Excellent Marketing Strategy for the Town of Rumford

Town Plans on Tearing Down An Entire Block on Waldo Street

Were you aware that the Town of Rumford wants to
tear down an entire block on Waldo Street???
Why isn't the community involved in these decisions?
Do the owners of these buildings know this is happening?
Wow, we aren't any better than Portland or Lewiston.
Just have the Code Enforcer determine
all the buildings are unfit for habitation and call it good.

Mission Statement for The Rumford Reporter Fan Page on Facebook

Welcome to the official Rumford Reporter website owned and operated by Jennifer Norris of Rumford, Maine. Since we are stuck with the same ole, same ole from current newspapers, I have decided to create a site that clarifies the issues, gives you other perspectives, and markets Maine for the beauty and quality of life we all so treasure. If you are a public official in a public position, I will allow our readers to voice their opinion on your performance and character but if anyone attacks another fan or the admin, then your irrelevant attacks designed to hurt anothers character will be deleted. I ask that there be no name calling or character attacks. I don't like the trashy comment sections in the Lewiston Sun Journal. They let people say and do whatever they want despite the fact that the commenters are literally kicking people while they are down. Well that ain't happening here so let's have some great discussion and know that you will be protected and allowed the freedom of speech our Founding Fathers gave us without retaliation.

If you would like to become a fan of the Rumford Reporter Facebook page and chime in on the issues, please click here.

What is Envision Maine?

Envision Maine is a non-profit, non-partisan think tank that was created in the fall of 2009 by Alan Caron, the founder and past-President of GrowSmart Maine, who was responsible for enlisting the Brookings Institution to come to Maine and to produce their landmark report Charting Maine's Future, in 2006.

Alan is a Maine native with over 30 years of experience as a small business owner, community volunteer, consultant, strategist and writer who has worked on many issues facing Maine.

Envision Maine is building a network of advisers and leaders, researchers and associates. They represent a full spectrum of ideas, backgrounds and experiences, from business, government, academia and the non-profit world. Their common thread is a sense of vision and hope for what Maine can become, a willingness to think in new ways, a respect for different views and an appreciation of the practical realities and difficulties of managing change. (see the adviser list under the REINVENTING MAINE GOVERNMENT section for the beginnings of that list.)

Mostly, they share a love of Maine and a desire to see the state, and its people, advance.

Matt Jacobson for Governor Campaign Reports Strong Fundraising Results

Tuesday, January 20, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Martin Sheehan: 650-7335

Portland, ME - Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Jacobson announced the results of his strong volunteer fundraising efforts to date. The Jacobson for Governor Campaign Committee raised more than $88,000 through December 31, 2009. The campaign raised another $10,000 in contributions so far in January, bringing the total raised to just under $100,000.

85% of Jacobson's contributions are from Maine.

"It is very encuraging that so many Maine people have heard the message of this campaign and are supporting us with their own checkbooks," notes Matt Jacobson. "I am humbled by their belief that Maine can do better with a proven and successful leader as our next Governor."

Now that the Republican primary field appears set and the public's attention is begginning to turn to the gubernatorial campaign, Jacobson will be bringing on fundraising and field staffers to ensure that the campaign has adequate additional resources to get its message out to people all across Maine this spring.

"Maine people will now have the chance to evaluate the candidates based on their respective qualifications to become the state's next Chief Executive," said Jacobson. "It can't be politics as usual in Maine anymore. We need to elect proven and successful private sector leaders - both as Governor and as legislators - if we are going to put Maine on a better course for jobs and opportunity. I look forward to an energetic campaign."

If you have additional questions or would like to arrange an interview with Matt Jacobson, please contact Martin Sheehan at 650-7335 or via email at Martin@JacobsonforGovernor.com

___________________________________________________________

Matt Jacobson is a Republican candidate for Maine Governor. A graduate of the US Naval Academy and former US Air Force pilot, Mr. Jacobson is the President and CEO of Maine & Company, a private job creation and attraction organization. He is the former President and COO of the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad in Auburn, and a former railroad executive with both the Canadian National and CSX railroads.

