The last time I had as much enjoyment as my service on the Rumford Charter Commission was either my back surgery or emergency appendectomy.

My sympathies to those dedicated members who put their hearts and souls into doing the job requested by the voters of Rumford. They have my thanks and admiration.

I am amazed there is so much fuss over whether a tape recorder was off or on. The tape, to the best of my knowledge, is for the secretary to review anything they may have missed.

It is neither for circulation nor designed to cause paranoia.

I believe the steps that were to be followed were (1) for the commission to publish its report; (2) conduct meetings to answer any questions; (3) place the commission’s recommendations on the ballot; (4) and have the Rumford citizens vote to accept or reject any or all recommendations.

I fail to see how the democratic process can be followed when three people vote to dissolve a committee before it can explain why the recommendations were made.

Since we now have been hired, fired, and rehired, it is back to meetings and preparing a format for upcoming explanations to the public. It has been an enlightening experience to have served on a voluntary, requested committee.

The work has been arduous. The time donated is astronomical. The best thanks and compliment you can give to this committee is to read their work, attend their explanations, and then make an informed decision at the polls.

Tom Rowe, Rumford