RUMFORD – The woman often credited with holding the River Valley Technology Center together has resigned.

Rosie Bradley, executive director of both the River Valley Growth Council and the technology center, submitted her resignation Wednesday, effective March 23.

She will become Fairfield’s economic and community development planner on April 2.

Bradley, a Rumford native who graduated from Rumford High School in 1986, began as a part-time administrative employee for the growth council in 1998. By 2003, she was assistant to the growth council director, then in 2005, its director. A few months later, she assumed the directorship of the technology center as well.

She said her resignation is not related to recent financial difficulties of the economic groups, but instead is the result of a desire to move to the Skowhegan area, where her partner has family. She said plans to move to the Skowhegan area have been in the works for more than a year.

She is, however, frustrated with a sometimes impatient and negative attitude among many in the River Valley area.

“It’s been very frustrating and hard to do economic development in a negative atmosphere. It takes time, patience and perseverance. Some people want results immediately,” she said.

The growth council has called a special meeting for 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, to discuss a possible restructuring of the council and technology center, and to decide whether to fill Bradley’s position. She said the board will look at the two organizations’ budgets and financial options.

Bradley worked to bring area towns together and was instrumental in redevelopment of the former Thurston property on U.S. Route 2, now home of Premium Specialty Hardwoods, wrote a grant for a federal clean-up of the old Diamond Match mill in Peru.

Prior to working with the growth council and technology center, she was executive secretary for the Chamber of Commerce and worked about five years in the paper industry.

“There seems to be cooperation with other towns (in the Fairfield area) which is really refreshing. I’m excited and looking forward to working with forward-looking people,” she said.