RUMFORD – Bradley Adley and Frank DiConzo are Rumford’s two new selectmen.

Unofficial results gave Adley 890 votes, DiConzo, 755, Ron Theriault 681, and incumbent Selectman Jolene Lovejoy, 659.

Nearly 1,500 people voted during this off-year and off-primary election that was filled with local issues.

At the annual reorganizational meeting following the election results, the board unanimously appointed James Doar to a year probationary period as town manager at an annual salary of $65,000. Doar, an Aroostook County native who most recently has worked as a budget analyst for the state of New York, began his duties last week.

According to the municipal charter, the board must reappoint a town manager at a reorganizational meeting that is always held following June elections.

Selectman Greg Buccina, who was chosen to lead the board as chairman at the reorganizational meeting, said Doar will be considered for a one- to three-year contract on June 10, 2008. Between now and then, two meetings will be held to discuss Doar’s work and progress.

Buccina was narrowly elected chairman by a vote of 3-2, with Buccina, Mark Belanger and Adley voting in the affirmative, and Arthur Boivin, who was nominated and defeated, and DiConzo voting against Buccina.

Boivin was unanimously elected vice chairman of the board.

The board also unanimously voted to adopt Roberts Rules of Order for conducting meeting. This means, among other things, that members of the the public will be able to continue to ask questions and make comments after the board makes a motion and second, something that could not be done under the previous meeting rules.

They also set regular board meetings for the first and third Thursdays of each month, generally beginning at 7 p.m. and agreed to notify the public within seven days of a specially called meeting.

Boivin said he looked at a positive upcoming year.

“We have fresh blood on the board, and young blood (for the town manager),” he said.

Buccina replaces former Chairman Jim Rinaldo, who did not seek re-election. DiConzo and Adley replace Rinaldo and 12-year Selectman Jolene Lovejoy.

Buccina has often cast the deciding vote on issues on a sometimes fractured board throughout the past two years.

When nominated for the chairmanship, he said, “I could lead a fair, open-minded meeting, run by the charter and state law, and give everybody a chance to speak, to pull together as a team.”