RUMFORD – A temporary building to house the town’s aerial truck, long in the planning, will soon be erected.

Selectmen on Thursday awarded the contract for constructing the 16- by 50- by 16-foot building on a portion of the municipal parking lot at the rear of the fire station, to River Valley Home Improvements of Mexico. The bid was $11,885.

Virtually all of the materials are already at the site and the concrete pad has been poured.

About two to three weeks will be needed to put the building up.

In a second Fire Department matter, selectmen awarded the contract for the lettering and striping of the aerial truck and a new tanker to Erik Designs of Rumford at a cost of $4,795.

In other business, selectmen agreed to change the number of spaces on Lowell Street that permit all-day parking. They denied a second request to expand two-hour parking to all-day parking on a portion of Canal Street.

At the Oct. 7 meeting, the board designated several spaces at the rear of Hotel Harris on Lowell Street as six-hour parking. Those were changed to all-day. Parking in the remaining spaces was limited to two hours.

Dennis Marquis, manager of the local Central Maine Power Co. office, asked that several spaces that have traditionally allowed all-day parking, then changed to two-hour, be returned to all-day.

“This is a real hardship for us,” he said of the eight employees who staff the CMP office. “We want to keep parking the way it was.”

He said that because his employees must sometimes attend emergency situations, their personal vehicles should be parked near the office.

Businessman Ron Theriault said CMP has land that could be used for employee parking.

The board decided to maintain the two-hour limit on all parking on Canal Street.

Downtown signs being designed

RUMFORD – Visitors should find it easier to locate downtown businesses by the end of November.

Selectman Jim Rinaldo said he and several local merchants have been working on the design and color of several signs that will more clearly point the way to Congress and Waldo streets.

A sample sign that will direct people to the business district will also emphasize the unique architecture in the town.

“We want to continue to promote the history of this town in the directional signs,” said Lem Cissel, one of the businessmen who has been meeting on the matter.

Rinaldo said some downtown business people have also expressed interest in rejuvenating the Downtown Rumford Merchants Association.

The group dissolved a few years ago in favor of an expanded River Valley Chamber of Commerce.

The signs should be installed by the end of November.