RUMFORD – Mary Ann Richard, Rumford’s parking enforcement officer, has brought in more than $18,000 in fines since being hired in July 2004.
She works a 40-hour week, monitoring the two-hour parking limits from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Richard has also been commended for her public relations work while walking the downtown island beat and for gathering parking statistics for Rumford’s Downtown Revitalization program.
Despite this, conflict looms.
At Thursday night’s Board of Selectmen meeting, Selectman Jim Rinaldo questioned her elevation to that of a full-time town employee with benefits. He said that wasn’t the board’s intent.
Selectman Jolene Lovejoy agreed, to a point.
The board agreed the position should be contractual without benefits, Lovejoy said.
But, she added, new Town Manager Steven Eldridge realized Rumford could have been sued, because it had a 40-hour-a-week, full-time employee who was being denied benefits.
“It was a grave mis-justice. … we were seriously at fault,” Lovejoy said.
Eldridge gave Richard benefits and a cost of living raise.
“She’s doing a good job, and I think it’s a position we should keep,” he said.
Rinaldo said he had no complaints about Richard, but objected to her full-time status.
Police Chief Timothy Bourassa countered, saying the town can’t hire someone to work part-time, but expect them to work a 40-hour week.
Eldridge said that even though Richard works out of the police department, her job is not that of a full-time police officer.
“We’re not creating a full-time police position. She’s a non-union employee like any of my staff, and she fulfills a need that exists here,” he said.
Chairman Jim Thibodeau, who agreed with Eldridge, suggested that the town manager research the legality of the issue and report back to the board.
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