RUMFORD — The Board of Selectmen held a public workshop Thursday evening to discuss whether the town should place recreation funding in the municipal budget.

During a Nov. 21 selectmen meeting, Chairman Greg Buccina said the annual recreation expenses have been “relegated to the initiated article process” for the past few years. If the article does not pass, there is no money for recreation.

Town Manager Carlo Puiia started the workshop by saying “we’re lucky that we’ve always had a facility for our recreation.

“We believe that it’s beneficial for our citizens to have a good amount of recreation,” he said. “It’s something that discourages vandalism, discourages juvenile delinquency, promotes health and recreation and is something that is a part of our town’s big picture. We all know that there is a value there and we cannot ignore it or let it founder.”

Buccina asked Puiia what the town should do as a first step toward moving recreation funding to the municipal budget.

“Where do we start?” Buccina asked. “Do we have to do a charter change?”

“No, there’s nothing in the charter that defines what your budget items are,” Puiia said. “For instance, it used to be that public safety was one vote. Now, you vote separately for police, for fire, and for miscellaneous items. Recently, we separated the library from the Parks Department. You, as this board, could include a section for recreation on the budget, or you could put it into the Parks Department.”

Puiia said the hurdle to doing so would be contracting out the recreation services.

Gary Dolloff, chairman of the Greater Rumford Community Center, said he believed “it was a perfect storm last year” for the defeat of the center’s request during the June town meeting.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen again,” Dolloff said. “I’m going to work diligently with our board to make sure that people understand that if the vote fails the first time, the GRCC would be closing down.”

He said he believed the defeat of the center’s budget in June was not due to “a lack of use.”

“Everyone should come down here and see how busy it gets on a Wednesday or Thursday,” Dolloff said. “As a board, we need to get the word out there. Shame on me last year, and the years prior, for sitting on my hands and not going after the vote.”

Dolloff said he believes until a long-term solution could be found, the GRCC should remain under the initiated articles.

“Why is that?” Buccina asked.

“Because I don’t think you guys want to be renters or landlords,” Dolloff said. “I have six businesses in that building. I would love for the town of Rumford to put us on the budget and run us as part of the town’s recreation, but it’s just not feasible for this year, for the town to take over the GRCC.”

Resident Candice Casey suggested the town “make a list of what we consider to be essential recreation items” and “put a line in the Parks Department, or under recreation, that would cover the cost of contracting out the services.

“This way, we’re not left with the situation of having nothing,” Casey said. “We’d have an alternative.”

“That’s a possibility,” Buccina said.

Selectman Frank DiConzo later lauded the GRCC’s efforts in fundraising, adding that if the center were to remain under initiated articles, he does not believe it would get shot down again.

“We have all, for many, many years, become very complacent,” DiConzo said. “This year, we learned what complacency does, based on how the legislative body voted. I agree with Gary. This was the perfect storm, but I think it worked out for the GRCC, because they became non-complacent.

“People are seeing that, and I think this year, you’re going to see a change of attitude in our legislative body come June,” DiConzo said. “The GRCC has a new determination and they know what needs to be done. I think that determination is going to change the voting atmosphere.”

Although the workshop did not result in any sort of decision, Dolloff said he and his the board will “put together a budget for the upcoming budget season for a lower amount that will still give the town the best programs and services that they can provide.”

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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