I would like to add information that should have been included in the Sun Journal editorial of Aug. 25 about the Rumford government situation.

First, after the Rumford town charter was violated at different times by a majority of selectmen and the former town manager, citizens voted their support for the charter. A Maine judge declared the town charter the legal operating rules of Rumford government.

Then, citizens voted out those selectmen who had violated the town charter so often in the past. The former town manager left his position because he would not abide by the charter.

The majority of Rumford citizens have demonstrated with their votes that they favored a government which followed the town charter, not closed door meetings, not intimidation of other elected officials and other political maneuvering that had been conducted by some selectmen and the former town manager.

Second, the Sun Journal does not seem to understand the leadership structure of elected governments. Leadership is provided by citizens as voters. They pass this responsibility on to their elected selectmen. The town manager is hired by selectmen and is accountable to selectmen, and to citizens. The town manager is not the leader of the government, or the town. The elected selectmen are the leaders, representing citizens.

Last, Rumford citizens elected new selectmen whom they felt would create and maintain a legally operating government. I and other citizens will insist on this type of government for the future.

Tom Fallon, Rumford