MEXICO – Selectmen on Wednesday approved closure of a portion of Riverside Avenue at the end of July that will enable a fundraising carnival for the Moontide Water Festival Committee to take place.
They also increased the number of hours for the town’s librarian that will result in the elimination of the library assistant.
Joseph Roberts, chairman of the Moontide committee, presented plans to sponsor a carnival from July 27-30 in the parking lot at the rear of the town office. Riverside Avenue runs through the parking lot.
All proceeds will go toward paying off debt incurred during last year’s Moontide festival and fireworks, and toward a festival in 2007. Roberts said the carnival will operate during the afternoons and evenings of each day of the event.
Cushing Amusements, based in Wilmington, Mass., will provide the rides and other carnival events and will clean up after the event.
Selectmen agreed to the road closure for the carnival providing an insurance certificate is submitted. They also want to know whether portable toilets will be provided by the company or if such facilities must be secured from some other source.
Roberts and Selectman Reggie Arsenault have been working to bring the carnival to the town since spring
Riverside Avenue will closed from July 24 through July 31 to allow for carnival set-up and take-down.
Librarian Valerie Messana estimated a savings to the town of more than $1,000 annually with the approved increase of her hours from 32 to 37 per week. With the increased hours, the library open hours will also be boosted to 33, from the current 30 hours per week.
The change was proposed because the current library assistant, who works 10 hours weekly, has taken another position. A temporary assistant will continue in the position until the end of the summer and the library’s children’s program. Beginning in September, Messana will assume all responsibilities for the facility.
The approval was granted for one year as a trial period, said board Chairwoman Barbara Laramee. The board will then re-evaluate library staffing.
Also on Wednesday, the board gave its support to Rumford Police Chief Stacy Carter who plans to apply for a Maine Department of Public Safety grant that would pay most costs for a domestic abuse and sexual assault investigator.
If the grant is successful, the officer would investigate such cases in Rumford, Mexico and Dixfield.
Carter said the need is great.
“More than half of all homicides are the result of domestic violence,” he said.
Carter has already received support for the tri-town grant application from the Rumford and Dixfield boards of selectmen.
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