Rumford awarded $150,000 stream crossing grant

RUMFORD — Supt. Dale Roberts of the Public Works Department told the Select Board on Thursday they recently got word the town has been awarded $150,000 from the Maine DEP’s Municipal Stream Crossing Grant Program, which provides grants that match local funding for the upgrade of culverts at stream crossings.
He said this would be for a $400,000 project to replace a culvert on the Isthmus Road, which washed out in 2011.
At a previous meeting the Select Board approved the box culvert bid of $160,900 by Superior Concrete LLC of Auburn.
Roberts had indicated that the project was contingent on the town being awarded the stream crossing grant.
In other business, the Finance Committee, comprised of five elected members and the five members of the Select Board, is in the process of developing the proposed 2023-24 municipal budget.
The following meetings will take place at 6 p.m. in the Rumford Falls Auditorium at the Town Hall:
* Wednesday, March 8 — Finance Committee public hearing and vote on Initiated Article requests.
* Thursday, March 9 — Finance Committee public hearing and vote on department budgets.
At their regular meeting on Thursday, April 6, the Select Board will sign the warrant for the June election.
The public hearing for the budget and warrant articles will be held on Thursday, April 20 at 5:30 p.m., prior to the Select Board meeting.
The annual business meeting/public hearing for the budget, will be held on June 5 at 7 p.m. in the Muskie Auditorium at Mountain Valley High School.
The annual town secret poll meeting will be held on June 13 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the American Legion in Rumford.
In another matter, Town Economic Development Director George O’Keefe said, “The Rumford mill has helped us reach out to CSX to discuss issues with the Veteran’s Street railroad crossing. I’m looking to setting up a site visit with CSX at their earliest opportunity to address the problems with the Veteran’s Street crossing.”
Approved was a three-year intergovernmental agreement between the Rumford Park Department and Western Foothills Regional School Unit 10. The fee for RSU 10 to use the Hosmer Field Complex will be $30,000 in 2023-24, $32,000 for 2024-25 and $34,000 for 2025-26.