RUMFORD – After a one-year hiatus, the Community Forum is back.
During its debut in 1998, nearly 100 community leaders and members got together to identify the area’s strengths and weaknesses and to suggest some solutions.
It was after that forum that the image of the River Valley began to change, believes Patricia Duguay, director of the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, one of the three organizations sponsoring the forum.
“I believe people are prouder of the community now than before,” she said.
Another forum, focusing on the arts a few years ago, drew even more people and resulted in significant growth of the arts community in the River Valley. The last community forum was held at the Rumford Municipal Building in 2004 and focused on the creative economy.
The May 3 forum, set for 4 to 8 p.m. at Mountain Valley Middle School, will strive to encompass a variety of topics, ranging from youth and the arts, to the economy, regionalism and the environment.
“We’ll look for the assets and look for the gaps, then prioritize the top-three needs,” she said Friday.
With the gaps, she said the health coalition will look for resources to meet the needs. And if resources aren’t there, a specific plan will be developed and a search for grants to meet those needs will be carried out.
Invitations to the forum will be sent to school and municipal officials and police chiefs. The public is also encouraged to attend.
Those attending will be divided into groups to work on particular topics. Duguay is also working toward finding appropriate presenters and panelists for the forum.
Besides the healthy communities coalition, the River Valley Growth Council and River Valley Chamber of Commerce are also sponsoring the forum.
The next planning meeting for the forum is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. March 1 at coalition offices, 94 River St. A cross section of community representatives, including seniors’ groups, social service agencies, the arts community and economic-growth organizations, are planning the event.
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