RUMFORD – A federal union official asked Maine state and federal lawmakers Thursday to investigate a reported plan to close the Rumford Social Security office.

In an e-mail to U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud, William Thoms, the secretary-treasurer of Local 1164 of the American Federation of Government Employees, said the Social Security Administration is planning to close its Rumford office at 3 Canal St.

“On behalf of AFGE, I request that your office open an inquiry into whether the citizens of western Maine are being better served – or disserved – by this unannounced plan to close the Rumford Social Security Office,” Thoms wrote.

Thoms said that two years ago, Social Security Administration regional managers reduced staff and downgraded the status of the Rumford office.

“Now, after recent attrition, staffing in Rumford has reached the point where the loss of just one more employee would force closure.

“So, although management won’t say that they plan to close Rumford, closure is the inescapable consequence of their no-replacement policy,” he stated.

But Angela Wadsworth, a Social Security management support specialist in Portland who oversees the Rumford office, denied Thoms’ claims.

“No, the office is not closing at this point in time, and there are no plans to close it,” Wadsworth said Thursday afternoon. “That office will be open 9 to 4, five days a week, Monday through Friday.”

Thoms claimed that currently, Social Security claimants and beneficiaries in Western Maine communities being served by Rumford are being “forced to travel an additional 40-odd miles” to the next-nearest office in Auburn.

“The already hard-pressed staff in Auburn is shouldering the burden of this extra workload with no additional staff,” he stated.

Wadsworth deferred further comment to Kurt Czarnowski, the administration’s regional communications director in Boston. He was not available for comment late Thursday afternoon.

Thoms said the American Federation of Government Employees represents more than 1,300 Social Security field and hearing office employees in New England.

“These stakeholders all deserve to know if SSA plans to reallocate their resources by closing an office. Our common goal is to improve public service – not to see service suffer,” he stated.

Thoms, who works in the administration’s office in Salem, Mass., could not be contacted for further comment.