Paid for and authorized by Jacobson for Governor, Peter A. Dufour, Treasurer

Snowtubing at Black Mountain in Rumford

Preparing Maine's Workforce for the Future

Dear Friends of Maine Development Foundation,

The Maine Development Foundation is pleased to invite you to the fourth in its series entitled “Leadership Unplugged”. Unplugged is designed to be a conversation with Maine leaders around issues of economic importance. It is an opportunity for you to come together with other leaders in a relaxed setting to build relationships and enhance our ability to move Maine forward.

Please join us for a conversation that is critical to the future of Maine’s economy. The readiness of our future workforce will greatly impact on the kinds of businesses that will invest in Maine.

John Dorrer, Director, Center for Workforce Research and Information, Maine Department of Labor, will be leading the conversation.

Topic: “Preparing Maine’s Workforce for the Future”

When: Friday, December 4

Time: 7:30a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Where: Mariner’s Church Banquet Center, 368 Fore Street, Portland.

The event is sponsored by the Maine Employers’ Initiative. Following John’s talk, we will be recognizing Maine employers for the steps they are taking to further the education of their employees.

Please visit our website to register online at www.mdf.org.

I look forward to seeing you on December 4^th!

Best regards,

Cheryl

Cheryl B. Miller | Senior Program Director | Leadership Maine | Membership

Maine Development Foundation | 295 Water St., Ste. 5 Augusta | ME 04330
Direct: 626-3116 | F: 622-6346 | www.mdf.org

Empowering Leaders Strengthening Communities Guiding Public Policy

FloDesign High Efficiency Wind Turbine Based on Jet Engine Technology

Employers for a Healthy Economy

ABOUT:

Employers for a Healthy Economy is a coalition of organizations representing small and large employers that have joined together to protect the employer-sponsored health care that more than 160 million Americans rely on to keep them healthy.

The legislation being put forth by the House of Representatives will not improve the state of health care. In fact, it will only make health care more expensive for small business, large business and individuals. If we don’t take this opportunity to control the rate of growth in health care costs we are squandering a golden opportunity. Regrettably the current legislation, as the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has concluded, does little or nothing to control the increasing cost of health care. In fact, current proposals would accelerate cost increases in the health care system.

As we recover from the global economic crisis we cannot afford a proposal that will stifle job creation with new taxes, while doing little to help employers and employees cope with the rising costs of health care.

It is imperative that any health care reform measure considered:

1. Not create a government run healthcare system and thereby undermine private market competition and market-based negotiation;
2. Not tax employer-sponsored health care;
3. Reduce the growth in health care spending rather than accelerate it;
4. Not increase the burden on employers at this difficult economic time.

House Bill Spells Big Problems for Employer-based Health Care: Read More

River Valley Expo: The Place to Be!

River Valley Expo

Mountain Valley High School

Hancock Street, Rumford

September 18-19

Maine Development Foundation Launches a New Website

"The Maine Development Foundation (MDF) drives sustainable, long-term economic growth for Maine. MDF stimulates new ideas, develops leaders, and provides common ground for solving problems and advancing issues."

The Maine Development Foundation (MDF) drives sustainable, long-term economic growth for Maine. MDF stimulates new ideas, develops leaders, and provides common ground for solving problems and advancing issues. To accomplish this mission, MDF, through it programs and research:

Empowers leaders
Strengthens communities
Guides public policy

MDF is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation with a membership of 250. MDF was created by the Governor and Legislature in 1978 with a broad mandate to promote the economy. Funding comes from a variety of sources including fee-for-service, private contributions, memberships, foundations and state government contracts.

MDF is non-partisan and delivers the highest quality fact-driven work through its programs and through economic research conducted by professional staff. MDF oversees seven programs with a variety focuses ranging from community development, to leadership training, to workforce development. MDF staff members conduct a range of economic research analysis for public and private interests on issues across the economy. All work serves as the basis for extensive and ongoing educational and outreach efforts.

