DIXFIELD – Selectmen on Monday agreed to support an effort to establish a memorial to local veterans who are buried overseas or in other distant places.

They also agreed to share gasoline with neighboring Mexico for a one-month trial period.

Dixfield recently purchased 7,000 gallons of gasoline at bulk prices and stored it in a municipal tank.

Mexico Town Manager John Madigan appeared before the board to request that his town be allowed to buy gasoline from Dixfield. Mexico does not have a bulk storage tank.

He said Mexico would pay any difference in cost if the price rises.

“If the price goes down, Dixfield stands to gain,” he said.

Concerns by the Dixfield board included accuracy in recording withdrawals from the tank, and any possible overhead costs.

The board unanimously approved the one-month trial, while directing Town Manager Jeff Jacobson to research costs associated with electrical use and any other maintenance costs.

The board also approved donating $300 toward the cost of a memorial that will list local veterans who are buried elsewhere. The funds will be taken from the town’s public relations account.

Project organizer Len Greaney said three of the 52 area veterans are from Dixfield.

With Dixfield’s donation, along with $2,500 from Rumford, and several thousand more from individuals, Greaney has about $1,500 left to raise.

Plans are to dedicate the memorial on Veterans’ Day, Nov. 11, at Veterans Park at the end of Congress Street in Rumford.

Each stone will list the name, branch of service, date of death, hometown and where the person is buried, said Greaney. A central headstone will be engraved with the inscription: “Honoring Our Local Heroes Buried in Distant Places.” Besides Rumford and Dixfield, Greaney has identified veterans buried overseas from the towns of Mexico, Peru and Roxbury.

In other matters on Monday, selectmen:

• set a special workshop meeting for 5 p.m. on Sept. 21, to work on goals with the Dixfield Police Department. The board and town manager plan to hold similar meetings with each of the departments during the next few weeks.

• granted residents a two-week extension to pay their property taxes. Taxes are generally due on Sept. 15 without penalty, but because of the lateness with getting the bills out this year, that date has been extended to Sept. 30. Tentative plans were discussed to change the due date at the June 2007 town meeting to Oct. 15.

• brought the town’s smoking policy in line with the state mandate. Employees are now not allowed to smoke in municipal vehicles.

• approved placement and installation of physical exercise equipment in McGouldrick and Harlow parks. The equipment was provided to SAD 21 from a federal grant.