RUMFORD – Selectmen recommend that the town raise $100,000 to assist in economic development.

Official action will be taken March 27 when the board acts on the fiscal 2009 municipal budget.

“The town has been woefully underfunded in economic development,” Town Manager Jim Doar said Monday afternoon.

The $100,000 has been added to the town manager’s office account, bringing that line item to $270,000, up from just over $184,000 for this year; $10,000 was set aside for economic development this year.

Doar said an economic developer will likely be hired to work for the betterment of the town if voters OK the money.

Selectmen will discuss creation of an economic development office at their April 3 board meeting.

Doar said the River Valley Growth Council, the Downtown Revitalization Committee and the Chamber of Commerce work to improve the town economy; however, he said, nothing ties it all together.

“The point of economic development is to bring jobs,” he said.

He said he continues to support the growth council, which he termed a “good regional economic model.” But he said he agreed with selectmen that a person dedicated to Rumford should be in place.

The growth council has requested $16,000 for the coming fiscal year, part of $350,000 requested by social service and other organizations under the initiated article portion of the budget.

Doar said the growth council serves a purpose and a niche. However, its role may be changed so that it may be paid on a consultant basis or it may in some way work with the Oxford Hills Growth Council.

When selectmen act on the municipal budget, that figure is expected to be around $7.45 million, excluding initiated articles. That would represent a 3 percent hike from the municipal budget adopted last year of $7.24 million.

Voters will have their say via secret ballot June 10.