RUMFORD — Voters on Tuesday approved the 2023-24 municipal budget, which is up $847,000 or 8.47% from last year.
Town Manager Stacy Carter said inflation and the rising cost of goods and services led to the $11.1 million budget, which includes $240,000 in initiated articles.
“I’m not really as concerned about the mill rate as what the number indicates. We should be sitting pretty well. I don’t see a huge increase in the mill rate. If the valuation was the same, it would be 1.5 mill increase,” he noted.
Carter said the high cost of inflation has hit many areas. This increase in the budget can be attributed to:
• Wages (plus additional hours in positions that had been cut previously;
• Rumford’s assessment of solid waste up 17 percent;
• Rumford’s assessment of Med-Care up 32 percent;
• Capital account up 9.4 percent;
• Winter roads up 12 percent (sand/salt increase);
• Insurance is up 15 percent.
The Fire Department budget is up 16 percent, primarily due to the decision to add two firefighters for the safety of staff and citizens.
“We do not have adequate manning or call force to meet the requirement of 2 person in, 2 person out standard,” Carter said. He added this also increases benefits and insurance.
Fire Chief Chris Reed said with the additional of two firefighters, it will give them three available from Rumford all the time, along with a full-timer from Mexico, to give them the two in, two out standard.
Reelected for another three-year term for the Select Board was James Theriault. Newcomer Theresa Sax was also elected, replacing Eric McLean who did not run again. John Pepin was elected to a one-year unexpired term on the select board.
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