RUMFORD – Proposed changes to the town charter that would eliminate the Finance Committee and make the town clerk/treasurer and tax collector positions appointive rather than elective prompted the most comments at a hearing Monday night by the Charter Commission.

It was wrapped up in 90 minutes, and Charter Commission Chairman Walter Buotte said a second hearing won’t be necessary.

Former state Sen. Norman Ferguson moderated the meeting with about two dozen attending.

Buotte set a meeting of the Charter Commission for 4 p.m. Thursday, March 13, to make minor changes to the proposed amendments.

The list of proposed changes will be presented to selectmen by the end of March, Buotte said.

Voters will then decide which of the 15 or 16 articles to support or deny when they go to the polls in June.

Finance Committee Chairwoman Jolan Ippolito supported the elimination of her committee because she said it was redundant.

“With computers and technology, town finances aren’t a mystery for anyone who wants to review them,” she said.

However, committee Vice Chairman Ron Russell argued in favor of continuing the committee.

“The Finance Committee is an additional step, it’s a balance, counterbalance feature,” he said.

Former Finance Committee member and Selectman Frank DiConzo said the recommendations made by the Finance Committee give residents a choice.

“It’s a good solid check and balance,” he said.

The proposal to change the elective positions of tax collector and town clerk/treasurer to appointive received little support.

The 1946 town report separated the powers of the spending side, which would be the selectmen, from the revenue side, which would be the tax collector, resident Len Greaney said. To have all involved with finances under the same authority would be like putting all the eggs in one basket.

“It doesn’t follow the separation of powers,” he said.

Buotte argued that the two positions should be accountable to someone and that the town manager is like a chief executive officer who ensures that all municipal employees are working together.

Commission member Dick Lovejoy said of the 23 towns the size of Rumford, 19 have appointed tax collectors, and 40 of 47 similar-sized towns have appointed town clerks.

Marie Caruso, however, said the commission shouldn’t try to fix something that isn’t broken.

Few comments were made at proposals to expand the Board of Selectmen from five to seven members so that more diversity could be available, although Rep. John Patrick, D-Rumford, said getting a quorum for a larger group wouldn’t necessarily be easier.

Other proposals included basing the number of signers to a petition on 10 percent of the registered voters, requiring training for selectmen within the first year in office, granting flexibility on residence and contract length for a town manager, allowing certain committee and board members to serve on only one group at a time, and a variety of minor proposed changes ranging from updating language to requiring the town manager to be responsible for board minutes while not necessarily taking them himself.