RUMFORD — The Sidewalk Committee met Monday night to discuss plans to revitalize the downtown and reconstruct sidewalks.

Members raised more questions for the hired engineers and designers than decisions, Jennifer Kreckel, president of local economic development group Envision Rumford!, said Tuesday evening by email.

The committee is trying to finalize a plan to present to selectmen.

In 2014, selectmen voted 3-1 to forgo a bid process and hire Main-Land Development Consultants Inc. of Livermore Falls and its design team, Terrence J. DeWan and Associates of Yarmouth.

The project’s first phase consisted of concept-level base mapping, aerial photos and the creation of a master plan of the downtown sidewalks for an estimated $11,500.

The second phase consisted of base mapping, design development, construction documents, layout and administration at client direction for an estimated $30,400.

At Thursday night’s meeting, the committee met with Keith Smith of Terrence J. DeWan and Associates and Robert Berry of Main-Land Development Consultants Inc. to discuss a list of proposed downtown sidewalk improvements.

At Monday night’s meeting, Kreckel said the committee would like to add colored cement at the intersections to denote the transition to the street from the sidewalk into its plans for the sidewalks for the entire downtown. “We want to keep in the 16 trees on Congress Street with the removal of the stumps and containment system and grates,” she said. The committee also wants pavers around the trees that don’t exceed 12 inches.

Kreckel said they are also interested in an irrigation system, but need some questions answered by Main-Land and its design team, such as:

* Will the irrigation system serve all of Congress Street?

* Will it go into the light poles to water baskets of plants on the light poles?

* Can the irrigation system water the plants in the front gardens of the Town Hall?

* Will the irrigation system also water the trees?

Concerns were also raised about lighting on Congress Street being too bright.

“Apparently, there are lights which reflect down to provide light to the street as opposed to having the light reflected up into sky,” she said. “We also wanted warm ambiance with the lighting that is energy efficient.”

The committee also wanted to know how the two firms would address the following issues:

* Granite protruding near KeyBank and Bangor Savings Bank.

* Can light poles and bases that the committee selected later be installed if they have to cut costs?

* Can they put in the light tops on the poles and bases that Rumford currently has? Including the irrigation? And can the street signs be installed later?

The committee also wanted to know the costs and life expectancy of replacing the Town Hall steps with granite or with concrete.

“We also wanted to know what items would have to be put in before the cement is laid down,” Kreckel said. “In other words, what do we need to have down in order to avoid disturbing the cement in the future?”

The committee would like to get a final proposal with costs by the March 5 Board of Selectmen meeting, along with the cost for the bid specification preparation for the entire island.

“We really want to get this project started this year,” Kreckel said.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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