RUMFORD — Following a recent job performance review, selectmen unanimously voted to extend Town Manager Carlo Puiia’s contract by a year. It was to expire in 2013.

“We gave him his evaluation and we just thought it would give him some confidence going forward, and basically to say that he doesn’t have to worry about it,” Greg Buccina, Board of Selectmen chairman, said on Wednesday.

“We all felt as though he is doing a very adequate job.”

Puiia, Rumford’s longtime tax collector, was hired in June 2009 by selectmen from a field of 24 candidates who applied for the job. Selectman Brad Adley is the only member of the current board who served with the board that hired Puiia.

Puiia was given a probationary one-year contract, and then in 2010,  a three-year contract. He was out sick on Wednesday and unavailable for comment.

Near the end of the board’s June 7 meeting, Selectman Jeremy Volkernick motioned to enter an executive session to discuss a personnel matter.

Following nearly two hours of discussion, the board exited the session and voted 5-0 to extend Puiia’s contract for a year until the June 2014 Organizational Meeting. That’s held right after results from the town meeting warrant and municipal elections are tabulated.

The board meets to determine who will be chairman and vice chairman, what rules of order they’ll follow at meetings and when meetings will be held on a monthly basis.

Buccina said the board annually evaluates the town manager’s job performance and decided to reward him with an extra year.

“He’s done a good job of gaining the confidence knowing that we appreciate what he’s doing,” he said.

“It’s a reward for doing what he’s done so far and we just thought it would be a nice gesture to say we approve of what he’s doing and to keep up the good work.”

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