MEXICO – Perhaps a three- to five-year effort to merge Rumford and Mexico began Monday night. Maybe it didn’t.

But selectmen from both towns met for nearly two hours to discuss how a process for a possible future interlocal agreement, a merger, or at the least, for a way to learn whether combining one or more of the towns’ municipal departments would be in the best interests of both towns.

While many believe it’s inevitable that the two towns will eventually merge because of the loss of population from a high of nearly 15,000 to below 10,000 over the years, others believe the time isn’t right.

Mexico Chairwoman Barbara Laramee believes it would be irresponsible not to look at a merger of some kind.

“Look at Lewiston/Auburn, Portland/South Portland. It’s an opportunity,” she said.

By the end of the discussion, both boards agreed to bring to their respective next meetings a plan to jointly apply for a state regionalization grant.

They also asked Mexico Town Manager John Madigan to find out whether the Maine Municipal Association or the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments have personnel who could serve as a non-biased facilitator or researcher to help determine whether merging municipal departments or municipalities would be advantageous to both towns.

The two boards also agreed that if individual departments would be considered for merger, committees comprising representatives from both boards, businesses and community members would have to be established to methodically study each department.

Among those municipal departments up for possible merger or combining of some sort are the police and fire departments, recreation programs, public works and libraries.

The decision to seriously consider making a joint application for a state regionalization grant came following discussion to reconsider hiring Madigan as town manager for both towns while the studies were being completed, and to try to amend the Rumford charter so that Madigan could serve.

When the group had met a couple of weeks ago to discuss some sort of regionalization and the possible sharing of Madigan so that money saved could go toward hiring an unbiased facilitator, most selectmen liked the idea. Then Rumford selectmen discovered that the charter does not allow the town to have a less than full-time manager.

The idea of trying to amend the charter to allow an interim manager who could manage both towns was not supported.

“With the attitude in Rumford right now, if we try to jump into something, there could be a backlash,” said Rumford Selectman Mark Belanger.

Madigan still believes it’s doable for him to manage both towns while the studies are being conducted. But agreeing to go after a regionalization grant is a start, he said.

The Mexico board will act on the grant proposal on March 14 and the Rumford board will act on that same proposal on March 15. Madigan said some kind of town match will likely be needed.