RUMFORD – Many in the audience of nearly 40 were unhappy with the amount of money selectmen agreed to donate from the town toward a Vietnam War memorial, with one man saying the board should be ashamed of itself.

“You guys make me want to cry. Shame on you,” said Mexico resident Michael Mann.

Following a lengthy discussion, the board agreed to give $1,000 cash and at least that amount in police, fire and public works services during the day of the dedication, set for May 19.

Interim Town Manager Stacy Carter said he was having a difficult time trying to find money from the general government fund because of unforeseen expenses.

“Some accounts are already maxed out. If we go over our bottom line, we must have a special town meeting,” said Carter, a six-year member of the armed services. “I’m 100 percent in favor of this, but we need to look at the bottom line.”

Len Greaney made the initial plea for $2,000 toward the $12,000 cost of the black granite monument that will be set up at Veterans Park. The monument will be a memorial to all soldiers from Oxford County who died during the Vietnam War. So far, without the Rumford donation, he and Vietnam veteran Scott May, co-organizer of the project, have raised about $8,000.

“We are $4,000 short and we’re counting on this money,” said Greaney, who asked that the funds come from the town’s cable franchise fees.

He was told that the remaining $9,000 in the account was slated to cover unanticipated legal and audit expenses incurred during the past year.

Last month, the town of Mexico donated $100 toward the memorial, and the town of Dixfield donated $150.

Selectman Jolene Lovejoy suggested that board members donate a portion of their pay toward the monument while Selectman Arthur Boivin said he wants to donate his pay for a year.

Board Chairman Jim Rinaldo said a decision by board members to donate their stipends should be discussed in private.

He also favored the compromise figure of $1,000 cash and town-donated police, fire and public works services.

“No one is more dedicated to this than me, but we have other responsibilities. Compromise is the way to go,” he said.

He said later that if the town’s fiscal year arrived in June and an insufficient amount of money remained to pay bills, another group of people would be asking what the board did.

Selectman Greg Buccina also took issue with a letter Greaney had written to a local newspaper that he said questioned his patriotism. He said every group that requested money during the initiated article process received less than requested.

“And no one said selectmen weren’t generous. We are as generous a town as any in the state. What you said was not fair,” he said to Greaney.

One of the two dozen or so Vietnam veterans or their families who appeared at the meeting, Ken McFawn, said the group wasn’t getting the support.

“This is an event that people need to recognize. We didn’t get parades, but now we’re giving people a chance to be recognized,” McFawn said.

Another resident, Joe St. Pierre, said the board had messed up the budget with the previous town manager.

Carter said following the meeting that he believes it will be very difficult to find the $1,000 in this year’s budget.