MEXICO – Selectmen on Tuesday voted to put the annual winter parking ban in effect no later than Dec. 1, or with the first snowstorm.

That means no cars can be left on town roads overnight.

In a related matter, they also voted to close Hill Street and Coburn Avenue to winter maintenance.

In a meeting that lasted nearly four hours, mostly discussing ways to reduce costs, the board had little time for routine municipal matters.

Other items that were acted on included granting a taxi cab license to Courtesy Cab and agreeing to have several “no parking” signs posted on Highland Terrace near Mountain Valley Middle School. With parking now taking place on both sides of the street during school events, emergency vehicles sometimes cannot get through.

Town Manager Joseph Derouche said Wednesday that many of the agenda items originally scheduled for Tuesday will likely be considered at the board’s next regular meeting Dec. 8.

These include deciding whether to meet with neighboring Dixfield to discuss ways the two towns can work together, receiving an update from the River Valley Technology Center on the number of jobs created at the center so far, trying to solve the drop-off issue at the Free Store where anonymous people leave potentially dangerous items in the parking lot, and an update on health insurance premium rates. Two closed sessions to discuss a town manager personnel issue and for board communications are also scheduled.

In the meantime, the board set a special workshop meeting for 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29, to discuss the job description and time line for hiring a new town manager. In addition to the selectmen, residents Betty Barrett and Dan Casey sit on the Town Manager Search Committee. Derouche last month resigned effective Dec. 31.