Elements of a Vibrant Community

Historic Building on Waldo Street Torn Down

Empty Lot; It Actually Looks Better

US Cities May Have to Be Bulldozed in Order to Survive by Tom Leonard (Flint, Michigan)

Multi in Rumford

"Dozens of US cities may have entire neighbourhoods bulldozed as part of drastic "shrink to survive" proposals being considered by the Obama administration to tackle economic decline. The government looking at expanding a pioneering scheme in Flint, one of the poorest US cities, which involves razing entire districts and returning the land to nature. Local politicians believe the city must contract by as much as 40 percent, concentrating the dwindling population and local services into a more viable area."

For the remainder of the article, please click here.

Cap and Trade WILL Not Only Hurt Our Paper Mill But Most Likely Destroy It

Industrial Development Timeline in Rumford

February 3, 1779 - A town grant for Rumford is issued to Timothy Walker Jr. and associates to settle 36 families within 6 years.

1780 A grist mill dam, the first in Rumford, was built on Rumford corner by John Chandler.

1781 Project has failed, only a few families left in Rumford.

1792 Aaron Moore purchases the mill.

1796 David Moore takes over the mill as it is passed down through the family.

1800 - David Abbott buys the mill and it becomes Abbott’s mill.

February 21, 1800 The town of Rumford is officially incorporated, with a population of 252 (mostly farmers).

1821 Putnam’s Ferry was placed on the river in order to transport people across the Androscoggin. The ferry remained for over 100 yrs.

1846 A vote was conducted as to whether money and labor should be spent to create and support a town farm in order to feed the town poor.

1850 By this date the population at Rumford is 1,375 persons (comprised mostly of farmers).

1859 The town farm was approved by vote.

September 8, 1870 Town meeting votes to give Lieutenant John Chandler $400 to build a saw mill on the Concord (Androscoggin) river near the Rumford Falls.

1882 Hugh J. Chisholm first visits the Rumford falls and comes up with his dream to exploit the river.

1883 Study by engineer J. Herbert Shedd of Providence, R.I. Reports the Rumford falls is 163’ in length, with an above falls drainage area of 2,320 sqr. Miles. A dam built at the falls would provide a minimum of 35,000 horse power.

October 4, 1888 The saw mill and grist mill are completed, water diverted from falls along wooden flumes to power mills.

1882-1890 By this date there were only a few hundred people left in Rumford due to a mass exodus caused by the gold rush in California.

1882-1890- Chisholm and associates George N. Fletcher of Detroit and Charles D. Brown of Boston set about buying all the land in Rumford and planning out the future town down to even the street names. Their plan looks very similar to present day Rumford. Gained riparian rights to the falls by purchasing all lands on both sides.

1890 The Rumford falls Power company was founded by Chisholm and associates, after
acquiring about 1,400 acres of land, enough for riparian rights.

1890 Hundreds of logs are caught on the falls during a drastic period of low water.

August 25, 1890 Work is begun clearing land and making roads for construction of a dam over the falls.

1891 The middle dam head gates and canal were completed.

1892 The railroad reaches Rumford, a Chisholm enterprise.

1892 Hugh Chisholm and associates establish Rumford falls Light and Water Company the first hydroelectric plant on the "Great Falls".

1893 The Rumford Falls Paper company produced 60 tons of paper per day.

1898 International Paper Company is founded by Chisholm bringing 20 different paper mills together in one large company, including the Oxford Paper Company of Rumford.

1899 The Continental Paper Bag Company is started with a mill in Rumford.

1899 The Oxford Paper Company is founded by Hugh Chisholm and certified by the State of Maine and a mill is built in Rumford to produce high quality paper.

1900 Rumford is firmly established as one of America’s great pulp and paper centers. Complaints about the odor as a result of the plant arise.

1901 The Rumford Realty Company, starts building houses on the side of the river across from the mills for the growing population which was the beginning of Mexico.

