RUMFORD – Selectmen Arthur Boivin, Frank DiConzo – ousted earlier by two other selectmen – and Mark Belanger, who was reprimanded, have filed for a hearing before the Board of Appeals.

Boivin and DiConzo were dismissed by Selectmen Greg Buccina and Brad Adley at the March 6 board meeting for improperly following procedure. Belanger was reprimanded for the same reasons.

Board of Appeals Chairman Joseph Roberts said Wednesday night that the appeals requests were filed late Wednesday afternoon. He said he has 10 days to schedule the hearing.

DiConzo and Belanger could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.

Boivin said he doesn’t consider himself off the board, and the appeal is not for reinstatement. He said the three decided to file for an appeal hearing as a “protective appeal to preserve our rights.”

In related matters, Town Manager Jim Doar said three complaints have been lodged in the selectmen’s issue, and one filed against police Chief Stacy Carter.

Doar said Wednesday afternoon that he plans to review each complaint, write his findings, then present them to the remaining selectmen on April 3.

Complaints related to the vote made by Adley and Buccina to dismiss DiConzo and Boivin, and to reprimand Belanger, for not following proper procedure were lodged by Joe and Annette St. Pierre, Belanger’s in-laws, on March 11. In that complaint, the St. Pierres claim that Buccina and Adley acted illegally when they voted to remove DiConzo and Boivin and to reprimand Belanger. They are calling for the dismissal of Buccina and Adley.

On March 10, businessman Ron Theriault then lodged a complaint against Buccina, claiming that he violated the town’s ordinances. He is calling for a reprimand of Buccina. Theriault declined comment Wednesday on a letter he submitted to Doar in which he said he planned to take legal action against Buccina, Adley and Doar for allegedly violating the town’s charter, by-laws and Maine municipal law. His letter stated that he would refrain from taking action until 1 p.m. Wednesday so that Doar and legal counsel could take action on declaring the March 6 vote illegal. The town did not take any action.

On March 12, retired mill worker Tom Fallon filed a complaint requesting reinstatement of Boivin and DiConzo. He also requested that Buccina and Adley be reprimanded for their actions on March 6.

Belanger filed a complaint on March 7 against Carter claiming that Carter spread false information about him at the March 6 board meeting. Belanger is calling for an apology from Carter and a letter of reprimand.

Carter said at the March 6 meeting that Belanger requested information from the Oxford County sheriff on the possibility of providing police coverage for the town.

Belanger and Sheriff Wayne Gallant disagreed on the details of the request for information.

Carter said procedure requires action by the entire board to request such information.

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