RUMFORD – Fifteen people want to become the River Valley Growth Council’s new executive director.

Assistant to the executive director, Rosie Bradley, said 15 applications had been received at the council office by early afternoon Friday. Applicants had until 4 p.m. to get their names in.

Whoever is chosen will replace Scott Christiansen, a three-year veteran of the economic development position. He is moving on to become the Fractionation Development Center director, which is a biomass/biorefinery long-term project that is being spun off from the council and the River Valley Technology Center.

Christiansen said at Wednesday’s board meeting that most of his time in recent months has been devoted to pursuing partners, funding and other aspects of a fractionation research center planned for a section of the tech center.

Bradley has taken over many of his duties, and will continue until a new person is in place.

A subcommittee of the growth council board, made up of representatives from most towns in the River Valley, was set up to screen applications. Interviews will follow.

A precise timeline for filling the position has not yet been announced.

Funding for a portion of the fractionation center director’s position, and for the economic developer/executive director position, for one year, will come from a $100,000 grant provided by the State Planning Office.

Also on Wednesday, Rumford representative Greg Buccina proposed a long-term plan to try to develop a River Valley recreation center.

“I’d like a committee to get together to start looking into this,” he said.

He said a regional recreation center is important for the area, particularly in light of the millions of dollars now being pumped into the development of Black Mountain of Maine Ski Resort.

He said, too, that several of the buildings now in use as recreation centers in River Valley towns have seen better days.

“This (a regional center) would be for the betterment of the children and everyone in the area,” he said. “We have great programs but we need to look at the facilities.”

Joseph Derouche, council president, said such a regional center is in the organization’s strategic plan.