RUMFORD — Residents approved a $7.70 million municipal budget at Tuesday’s referendum.
Each of the budget-related articles were approved by healthy margins.
Residents also voted 438-854 against contracting for police services with the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, as did neighboring Mexico. Both towns will keep their respective police departments.
Residents voted 745-505 in favor of leasing three parcels of land along the Androscoggin riverbank so developer Wow-Za! Ziplines can build a zip line park. The terms have not been decided.
One lot is north of Morency Park on the east side of the river, one is across from Rite Aid, and one is near the town snow dump on Rumford Avenue.
Rumford resident Jim Rinaldo, who also serves as a partner with Wow-Za! Ziplines, said, “If Wow-Za! Ziplines works out a deal with the town, we have to follow all the rules and regulations, permitting, shoreland zoning and whatever else is out there. We couldn’t move forward unless all these things are met.”
Wow-Za! Ziplines would also be responsible for keeping a decommissioning fund and would restore the area to its previous conditions after the lease ends.
All of the initiated articles were approved, including $25,000 for Black Mountain of Maine, $2,500 for the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition and $100,000 for the Greater Rumford Community Center.
In a two-person race for a selectman seat, Michael Peter Chase defeated Jim Windover, 717-570.
Jeremy Volkernick defeated Marcia Chiasson for a seat on the Regional School Unit 10 board.
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