Rumford select board approves victualer license, appointments and sets dangerous-building hearing

The Rumford Board of Select Persons met June 5, 2025, at Rumford Falls Auditorium and approved routine business including a victualer license for The Lure Restaurant + Seahorse Lounge and several administrative appointments.

At a public hearing the board considered a victualer license application submitted by Deirdra Gallant for The Lure Restaurant + Seahorse Lounge. After discussion Select Board member DiConzo moved to approve the license; Select Board member Theriault seconded and the motion carried 4-0.

During public comment, resident Richard Scaglioa said he has been sweeping drains and gutters on Urguhart Street and raised concerns about neighborhood drainage and street maintenance. The town manager, O'Keefe, reported active summer construction work, noted dedication events for the fire station and public works, and said staff welcomed a state senator to a recent event.

Department Head Roberts reported public-works activity: pavement markings on Route 2, sidewalk work on Rumford Avenue, removal of an old fence with a replacement on order to be installed by Mark Mckenna, hauling of material from the Linnell Motel site, relocation work for the bandstand toward Stephens High School, street sweeping at Brick Park, and finishing work on Royal Avenue.

The board approved Warrant #49 (motion by DiConzo, second Theriault, 4-0) and minutes from multiple prior meetings (motion by Theriault, second Pepin, 4-0). The board authorized the town to accept provision of technical assistance with NEIWPCC (Brennick/DiConzo, 4-0) and approved hiring a seasonal college intern at Town Hall (DiConzo/Theriault, 4-0).

Brennick moved and DiConzo seconded a motion to set a dangerous-building hearing for 128 Penobscot on June 18, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.; the motion passed 4-0. The board also appointed Craig Chamberlain to the Appeals Board (motion by Brennick, second DiConzo, 4-0).

Three agenda items were tabled for a future meeting: consideration of temporary suspension or termination of the 1915 hydrant agreement with Rumford Water District, and quotes for retaining walls on Lochness Road and at York and Somerset streets. The board approved reinstalling a streetlight on Front Street near the ball field (DiConzo/Theriault, 4-0).

The board held two executive sessions that are recorded only by statutory citation and times: a personnel session under 1 M.R.S. §405(6)(A) entered at 6:31 p.m. and exited at 7:37 p.m., and an economic-development session under 1 M.R.S. §405(6)(C) entered at 7:40 p.m. and exited at 8:17 p.m. No substantive details of those executive-session discussions are included in the minutes. The meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m.

Votes at a glance: The minutes record unanimous 4-0 votes for the victualer license approval (DiConzo/second Theriault), approval of Warrant #49 (DiConzo/Theriault), approval of minutes (Theriault/Pepin), authorization to sign with NEIWPCC (Brennick/DiConzo), approval of a seasonal intern (DiConzo/Theriault), setting the dangerous-building hearing (Brennick/DiConzo), appointment of Craig Chamberlain to the Appeals Board (Brennick/DiConzo), approval to reinstall the Front Street streetlight (DiConzo/Theriault), and adjournment (Brennick/DiConzo).

The minutes list disposition of miscellaneous town funds on the agenda but provide no details about action taken. Several items related to hydrant agreements and retaining-wall quotes were tabled for a future meeting. The minutes name NEIWPCC as a technical-assistance partner but do not include the agreement text or funding details.

The board's next procedural step explicitly recorded in the minutes is the dangerous-building hearing scheduled for June 18, 2025.