Select Board approves three-year $1-per-year lease of Old Central Fire Station to Inland Woods & Trails

The Town of Rumford Select Board voted to lease the Old Central Fire Station to Inland Woods & Trails (IWT) under a three-year agreement beginning in June 2026, with IWT paying utilities and covering internet, heat and water costs. The motion to approve the lease, offered by Brennick and seconded by Pepin, passed 3-1 with DiConzo recorded as opposed.

Gabe Perkins, director of Inland Woods & Trails, described the group’s plan to use the building as a home base and storage hub for outdoor-recreation equipment and as an all-season “gear library.” Board discussion emphasized that IWT would not make exterior changes without further town discussion and that any conversion to residential use would trigger code requirements such as smoke detectors and sprinklers. Town Manager George O'Keefe told the board the town was not committing to fund code upgrades, but would consider working with IWT on grant opportunities if they arise.

Board members discussed the lease amount and the town’s objectives for controlling and preserving the property. Brennick and other proponents framed the arrangement as a low-cost way to stabilize use of the building while preserving municipal control; the board noted IWT has previously invested in town projects without charging the town. The vote approved the lease with amended stipulations intended to protect the town’s long-term interest in the site.

The board’s action ends public deliberation on the proposal for now; the lease terms and any future grant-funded improvements will return for further administrative action if parties pursue upgrades.