Retail, wood pellets, craft co-op on the radar for Rumford econ development committee

Launched in June, Rumford's new Economic Development Committee is off to a fast start.

Committee volunteers, including Kim Sequoia, have already put together a professional presentation package to offer new businesses or investors interested in Rumford.  The package is available in a printed presentation folder and also available on-line in a .pdf file.  To download and view the presentation, click here.  (Adobe Reader required.)

With volunteers Jim Rinaldo and Chris Brennick, and committee coordinator Phil Blampied, the retail subcommittee has been in touch with dozens of retailers including major national brand name businesses.  With  a positive reception from some of those contacted, the volunteers recently hosted the vice-president of a major  chain, giving him a tour of the town and possible locations.

With volunteers Mark Henry and Charles Welch,  the wood products subcommittee has been investigating the full field of wood industries from wood crafting to wood pellet manufacturing.   The committee has been in touch with all three operating pellet mills in Maine, and elicited interest from one of the owners in exploring the potential in the Rumford area further.

Volunteer Mark Henry and committee coordinator Phil Blampied are beginning to explore the feasibility of a crafts co-op in Rumford, with the idea of filling one of the local empty storefronts.  The co-op would not depend exclusively on local business, but would have an aggressive internet presence.  A meeting to explain the concept and recruit local crafters will be held Saturday, September 27 at 10 am in the town hall auditorium.  For more information, contact Mark at 207-332-3995, or Phil at 364-3827.

Rinaldo and Blampied have also compiled an inventory of possible commercial property available in Rumford, and several committee members and town manager Len Greaney are in conversation with the developer of an industrial process about the possibility of locating here.

This work has been accomplished with expenditures of only a few hundred dollars to this point, most of which has been spent on printing the presentation materials.

The committee is always open to new volunteers.  Those wishing to join should be comfortable calling businesses and explaining why Rumford is a good choice for new business, new investments, new jobs.   For more information, call committee coordinator Phil Blampied at 364-3827, or  town manager Len Greaney  at  364-4576, ext. 212.

Economic committee: mission and outline Below is the proposal approved by the Board of Selectmen for the mission and structure of a possible economic development committee. Mission: To put the economic development policy of the town of Rumford on an active footing using volunteers to research the opportunities the town might pursue to bring in new business, new investment and new jobs to the Rumford area. Membership: Open to any resident of the River Valley willing to donate time to researching the opportunities for new business, new investment, new jobs in the Rumford area. Structure:  A large committee, all members officially appointed, which will form subcommittees for each different area of research, ie: transportation, paper industry related, health care, retail, real estate, energy development, manufacturing and so on. Relationship to the Board of Selectmen The Selectmen will give the committee the support including reimbursement of expenses incurred by volunteers in their work.  The selectmen will also have to accept the work of the committee and act in a prompt and efficient manner to bid out the projects developed by the committee to bring in the professional solicitation and organization needed to realize the opportunities the volunteers may identify. Bidders and contractors Any project awarded to a contractor must include oversight provisions, so that the town can measure the performance of any contractor, and suspend any contract in which goals and benchmarks are not being met. The origin of the committee                                    The committee had been suggested to the board by Phil Blampied, who produces Grow Rumford, this website. It is an attempt, Blampied said, to move the economic development strategy of the town from a passive stance to an active stance, using volunteers to do the groundwork needed to go out and bring in businesses, investment and jobs. Membership is open to any River Valley resident willing to devote the time and effort to researching new economic opportunity for the area.