RUMFORD – A group that has advocated a change in the way townspeople adopt an annual budget has sent out about 850 letters encouraging attendance at tonight’s town meeting and the June 13 primary vote.
Mark Belanger, a selectman and member of Concerned Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility, said the letter urges people to voice their concerns. He said he doesn’t believe the board made as many cuts to the $7.3 million budget as could have been made.
Other members of the 12-person group include selectman candidate Seth Carey, state senate candidate Len Greaney, Finance Committee member Frank DiConzo, and local businessman Ron Theriault.
The group circulated a petition earlier in the year calling for a referendum vote on whether to change the traditional format of the annual town meeting from a show of hands at the meeting to secret ballot at referendum. Belanger said nearly 1,200 people signed the document.
The question people will answer during the June 13 referendum presents four options: sticking with the traditional vote, allowing secret ballot votes on the budget during the town meeting, voting on all budgetary matters at referendum, or change the form of municipal government to a town council where representatives decide the municipal budget.
The letter sent to Rumford people this week urged them to appear at the town meeting to vote down any articles they feel are unacceptable, then to amend articles and re-vote on different numbers. No specific articles were named in the letter, although some have questioned the amount of money appropriated for police and fire departments, have opposed the amount of money that can be raised through taxation, and question the need for renovating and building an addition onto the Municipal Building and fire station.
According to the letter, “We hope to attract an audience of 300 to 500 Rumford taxpayers who will leave the meeting with greater awareness of the need to begin the necessary municipal cost cutting measures.”
Town Manager Steve Eldridge said Friday afternoon that if any budget item on the town meeting warrant is voted down, a new figure must be approved by a two-thirds vote. If everything is voted down, then another town meeting would be needed.
The tax rate is $19.15 per $1,000 valuation. Eldridge said if the entire budget is passed, including financing a $2.9 million renovation and building projects over 10 years, the mill rate is expected to drop to $18.66.
Monday’s town meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Muskie Auditorium of Mountain Valley High School.
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