MEXICO – By a narrow margin, selectmen voted Wednesday night to donate $1,000 toward the July 4 fireworks display during Rumford’s Moontide Water Festival.

Selectmen voted 3-2, with Chairman Arthur Bordeau, and Selectmen Reggie Arsenault and Richard Philbrick supporting the donation. Selectmen Monique Aniel and Barbara Laramee voted against.

Town Manager Joseph Derouche said the investment is well worth it. “If you could see the traffic that stops at our stores that day,” he said.

Bordeau said the annual event brings a great deal of joy to many people.

Both Laramee and Aniel objected to money given for fireworks when some social service agencies didn’t receive their full requests during the development of the 2004-05 budget.

“I’m concerned that we may not have this money,” said Aniel.

Laramee, a big fan of fireworks, said she agreed.

“I don’t think we should take this money from the town,” she said, adding that buckets could be passed to collect donations, or other fund-raisers held.

Gary Wentzell, the town’s fire chief, supported the action, saying that the town’s original $200 contribution to the Moontide Water Festival was an insult.

“That money should have been there in the first place,” he said.

Derouche said the town’s revenues have risen more than expected, resulting in more flexibility in the town’s budget. The donation for the fireworks display will be a one-time thing.

The contribution will come from the town’s share of cable television access fees.

The need for more funding for the annual event came about when the carnival that was supposed to come to town backed out. The Moontide committee derives much of the needed fireworks funds from a percentage of the take earned by the carnival.

In other matters, the board directed Derouche to send a letter to the Rumford Board of Selectmen expressing the board’s willingness to sit down and talk about possible cooperative purchases or municipal operations in an effort to cut costs.

Also on Wednesday:

• Frances DeFilipp, a former town librarian, was appointed as the fourth and final representative to the SAD 43 Board of Directors from the town.

• Selectmen put out a request for volunteers to help construct a public gazebo at the rear of the town office. Derouche said only a handful of volunteers have worked at cutting the pieces and started construction. The gazebo will be used for concerts, weddings and other events.

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