Deb Guimont wants a new roof. John Woulfe would like a new fire station, and Lee Graham hopes children will come to school more rested.

But most of all, from an unofficial survey of about a dozen community leaders, economic growth and change are wished for the most in the River Valley.

Most look to the new year with optimism and a chance to start all over again.

“There are good things happening. I’m very positive for the new year. Next year will be better,” said Rosie Bradley, president of the River Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Her organization has already started planning for the new year and for several years beyond. Chamber members are thinking that an annual town meeting for the entire River Valley area might help communities to work together, along with a quarterly municipal officers breakfast.

Bradley isn’t the only community leader looking for greater efforts toward working together.

Dixfield police Chief Richard Pickett wants the three core towns to sit down and discuss what would be best for the region, then come up with a plan.

“I don’t know if it would work, but it’s time to take a look at it,” he said.

He’s thinking perhaps a steering committee made up three people from each of the towns could look at combined services and anything else that the three towns could work together on.

Rumford Town Manager Robert Welch is hoping to get some grant money so his town’s newly created business park can be further developed. Then he wants each of the lots filled.

And like most in the region, he wants to see the economy grow.

“I’d like a little more prosperity in the area and more businesses on the island so more people will shop locally,” he said. “I want people to have a little more patience. Things can’t happen overnight.”

Mexico Town Manager Joseph Derouche vowed to continue his aggressive march toward finding any and all economic development he can find for the region.

He wants to see the Route 2 corridor from Hanover to East Dixfield, along with the downtown areas and former shopping plazas, fill with businesses, and he promised to continue trying to make that happen. He said he has contacted 26 retail groups, including those offering fast food, clothing, sporting goods, and movie theaters.

Something will happen in 2004, he said.

He also wants more attention paid to the recreational potential of the area.

Most of all, he wants to see the area’s economy diversify, something that could happen when the River Valley Technology Center opens in mid-year.

Norm MacIntyre, director of the RVTC, hopes the tech center and the business incubator to be housed in it will fill with tenants quickly. He said he has talked with three potential tenants already.

“2004 will be a banner year,” he declared.

Scott Christiansen wants it all.

The River Valley Growth Council economic developer wants at least $10 million in federal and private funds to get several major projects going, projects such as a pilot biorefinery, a fractionation center that would further refine products that can be made from wood oil, continued development of an external combustion engine that would run on wood-derived products, and the launching of a super-insulated house business.

He’s expecting a partnership with a private company to be finalized on the super-insulated housing project within the next few weeks.

Woulfe, chief of the Rumford Fire Department, hopes townspeople will say yes to a new fire station during the June annual town meeting. The nearly 80-year-old downtown building no longer meets the needs of a modern fire department, he said.

He plans to reorganize the volunteer call force part of the department so that they will gain greater training opportunities during the coming year, and he expects to get bids for a new pumper truck.

He’s also wishing that a temporary building to house the department’s new ladder truck will soon be identified.

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