Mexico voters to determine fate of former SAD 43 central office, roads

MEXICO — When residents go to the polls next week, they will have two local questions to decide.

The first will ask residents whether they want the town to sell the former SAD 43 central office building next to the Mexico Recreation Center.

SAD 43 joined with the Western Foothills School District on July 1, a move that resulted in the c. 1960 former classroom building being accepted by townspeople at the annual town meeting. The insurance company values the building at $1.2 million.

If approved by residents, Town Manager John Madigan said he and the board will have the building appraised as a first step in determining an asking price. The building would then be advertised statewide.

The second question asks residents to approve borrowing up to $2.9 million for three to five years to repair, reconstruct, or in some way improve about a dozen town-maintained roads.

Philip Curtis, a member of the Maine Local Roads Center, an organization affiliated with the Maine Department of Transportation, spoke about the stages of road deterioration at a public hearing last week, emphasizing that the longer work is delayed, the more it will cost.

Madigan said many of the town's roads are substandard and the amount raised each year at town meeting is insufficient for improving them.

Some at the public hearing were concerned that taking out a bond would raise taxes higher than many people can pay. Madigan could not estimate the impact on homeowners because it's not yet known how much will be borrowed at any one time.

The 12 roads slated for improvement, if the bond passes, are: Fourth Street, South Main Street, Oxford Street, Alder Street, two sections of Granite Street, a section of Bucknum Street, Colby Street, Mexico Avenue, Mount Street, Dalton Street, the remainder of Swett Avenue, and three sections of Backkingdom Road.

Madigan said other roads are also in various stages of disrepair. If the bond passes, that money can be used to leverage grant money for their repair.

He said all the money would not be borrowed at the same time, and the interest rate would average about 4 percent over a 15-year period.

"Roads have been neglected over the years. We've only done the necessary work," he said.

Voters will cast ballots on the two questions from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 3 at the town hall.

eadams@sunjournal.com