RUMFORD – A visit by a State Fire Marshal’s Office inspector to the Rumford Fire Station has prompted the town to seek bids on how to bring the 80-year-old building into compliance.

Town Manager Steve Eldridge said Friday that grievances filed by two members of the firefighters union alleging unsafe working conditions, a violation of their contracts, prompted the visit by the inspector at the end of October.

Once the grievances were filed, fire Chief John Woulfe III invited a representative from the fire marshal’s office to inspect the building on Congress Street.

Steve Dodge, also an inspector at the fire marshal’s office, said Rick McCarthy conducted the inspection. McCarthy was not available for comment Friday afternoon.

Major items found in violation of life and safety regulations were the lack of a sprinkler system and lack of a legal exit.

Eldridge said he is seeking cost estimates to make the repairs. So far, only one contractor has returned bids. That one came in at $37,000.

Once the town has completed a plan of action, the fire marshal’s office will be notified.

Eldridge hopes that all the figures can come together in time for a vote by residents at the Jan. 11 special town meeting, which has been scheduled to address similar fire code violations at the Municipal Building. He said money to make the modifications would likely come from capital funds.

In other matters, Woulfe made a presentation on the mission of the fire department.

Some residents, including Selectman Mark Belanger, has questioned why the town, with a population of about 6,400, maintains a 13-person professional fire department when other towns of similar size do not.

Woulfe explained that the age of residents and structures, as well as the type of structures in the town is different from other towns of similar size. He said, too, that regulations call for a minimum number of firefighters to attend a scene, and that equipment and training must be kept up-to-date.

He said the town’s investment in the the Fire Department has resulted in the savings of thousands of dollars in property taxes, and lives, because of properly trained firefighters.

A second presentation on the Fire Department will be made once the public works and police departments make their presentations. Selectmen are using the reports as part of their preparation of the 2007-08 municipal budget.

Also on Thursday, the board:

• heard a request from Polar Bear Snowmobile Club member Rob Cameron that the club be allowed to continue using town fuel to do trail grooming. The club repays the town for whatever is used, said Cameron. Eldridge said the town’s ordinances forbid the municipality from competing with private business. Whether the club can continue will not be determined until an internal controls policy is adopted.

• approved a welcome-to-Rumford sign on Route 232.

• learned that resident Linda French has raised $1,808 toward the purchase of six dress uniforms for the Rumford Police Department. The plan is to have four officers outfitted in the uniforms, and two alternates.

• approved a handicap-accessible parking spot and crosswalk on Lowell Street.

• heard an update on the construction and costs of the in-the-works business park off Route 108. Eldridge said the town has spent nearly $337,000 from the permanent road account and an unspecified amount from the sewer account. About $1 million is available from a federal Department of Transportation grant.