RUMFORD — Selectmen got the answer they were seeking Tuesday from voters in a nonbinding straw poll on whether to convene a charter commission.
At issue is whether to scrap the 1950 document that’s been amended over the years but still creates conflicts as selectmen strive to conduct the town’s business or review and fix its shortcomings.
Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Tuesday evening that 836 people voted to establish a charter commission, whereas 531 didn’t want one.
Now the ball’s in the board’s court.
“This kind of gives the board something to consider,” Puiia said. “They did get the majority vote by a good margin.”
He said that if selectmen agree to form a charter commission, it wouldn’t be voted on until the annual business meeting in June.
“I mean they could schedule a special town meeting, but I don’t foresee any urgency for that,” Puiia said.
“I think that more or less if they’re going to have one, they’re going to do it when they do their budget, because you do have to have enough money to fund that.”
“The next thing, of course, if they do have one, is to get enough candidates that will want to run,” he said.
“So, we’ll look over the laws and we’ll have a chance to discuss it. Chances are, it will end up as an agenda item at some point.”
In other town business, selectmen are expected to consider whether to ban fireworks in town.
Last summer, Gov. Paul LePage signed a bill to legalize the sale, possession and use of commercial fireworks, effective Jan. 1, 2012.
The bill also allows towns and cities adopt their own limitations.
Rumford selectmen, however, have nothing in the works prohibiting fireworks.
Selectman Brad Adley mentioned this at the board’s Nov. 3 meeting. He said he’d seen news articles about towns creating ordinances to regulate commercial fireworks or ban them outright like the Lewiston City Council did on Nov. 1.
He then wondered aloud if Rumford should also ban them.
Selectmen Chairman Greg Buccina said that he, too, was aware of the issue. He suggested the board discuss the topic sometime before April.
That’s when the board submits and/or previews proposed ordinances or amendments for inclusion on the annual town business meeting ballot in June.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
