RUMFORD – Selectmen have approved funding requests from all social service agencies that sent representatives to explain their needs.

The town’s Finance Committee will now review the requests before the final say is made by residents at the annual town meeting on June 7.

Selectmen approved $372,000 in requests, up a little more than 1 percent from last year.

Not receiving approval were requests by the American Red Cross, Families in Crisis, The Progress Center and the Rape Education And Crisis Hotline (R.E.A.C.H.), which had asked for a total of $8,372. Selectmen automatically deny funding requests for those organizations who do not send a representative to either of their initiated articles meetings. The second meeting was Monday.

The board approved the requests of the 22 other organizations that did sent representatives to explain their need for funding.

Board Chairman Jim Thibodeau told organization representatives that those that usually receive their funding from the town soon after the annual town meeting won’t this year. They will have to wait until after the June primary at which statewide voters will decide whether to approve a tax cap proposal made by Carol Palesky, he said.

Many of the approved requests were for the same amount as last year. These include: $117,000 for the Greater Rumford Community Center, $70,000 for Black Mountain of Maine, $39,533 for the Greater Rumford Community Center swim program, $14,000 for transporting students to St. Athanasius and St. John Parochial School, $8,500 for Oxford County ARC, and $10,000 for Rumford Senior Citizens.

A few asked for less, including Seniors Plus for $10,219 and the River Valley Chamber of Commerce for $5,000.

However, the community center requested a second article of $17,200 to help pay non-volunteer staff at the information center on Bridge Street.

The Finance Committee generally holds two meetings to review selectmen-approved budget components. The committee generally reviews municipal department budgets during the first meeting, and initiated articles and other special requests during the second meeting. Those dates will be announced within a couple of weeks.

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