RUMFORD — Members of the Charter Commission conducted their final meeting for revisions Tuesday night, but will continue as a group for upcoming public hearings.
The commission unanimously voted to approve a document of their recommendations for charter revisions. Chairman Chris Brennick said he would print a copy for the town clerk and a copy for the town attorney. He will also get on the selectmen’s agenda for their March 5 meeting.
After the vote, Vice Chairman Michael Peter Chase thanked everyone for their participation.
“Thank you for helping put together a pretty good document here,” he said. “I just wanted to thank everybody for their input.”
The commission was organized last year. It asked selectmen for an extension to finish its work when the year ended. Selectmen gave them January and February, advising them to meet every Tuesday night, which the commission did.
Member Kevin Saisi echoed Chase’s sentiments.
“You know, I often deal with different aspects of politics, but I like to think of the sheepdog and the wolf or coyote or whatever it was in that cartoon where they punch in on the clock, beat each other up, and then punch out on the clock and go off together and have coffee,” Saisi said.
“That reminds me of how we interacted. We had our tumultuous periods, but once we adjourned, we don’t hold it against each other. We just have a difference of opinion and that’s how things are, but I’m really glad we’ve come to this point and been able to do so with no bloodshed.”
Chase said he hopes “people will value our work, but we won’t know until it goes to the voters. No matter how hard we worked at it, it is all in the hands of the voters as to what we’ve done and how we’ve done it.”
Board of Selectmen Chairman Greg Buccina praised the commission for its work.
“I think you guys have done a real good job of work on a very tedious document,” Buccina said. “It’s been enjoyable to listen to the discussions and I think you’ve served the town well.
“Going forward is actually a new process with the town of Rumford to go with the recommendations you’ve made on this charter or we decide collectively as a community to go to the polls and throw out the charter and go to a state law type of thing. But either way, you’ve done your homework.”
Buccina acknowledged that commission members had to work through differences of opinion on many matters. “But if everybody got along, we as a town wouldn’t get better, collectively. Thank you.”
Chairman Chris Brennick also thanked his fellow members. “This has been hard work,” he said.
“It’s emotionally driven and we all have our own opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s really important work and it’s vital to our community as we go forward. We spent a lot of time away from our families and a lot of Tuesdays. … I certainly appreciate all the dedication that you guys have shown.”
Brennick said he would keep them informed of where their work is with town attorney Jennifer Kreckel, who must review the changes to ensure they are worded correctly for the ballot and Town Clerk Beth Bellegarde.
Saisi also thanked Brennick for stepping up to succeed Saisi as chairman when he could no longer do it, and for the quality of meeting minutes that secretary Rick Greene provided.
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