1902 Oxford Paper Company is manufacturing 3 million postal cards a day.

1906 The International Paper Company was producing 190 tons of paper a day. The Oxford Paper company was producing 125 tons of finished paper a day with 900 workers. The Continental Paper Bag Company was producing 48 million bags a day. The sulphite mill was producing 130 tons of pulp a day. The ground wood mill produced 100tons of ground wood pulp a day.

1912 Hugh J. Chisholm dies at the age of 65 and his 26 year old son, also named Hugh J. Chisholm takes over the Oxford Paper Company.

1913 The Maine Coated Paper Company is established in Rumford in the southern end of the Oxford Paper mill.

1920 The Rumford population is 8,675. Oxford paper company produced 250 tons of paper a day.

1927 A large flood disrupts the town.

1930 Oxford paper company produced 350 tons of paper a day.

1936 The Oxford company buys the property and water rights to the Continental Paper and Bag company.

1936 The Androscoggin strikes back, flooding the town of Rumford and all its factories.

1941 The Maine Sanitary Water Board conducted a study on the sources and extent of pollution along the Androscoggin.

1941 It was determined that 90% of the pollution along the Androscoggin came as a result of the paper mills. After these results the mills lagooned the water coming out of the mills during low periods of the rivers flow. These measures practically eliminated all offensive odors according to towns people who did not further complain.

1942 The firm Metcalf and Eddy of Boston published the report of the Sanitary Water Board, it was found that "obnoxious odors emanated from the river during warm months".

1942 After many complaints the attorney general of the state of Maine initiated legal action against the paper mills in an attempt to curb the amount of industrial waste dumped into the river.

1950 The population of Rumford is approximately 12,710 and sewage is untreated.

1953 A new power station is built upstream from the Oxford Paper mill.

1953 The Hardwood Kraft Bleach plant is built in competition to the Oxford mill, dumping a large amount of pollution into the river.

1954 The Rumford Point Ferry, known up until the late 1800’s as Putnam’s Ferry, came to an end and a three span bridge allowed townsfolk to cross the river for free, unlike the $0.25 charge for the ferry.

1956 William H. Chisholm becomes president of the Oxford Paper company as his father Hugh Jr. Retires after 44 years of service.

1960-1967 Approximately 1,000 tons of paper is produced per day form the Oxford mill.

1967 The Oxford company merged in 1967 with the Ethyl Corporation, a multinational corporation from Virginia that produced gas, chemicals, and oil.

1976 The Boise Cascade corporation purchases the Rumford paper mill (Oxford Paper mill) from the Ethyl corporation.

1996 Boise Cascade, the Rumford mill and accompanying woodlands is sold to the Mead Corporation of Dayton Ohio, the present owner


1996 to present coming soon...

The Paper Mill

Abandoned Mill Town

The Rumford Paper Mill Following the Footsteps of the Jay Paper Mill?

According to the Sun Journal, Nearly 400 hourly employees at NewPage Corp. will find themselves without a job for 10 days next month due to a reduction in paper production. The announcement came two days after the start-up of the mill's paper machines following a 10-day shutdown that began on March 22. But the news wasn't all negative. Mill spokesman Tony Lyons said Wednesday that about 20 people who were permanently laid off last month have been recalled to get the No. 9 pulp dryer working. It had been idling for months. The May shutdown is the result of a company-wide 150,000-ton reduction in paper production.

"The market continues to be very challenging," Lyons said. "We can't produce something we can't sell."

For the remainder of the article, please click here.

The Demise of the Jay Paper Mill

According to the Sun Journal, Wausau Paper company will sell its Otis paper mill and the equipment in it, company spokesman Perry Grueber said Wednesday.

The high cost of operating the mill, along with the economic recession and other factors prompted the decision to close it permanently on May 31, putting about 96 workers out of jobs. The Wisconsin-based company announced the move Tuesday, 15 weeks after it shut down one of its last two paper machines and laid off nearly 100 other workers at its Jay plant.

"It is a surprise," said Mike Castaneda, president of United Steelworkers Union Local 4-0011. "We thought things were doing better." He said Wednesday that company officials called workers in at 4 p.m. Tuesday to tell them about the closure.

For the remainder of the story, please click here.