RUMFORD – The Board of Appeals elected Kevin Saisi chairman Wednesday night by a 3-2 vote. Jeremy Vashaw was chosen vice chairman and Leonard McKenna secretary.

Saisi, an emergency medical technician and substance abuse counselor, was formerly vice chairman. He’s been on the board a year.

Vashaw, a banquet manager at Sunday River Ski Resort, has served as an alternate member for three years.

McKenna is an inspector for the Department of Labor and has been on the board a year.

Frank Anastasio, a former selectman who is retired from the United State Air Force, and Stephanie Thompson, a substance awareness coordinator for the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, were just recently appointed to the Board of Appeals.

The meeting was called to elect officers and discuss ethics and procedures. McKenna said the board should be completely objective with any issue that arises.

“We shouldn’t be writing editorials or blogs,” he said. “We must stifle ourselves until a decision is made.”

That means no coffee at a local restaurant with two other board members when a case is pending, Anastasio said.

Saisi also said that if any issue should come before the board where he may be considered biased, he would hand over the chairmanship during that case to Vashaw. He said he would work with the town manager to get copies of the Maine Municipal Association’s manual governing Board of Appeals procedures.

The board has openings for two alternate members for three-year terms. Alternates are required when a quorum is not available to make a decision or if a member has a conflict or bias in a case.