RUMFORD — The annual town meeting came to an early end Monday night at Mountain Valley High School following two hours of debate and heated arguments over town officers’ salaries and a request to buy land for a zip line park.
Traditionally, voters and the Board of Selectmen go through each warrant article to answer any questions, Town Manager Carlo Puiia said.
“One by one, we usually go through the initiated articles to give people a chance to speak their mind, and so we can explain things that might be confusing,” Puiia said Monday night after the meeting. “However, the legislative body voted to adjourn after they voted on the zip line articles.”
The atmosphere at the town meeting was loud at times, with residents yelling at times to get their point across. Much of the arguing came during discussion of the salaries of the town officers, when Mark Belanger made a motion that the selectmen and Finance Committee’s recommendations for the salaries be amended to a lower amount.
Chairman Greg Buccina told the audience, “I think every selectmen does this job because they care more about their community than a dollar amount. I think if people were sitting here and doing this on a regular basis, they would understand a little better what we do, time-wise.” He said the salary is “a little stipend to help out with travel expenses.”
James Windover, who serves on the Planning Board and the Comprehensive Plan Committee, replied, “I do my job because it’s my civic duty to do this. I get no money for what I do. I do it for the town of Rumford.” The audience applauded.
Craig Zurhorst said, “These people work very hard. Do you know how much money their salary is? It’s a very small sum of money, and we’ve got many, many far more important things to worry about.
“If we start getting into the weeds on these small, infinitesimally unimportant things,” Zurhorst said, “we will never get to the stuff that really works for improving the town, never get past the petty differences we each have and never move this great town forward.”
Zurhorst yelled, “Get over it, people! Let’s move forward and get into the spirit of the meeting.”
Several in the audience replied, “Stop yelling and sit down!”
Phil Blampied suggested that the Board of Selectmen prove their civic duty by forfeiting their salaries for the upcoming fiscal year, regardless of the vote’s outcome.
Chris Brennick of the Parks Department told the audience, “We’re making this budget personal. We need to make this about the issue at hand. If we keep making this personal, we’re never going to find a way. I’ve always said that the No. 1 thing to remember when making a budget is to never make it personal.”
Voters eventually approved the amended salaries as follows:
* Selectmen and overseers of General Assistance reduced from $1,500 a year to $1,000 for the chairman and from $1,250 a year to $900 for the others.
* Assessors from $1,450 a year to $1,000 for the chairman and from $950 a year to $900 for the others.
* Town clerk/treasurer reduced from $41,600 a year to $40,000.
* Tax collector/constable reduced from $41,600 a year to $40,000.
Puiia said adjourning the meeting in lieu of reviewing the warrant articles was “not typical.”
“This is the only time citizens have to ask questions on some of the initiated articles, so it is a bit surprising that they would adjourn before we could do so,” Puiia said.
Selectman Jeff Sterling said he was looking forward to answering questions from the town about the warrant and “disappointed” by the town’s decision to adjourn before they could review it.
“One of the major criticisms against us is that we, the selectmen, have not been listening,” Sterling said. “It’s impossible to listen when nobody is willing to talk. However, the people of the town have the final say, and they decided they didn’t want to discuss the warrant.”
Sterling said it was the first time he can remember that the town had voted to adjourn the annual meeting before discussing the warrant articles since the town switched to secret ballot voting for budget items.
The remaining warrant articles will be voted on by secret ballot Tuesday, June 11, in the American Legion hall.
mdaigle@sunjournal.com
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