RUMFORD – The contract for a six-acre parcel in the town industrial park was awarded to William Gates of Peru, who plans to move and expand his Dixfield and Mexico business.

Town Manager Jim Doar said Gates’ bid of $50,001 was the higher of two submitted. Doar said Gates is working with the River Valley Growth Council to find funding.

He said Gates owns Professional Vehicles Corp. Inc., which is a business that outfits emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire rescue trucks and police cruisers.

The sale of the parcel and the steel building on it are expected to close within 30 days. With the completion of the sale, the industrial park off Route 108 will be filled.

Gates said Friday afternoon that his business has grown, requiring additional space. Right now, his offices are in Mexico and the garage is in Dixfield. He said his business also does light repair work and sells new and used parts for emergency vehicles.

He expects to complete the move into the new facility by next summer. At that time, he said the number of employees is expected to increase from four full-time and several part-time people.

The property had once been owned by Matt Gallant, who operated a water bottling plant until the business went bankrupt. Doar said the town lost about $38,000 of the loan made to Gallant. The town maintains a revolving loan program to help businesses become established.

In a related business matter, Doar said work on the town’s new business park just east of the industrial park has stalled for lack of funding.

Although a federal $1.5 million grant is available, Doar said it can be used only for turnout lanes or intersection work outside of the parcel.

During the past couple of years, the Region 9 forestry class and the town’s Public Works Department have cleared the parcel, and town employees have built a dirt road.

However, Doar said, electrical power must be run into the lots, and the road must be paved before the parcels can go on sale. He said he plans to seek funding for those projects through an application for a federal community development block grant or through the town’s municipal budget next year.