River Valley Technology Center’s failure to create jobs will cost Mexico

I congratulate the Sun Journal for its excellent work pertaining to the River Valley Technology Center’s dismal failure to produce results and its inability to grow from a huge amount of taxpayer money.

Two issues were brought forth in editorials about the center: “Rumford has been left with an empty building and vague promises,” and “Now that the technology center has shown its cracks, someone should be held accountable for the lost millions plummeted into inferior concepts.”

As a fomer Mexico selectman, I have insight into these statements and the questions they raise. Sadly enough, it is Mexico – much more than Rumford – that could lose with the failure of the technology center. In the varied sources of state and federal funding for the technology center, $400,000 was tied to Mexico property taxes.

On Aug. 13, 2003, a public hearing was held to explain to Mexico residents a grant of $400,000 was needed to finish the first phase of the renovation of the old bag mill in Rumford, which was to become the technology center.

Mexico Town Manager Joe Derouche had written the grant application, and needed resident approval because Mexico was the sole applicant for the grant.

As a selectman, I was terrified at the idea the town could be liable for such an amount of money for a project not located in Mexico. Norman McIntyre, the River Valley Technology Center director at the time, explained this money was needed to cover a budget shortfall.

The grant, however, required that 40 jobs be created two years after the technology center opened, and that the town of Mexico must document the income and demographic data on all jobs located in the building.

I was unconvinced. Then we needed a second public hearing, after the first, because the first meeting hadn’t completely addressed Mexico’s liability. The state told the town, “the public hearing must state that if the jobs are not createdMexico will be responsible for the immediate repayment of the $400,000.”

I only discovered this information two years after it had been written to the town. I would have used it to convince the other selectmen to exercise caution in voting for this grant.

A second public hearing was then held in September 2003. The town manager and McIntyre insisted the need of this money, and the remote chance of needing to pay the money back. The grant was accepted.

I totally disagreed with the concept that Mexico alone should bear the financial liability of the venture. I was skeptical that 40 jobs in precision metal could be found in two years, as stipulated by the grant, and was the only selectman who voted against the grant.

In February 2004, I asked the technology center board to write the town of Mexico a letter stating “that should the center fail to produce the 40 jobs…the technology center should do everything in its power to pay Mexico back even if it means selling the building.”

The deadline of August 2006 came and went. The 40 jobs were not found. I asked to see all the written communications between the technology center and potential businesses to assess what was done to find the 40 jobs. I was told there were none. McIntyre had since resigned.

A one-year extension was granted to the town of Mexico. Six months has passed, and the sad state of affairs at the technology center has now been reported.

In 2007, after a brutal year of confrontation with the Mexico selectmen and Town Manager John Madigan, a small group of dedicated citizens accomplished that any financial matter should be voted by secret ballot. Had this measure been in place in 2003, the $400,000 might not have been approved.

With the public purse being spent without reservation, or serious consideration, it is more timely than ever that voter participation increase dramatically.

As the story of Mexico’s liability shows, one selectman cannot accomplish much against political inertia.

Monique Aniel is a former selectman in Mexico.