DIXFIELD – Selectmen voted unanimously to increase the tax rate by 50 cents to $29.50 per $1,000 of valuation at Wednesday night’s special board meeting. Tax bills will be sent out by the first of next week, Board Chairwoman Bettina Martin said.

Dixfield is also currently undergoing a revaluation, which will take effect next year, she added.

Following a short executive session regarding a Water Department contract with Mexico Water District trustees, selectmen authorized Town Manager Tom Richmond to continue negotiations in Mexico.

Martin said the contract involves having the Mexico district continue to run Dixfield’s water department for the next three years. Selectmen recently signed a contract with Mexico district trustees to operate the department until year’s end.

Selectmen also voted 5-0 to accept Manzer Paving’s bids over those of Pike Industries on three road projects: Brian Street, Giles Road, and Rollins Ridge Road starting at the Jay town line.

Richmond said Manzer’s bids were $12,600 for 800 feet of Brian Street, which is off Hall Hill Road, and has drainage problems; $5,300 for 253 feet on Giles, and $37,000 for 1,243 feet of Rollins Ridge Road, which will be shut down completely starting on Monday. The work could take a month to complete, but residents can go around the construction zone using Valley Road, Richmond said.

Pike’s bids were $16,560 for Brian Street, $5,700 for Giles Road, and $51,077 for Rollins Ridge Road.