RUMFORD – Selectmen agreed to include almost $25,000 in the municipal budget for operation of the Western Valley Access Channel at their meeting Thursday night. They also heard plans for a Maine Department of Transportation project slated for May on the lower portion of the South Rumford Road.
Joe Volkernick, a longtime volunteer with the local access channel, told the board that he tapes virtually all the local football games, regardless of where they are played. Other volunteers tape selectmen’s meetings and other meetings and events throughout the region. But equipment and updating are lacking.
“We almost have a Band-Aid system. We need better equipment,” he told the board.
The channel employs a part-time manager. The rest of the work to provide local programming is carried out by volunteers.
He told selectmen of the much larger budgets nearby local access stations, such as Norway and Bridgton, have to operate their stations,
“I’m embarrassed at the way the town is using us,” he said.
Besides Rumford, which gave $10,000 last year, the towns of Mexico and Dixfield kicked in a total of $6,100. About $1,000 from donations, the sale of video tapes and a few advertisements make up the rest of the annual budget, he said. But it’s not enough, he added.
Norine Clarke, treasurer of the access channel for many years, said new equipment is needed, cameras, and a major change from video tape to DVDs will soon be required.
“We had asked for half the franchise fees for operation of the station from the towns, but we’ve never got it,” she said.
This year they did, at least in Rumford.
Franchise fees are paid to each town by the cable television company serving the town.
Town Manager Steve Eldridge said the town took in $34,917, down $3,000 from the previous year.
The board had previously agreed to give the Moontide Water Festival Committee $10,000 toward the annual July 4 event.
“This is the best means of getting news to the public,” said board Chairman Jim Thibodeau of the local access station.
In other business, the board learned that a half-mile section of the Milton Road, which is also part of the South Rumford Road, will undergo minor realignment, new paving, new guardrails and drainage improvements. The shoulders of the road will also be paved.
Maine Department of Transportation engineer, Richard Crawford, said the project is set to begin on May 1. It is expected to be completed by mid-July.
The state is paying about $127,000 of the total $190,000 cost. The town is paying the remaining $63,000.
The road is considered a minor collector highway that sees an average of 750 vehicles a day, said Crawford.
The travel lane will remain at 11 feet. Each shoulder is 3 feet wide.
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