by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.

The town is also seeking a substantial amount of federal money to develop the business/industrial park through the provision of roads, sewer and water. It hired a Washington, D.C., consulting firm last year to try to get the funds.

Thibodeau said word has not yet been received on whether the money will come through; however, he said the prospects are “slow, but promising.”

In other matters, the board decided not to appoint three people to represent the town on the Greater Rumford Community Center Board of Directors, at least for now.

Thibodeau had asked selectmen to consider adding three members to the community center’s seven-member board because the town foots most of the bill for operating the center and he wants to have a clearer picture of what’s happening with the organization. He said, too, that several residents have asked him about various changes made to the building and others want to know what they are getting for their money.

The board decided, instead, to ask a couple of the community center’s board members to attend a selectmen’s meeting next month. At that time, selectmen hope to gain a greater understanding of the organization.

The board also awarded the contract for 700 copies of the town’s annual report to Park Street Press of Paris at a cost of $3.97 each. The winter parking ban on overnight parking was approved to begin during the first snowstorm, or on Dec. 1.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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