Voters will decide on funds requests for a snowmobile club and 8 social service agencies.
By Eileen M. Adams
Staff Writer

MEXICO – Residents will see two more articles on the annual town meeting warrant thanks to two successful petition drives to get the items back on.

Selectmen last month approved a $1.5 million proposed municipal budget. The warrant excluded money for most social service agencies and for the usual amount the town contributes to the Mexico Trailblazers Snowmobile Club.

The move, according to officials, was an attempt to keep the municipal budget down. This year’s mill rate is $30.80 per $1,000 valuation. The adopted 2003-04 budget by the Board of Selectmen is expected to result in at least a 1 mill decrease.

But a week before the deadline for submitting petitions, local people turned in at least the minimum number of signatures from registered voters required to force both issues onto the town meeting warrant.

Residents will be asked to appropriate $5,000 for the Mexico Trailblazers Snowmobile Club. Town Clerk Penny Duguay said the town has appropriated funds for the group for at least the last four years.

Eight social service agencies lumped their requests together for a total of $4,900. The breakdown is as follows: Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice, $1,000; Community Concepts, $1,000; River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, $1,000; SeniorsPlus, $500; Abused Women’s Advocacy Project, $500; Western Maine Transportation, $300; Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Oxford County, $300; and Oxford County Mental Health, $300.

The proposed $1.5 million municipal budget does not include funds for the town’s share of the Oxford County tax at $61,620, or for the SAD 43 assessment.

If the district’s four member towns adopt the proposed $13.69 million proposed budget next month, Mexico’s share will be $1.31 million, down from $1.38 million last year.

Mexico’s annual town meeting takes place at 7 p.m. Monday, June 9, at the Mexico Recreation Center.

eadams@sunjournal.com