RUMFORD – Selectmen Chairman Jim Thibodeau commended the Moontide Water Festival Committee for the outstanding work it has done over the years.

“This committee has done something for Rumford that hasn’t been done for 40 years – it brought Rumford back to life,” he said.

But at Thursday’s board meeting, he said people should know why the group decided to disband this week.

The committee has been organizing the annual five-day festival and Independence Day fireworks, light display and events for eight years.

“The lack of volunteerism by other people, the same few people doing most of the work was a major reason,” he said. “They encountered bills of $50,000 to $80,000 every year to raise.”

Thibodeau said there was an equally important reason for the committee deciding to end the annual summer event.

“It was the pressure from some of the businesspeople for that week or five days. The pressure was such that some of the businesses were going to try to stop all downtown activities through a bylaw,” he said, adding that if such a bylaw was to pass, that could eliminate the annual pro-rally race that brings scores of race cars and hundreds of people into town as well.

He said the five days the major streets are closed in town to make way for the festival and July Fourth activities seemed like a small price to pay for what merchants take from the town during the rest of the year.

Town Manager Robert Welch said he doesn’t know what, or if, the town will do anything to try to reinstate a July Fourth celebration.

“It’s too early to say,” he said, adding that if any other group decides to try to put on a fireworks program or organize a festival they must do it soon. Fireworks must be ordered by the end of the month.

A River Valley Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman said Wednesday that an emergency meeting may be called to decide what, if anything, it should do.

In other matters on Thursday, the board approved a taxi cab license for Roadrunner Taxi.

Manager of the company, Frank Tuttle, said he now understands that he must file for a renewal license two weeks prior to its expiration so that the town can make proper public notice.

Reissuance of the license was delayed for two weeks because Tuttle filed for the license on the day it expired, which was Dec. 31. Without a license, a cab company can pick up in town, drop off in town, but not pick up and drop off.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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