RUMFORD — At their end-of-the-fiscal-year meeting late Friday afternoon, selectmen set dates for two public hearings and a budget vote next month.

Rumford’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.

Selectmen Chairman Greg Buccina, Brad Adley and Jeff Sterling voted 3-0 in approving 7 p.m. July 11 and 6 p.m. Thursday, July 18, for public hearings and Tuesday, July 23, for the budget vote.

Selectmen Jolene Lovejoy and Frank DiConzo were absent.

The venue for the public hearings will be Rumford Falls Auditorium.

Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 23. The venue hasn’t been finalized yet, but Adley motioned for it to be held in the American Legion hall providing it is available.

Town Manager Carlo Puiia said he hasn’t yet heard back from Legion officials. If the hall isn’t available, Buccina said voting can take place in Rumford Falls Auditorium.

Town meeting referendum voters defeated the initial $8 million municipal budget on June 11.

Last week, selectmen cut roughly 14 percent off their initial budget to present a second proposed budget of $6,526,077. It does not include the initiated articles requests for donations, which cannot be revoted after being defeated.

In six hours on Tuesday, the Finance Committee completed its work to create a new municipal budget recommendation of $7,171,500.

At Friday’s 20-minute meeting, selectmen also unanimously OK’d allowing vendors to sell after 9 p.m. but no later than 10 p.m. at the town’s July 4th celebration. Puiia said the ordinance pertaining to that states that vendors can’t sell after 9 p.m. at such events without selectmen’s permission.

Selectmen also unanimously approved liquor license extensions for 49 Franklin, Hotel Rumford and Gatch’s Food & Spirits.

The board’s next meeting is 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, in Rumford Falls Auditorium.

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