RUMFORD — The Select Board voted 5-0 on Aug. 15 to approve spending $128,450 in ARPA funds for a half dozen priority items recommended by Town Manager George O’Keefe.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), also known as the COVID-19 Stimulus Package, is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package signed into law in March 2021.

O’Keefe said Rumford has $375,000 in ARPA funds and has until Dec. 31, 2026, to spend the remaining $246,550.
The recommendations include a $4,000 pay raise to provide a suitable pay level for the deputy clerk, and a pay raise of $29,000 to provide a suitable pay level for the command team (Chief Tony Milligan and Capt. Dan Garbarini) for the police department.

“Addressing the needs of the command team to me appears to be something that overdue,”O’Keefe said.

Also, funding for a ½-ton truck for Code Enforcement Officer Richard Coulombe for operational need. The town has a bid quote of $45,400 from O’Connor GMC in Augusta.

There is $9,200 for 44 weeks for weekly housekeeping at the Public Works Garage.

O’Keefe said, “From an occupational hygiene standpoint, I do continue to worry about conditions for public works staff at the garage. I really feel that they should have somewhat better hygenic conditions, keeping in mind that our public works staff often deals with sewerage. It really does seem appropriate to consider some upgrades to their facilities, and housekeeping practices there.”

There is $32,000 for healthcare premiums for four additional firefighters.

The board is waiting on a seventh priority, which is matching funds on a COPS Grant for two police officers. O’Keefe said the exact figure for the local match was not available at the time of the meeting.

COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program designed to provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire additional career law enforcement officers in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

Each award, through the Department of Justice, will support up to 75 percent of an officer or deputy entry-level salaries and fringe benefits for three years within a five-year period of performance to accommodate time needed for recruitment and hiring.