RUMFORD — After failing to host an annual Fourth of July celebration in recent years, efforts are now under way to revive the festivities that once gave Rumford the distinction of having the largest fireworks display in the state.
Selectman Greg Buccina, who has championed the subject at nearly every selectmen’s meeting for the past few months, told the board at Thursday night’s meeting he’d like to devote a chunk of the cable franchise fees toward the patriotic celebration.
He said it would be advantageous to annually give one-third of the fees (about $12,500) to the organization that heads up the Fourth of July celebration, although none currently exists, Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Friday afternoon.
Buccina asked that the funding topic be added to the board’s Aug. 19 meeting agenda to discuss and possibly approve placing before voters on the November ballot.
Later in Thursday night’s meeting, when talk shifted to a discussion of future July Fourth celebrations, selectmen approved starting a committee to plan for a July 4 celebration in 2011. To that end, Puiia said there will be a meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, in Rumford Falls Auditorium.
This time, however, instead of the event being a Rumford celebration, Puiia said selectmen believe it should be a River Valley celebration involving area towns and not just Rumford, although Rumford is currently starting the process by itself.
In other municipal business, selectmen on Thursday night approved reappointing Rumford lawyer Thomas Carey as town attorney by a 3-2 vote.
Dissenting Selectmen Jeremy Volkernick and Chairman Brad Adley wanted to run with Volkernick’s idea to test the waters by seeking bids for the job from lawyers living outside of Rumford to learn if it could get “more bang for the buck.”
That was after Puiia checked town law at Volkernick’s request to determine if the town attorney must live in Rumford.
Puiia said they don’t, but Article 20, Section 3 of the charter states that any town official — whether elected or appointed — must reside in Rumford, unless selectmen deem no one is available locally to fill certain appointed positions, like town attorney.
Another 3-2 vote denied fire Chief Bob Chase’s desire to hire a utility firefighter after selectmen at a previous board meeting OK’d Chase’s initial request to advertise for such an employee.
Although Chase had argued that hiring a utility firefighter could reduce overtime costs by filling in during vacations and sick time, Puiia said the majority’s consensus was that now wasn’t the time to be adding employees to the payroll. Especially in light of the board’s inability, so far, to get voters to approve a welfare budget.
Selectmen did approve:
— A new contract with the Rumford Professional Firefighter Local 1601 union following an executive session, although Puiia said he couldn’t divulge its details until after the union approves the document. Puiia said the union has only tentatively approved the contract.
— Allowing Public Works to work on private property owned by Rumford Hospital to install a drainage pipe to a storm drain to help remove runoff water from hospital parking lots.
— Low bids by John M. Ronan of $52,320 to repair a section of the water-damaged auditorium ceiling, and $9,400 to replace 42 stairs in the balcony area that aren’t wide enough to meet building code standards.
Supporting Sponsor for Franklin Journal, Livermore Falls Advertiser, Rangeley Highlander and Rumford Falls Times.
Keeping communities informed by supporting local news. franklinsavings.bank
Comments are no longer available on this story