DIXFIELD – Selectmen learned at Monday night’s meeting that Dixfield’s $50,000 shared cost of a bridge spanning Webb River between Dixfield and Mexico will be higher than anticipated.

A majority of annual town meeting voters in May capped the town’s portion and maintenance costs at $50,000 for the Thad White Bridge, which connects the two towns from Coburn Avenue.

“It will cost roughly $25,000 more, so selectmen will have to go back to the town and address the issue and whether to take the money from surplus or road funds,” Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky said after the meeting.

“It costs more than was realized. At the time of town meeting, we were just operating on budget projections,” he added.

Instead of calling a special town meeting, since Dixfield doesn’t have to make its first payments until fiscal year 2010, Skibitsky said the board could handle the matter at next year’s annual town meeting.

The total cost of the bridge, which has been in the works for years, including design, legal and site work, is expected to top $300,000.

Mexico borrowed funds to complete the project at 3.76 percent over five years from KeyBank. Dixfield will repay Mexico for its share, while the Maine Department of Transportation has agreed to pay half of the cost.

The department had deemed the bridge unsafe for travel by emergency vehicles and fuel trucks.

In other business, the board unanimously OK’d a Dirigo High School junior’s request to use McGouldrick Park trails for a haunted hayride fundraiser for the Class of 2010 on Halloween night.

Skibitsky said student Ben Dolloff contacted him on Monday afternoon seeking to have the class operate the event from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. The class will also sell refreshments.

After a brief discussion about insurance, the board OK’d it, 5-0.

Dixfield will also conduct its community Halloween walk that night, when costumed characters parade through the downtown from 5 to 7 p.m. on Weld Street.