RUMFORD — Nomination papers for seven town positions are available at the town office and are due to be filed April 12.

A selectman, an assessor, two Finance Committee members and a Regional School Unit 10 director, each for three, three-year terms.

A clerk/treasurer and a tax collector, each for two-year terms, are also up for election.

The public hearing on the 2024-25 municipal budget will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, June 3, at Mountain Valley High School.

Elections and voting on the budget will be by secret ballot beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday, June 11, at the American Legion Hall, 184 Congress St.

Town Manager Stacy Carter said the proposed budget is $11.38 million, a 7.45% more than for 2023-24.

He said the increase is due in part to rising costs for wages, repairs, fuel and solid waste.

“We looked at salary, to see where employees were, and found there were several below what is average for jobs in towns similar to ours,” Carter said.

“I think it’s a good budget,” he said. “It keeps services strong and healthy and what we’re accustomed to.”

At the Finance Committee public hearing and budget vote March 14, Carter updated voters on the estimated $2 million damage to the Hosmer Field Complex from the December 2023 flooding.

“We received payment for the three buildings that were damaged and the contents …,” he said. “That’s our flood insurance policy.”

There are other insurance policies, he said, and once officials know what the payouts are they can start replacing equipment.

Carter said many items will be covered under public assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“Insurance we should be getting, hopefully, within the next 30 days, and public assistance through FEMA, we can’t get reimbursed through them until the work is done and invoiced and we pay it. That will take, likely, three quarters to one year before that’s all said and done,” he said.

FEMA pays 75%, Maine Emergency Management Agency pays 15% and the town pay 10%.

“We’ll do the best we can this year,” department Superintendent Marcus Palmer said regarding the fields.

A $500,000 canopy is planned over the 200- by 50-foot hockey rink.

“The canopy project will be put on the back burner,” he said. “We have until 2026 to complete it.”

The project was made possible by a $251,000 matching grant from the federal Land & Water Conservation Fund, which is administered by the Bureau of Parks and Lands in the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

Carter said before the canopy project is started, they want to build that area up by 3 feet. “It won’t mitigate all the danger of flood, but it will alleviate some of the minor flooding that gets there.”

“We know we’re going to have to replace the office building,” he said. “We just don’t know at what cost, and at what level of insurance money we’ll receive.”

The complex won’t all get fixed in a few months, which will affect spring and maybe summer activities, but officials are making sure that it’s safe for everyone.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Mexico tech school applications increase to over 260

Next »

Photo: Easter egg hunt fun