The Rumford Board of Selectmen makes certain the Rumford police are held to a high ethical standard and follow the rules of the department. If the policemen do not, they have been disciplined and even demoted.

However, Rumford selectmen have a different ethical standard for themselves. It’s that old double standard, “Do as I say, not as I do.” The selectmen seem to think they don’t have to follow the rules, especially the town charter.

After a small group of Rumford citizens and one selectmen pointed out that the present board of selectmen had violated the town charter – the rule of government – a September selectmen’s meeting to defend that action disclosed selectmen had been violating the charter for years.

What did the present board of selectmen do? The majority of the board continued to violate the town charter, even as citizens and two selectmen continued to call for them to abide by the charter at public meetings and in letters to newspapers. In the process, the selectmen brought bad publicity to the town.

To make matters worse, the majority of the selectmen presented an amendment to the town charter for a citizens’ referendum that would make their violation of the charter lawful, even as they continued their day-to-day violation.

I will vote no on the charter amendment Dec. 5, to hold the Rumford selectmen to the same high ethical standard of conduct they hold the Rumford police. The town charter is the law.

Tom Fallon, Rumford