RUMFORD – Selectmen hope to name the town’s new manager as early as this week, board Chairman Jim Rinaldo said Thursday.

The Maine Municipal Association has completed a background check on the finalist, a Maine native who is currently working in New York state, and the board expects to negotiate a contract this week.

The finalist was chosen from 24 applications and six interviews conducted during the past few weeks. He will replace Stephen Eldridge. Police Chief Stacy Carter is the current acting manager.

In other business Thursday, selectmen:

• approved a contract with the Bethel architectural firm of Smith Reuter Lull to create a renovation plan for the Municipal Building so it meets state fire codes at a cost of $63,000. Jim Reuter said work will likely begin on the $828,000 project in September;

• appointed former SAD 43 building, grounds and transportation director Tim Gallant as the new parks superintendent, effective May 7;

• approved a 2007 sewer assessment of $327,535; Carter said that figure represents a 12 percent increase over the current year, and an increase of $4 per unit, bringing that figure to $92. Payment is due by June 30;

• accepted a bid of $71,000 from Marshall Swain for a parcel in the town industrial park off Route 108. The lot, once owned by Matt Gallant for his company, Bullrock Water, had been put up for public sale due to foreclosure; and

• set a special meeting for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 11, to hold a public hearing on several proposed changes to the town charter, and to sign the annual town meeting warrant.