RUMFORD — The Board of Selectmen agreed Thursday evening to allow the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee to continue reviewing the town’s growth plan, prioritizing projects and working to implement them.
In February 2014, the Planning Board asked selectmen to form a subcommittee to establish a long-term plan of action for the updated Comprehensive Plan, approved by voters in 2013. The committee has since served under the Planning Board and was charged with ensuring that details in the Comprehensive Plan are carried out.
Members of the committee are Planning Board members Kevin Saisi and Jim Windover, Bromley Cook of the Finance Committee, Gary Morrison, Selectman Frank DiConzo and first alternate Jonathan Starr. The second alternate position is vacant.
Saisi told selectmen Thursday evening that the committee gave its final report to the Planning Board on Wednesday evening. The board voted to have members report to selectmen.
“Essentially, this takes the requirement of our having to check in with them on everything,” Saisi said.
Town Manager John Madigan said he spoke with Planning Board member Gary Casey, who confirmed that the board voted Wednesday to have the committee report directly to selectmen.
DiConzo said the purpose of the committee is to look at the Comprehensive Plan, “prioritize what we need to focus on, and take steps with the different departments to implement those priorities.
“We’re basically trying to push for the implementation of priorities that we’re not currently doing or looking at,” DiConzo said. “There are some things that we have to pay strict attention to.”
Madigan said the committee was “a good way for the town to plan long term without losing sight of the things we want to do.
“With so many of these studies that we do, we spend money and time on them, and they get put on the shelf,” Madigan said. “Years later, we’re pulling them off the shelf and wiping the dust off.
“With the Implementation Committee, we’ll have a continuous committee to make sure we’re properly planning so we’re not surprised when something pops up. Everything will be prearranged.”
Saisi said the committee had plans to “reach out to different entities and departments to assure they’re working on getting things done.”
In other business at Thursday’s meeting, Selectman Mark Belanger asked if the board could start advertising ad hoc committee meetings better.
“I had a resident come up to me and say that he was trying to figure out when the Sidewalk Committee was meeting, but he couldn’t find anything,” Belanger said. “He asked if we were holding secret meetings, and I told him, ‘I don’t think anyone’s holding secret meetings.’”
“I think that we, as a board, can do better in getting the word out there about some of our committees, because they’re certainly open to anybody who wishes to attend,” Chairman Greg Buccina said. “We’ll have to make sure to advertise those meetings better.”
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