RUMFORD — Selectmen are expected to hear a request by the Rumford Performing Arts Committee on Thursday to possibly change the name of the town hall auditorium. The board meeting gets under way at 7 p.m. in the municipal building auditorium.

On Tuesday, Town Manager Carlo Puiia declined to reveal anything about the name change idea.

The meeting agenda includes ongoing negotiations between selectmen and the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1601. Puiia said one discussion scheduled for public session with the firefighters union involves a level of service contract.

That contract, labeled a “Side Letter of Agreement Between the Town of Rumford and IAFF Local 1601,” states that the Fire Department will be staffed with a minimum of three IAFF Local 1601 full-time firefighters at all times.

However, because the union contract expired on June 30 — as did the side letter contract — selectmen have twice voted for 30-day extensions to keep the side-letter agreement in place.

The union wants a longer extension, according to union President Mark Tripp and nonunion fire Chief Robert Chase.

Tripp said Wednesday afternoon that although selectmen have extended the staffing contract deadline, he worries that they might stop doing so at some point during negotiations.

“In the past, the department went to a minimum of two guys and the union felt that was a grievable matter,” Chase said Wednesday afternoon.

A clause in the current side letter agreement, however, prevents the union from filing a grievance, a right Local 1601 believes they should have, Chase said.

He said he would work with selectmen and Puiia to try and resolve the matter Thursday night.

Puiia has also scheduled an executive session to continue Local 1601 negotiations for a new contract.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com