RUMFORD — By a show of hands Monday night at the annual town meeting, voters authorized selectmen to contract with Mexico to jointly buy a fire department ladder/pumper truck.
The agreement would allow both towns to share the cost of the firetruck, to plan for future replacement by budgeting within a capital fund in each town, and to share the maintenance for the truck used in both towns.
Additionally, by purchasing a ladder/pumper truck, Rumford Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Tuesday afternoon that Rumford won’t have to replace a pumper truck in the near future. That will enable Rumford to reduce the amount of equipment it owns, he said.
“The other thing that to me is a good step is, creating a joint relationship with Mexico besides the other ones that we already have,” Puiia said.
Rumford and Mexico already share a solid waste facility and sewage treatment, and Rumford runs a General Assistance program in which Mexico shares.
“So it’s just kind of nice we’ve been able to find some common ground,” Puiia said.
“It’s not the regionalization that people may be anticipating, but to me it’s a step in that direction.”
Selectmen from both towns met April 12 in Mexico and agreed to share the cost to buy a ladder truck. Neither town has a reliable ladder truck, which prompted the joint meeting.
Puiia said Rumford fire Chief Bob Chase and Mexico fire Chief Gary Wentzell went to a dealership in Louisiana recently to examine a used ladder/pumper truck that could serve both towns.
Details for the interlocal agreement are being finalized by attorneys for each town, although Mexico residents must still vote by referendum on Tuesday, June 12, to join with Rumford in the purchase.
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