MEXICO — Townspeople may be looking at
a bond issue to pay for the reconstruction of several town roads when
they go to the polls in November.

Selectmen at Wednesday’s meeting tossed around a number of ideas on engineering work, the
amount of a possible bond and which roads should be prioritized for
immediate work.

“We have a lot of roads to do and not
enough money to do them,” said Town Manager John Madigan prior to
his suggestion that the town borrow $1 million through the Maine Bond
Bank.

By presenting a referendum question on
the November ballot, he said a sufficient amount of time
would be available to complete engineering work, borrow the money, go out to bid and begin work in the spring.

Although selectmen agree that much work
must be done and that many roads are in terrible condition, not all
were sure that $1 million was the right amount to borrow.

“Maybe we should borrow $400,000 to
start,” said board Chairwoman Barbara Laramee. “People
probably won’t vote for $1 million with the economy the way it is.”

Selectman Reggie Arsenault said waiting
longer would likely result in higher costs for road work.

Madigan said just over $25,000 remains
in the road account for engineering that could be used for other
streets. The town has completed engineering work
for Swett and Mexico avenues and Ledgeview Street. Madigan said costs estimated to finish
Swett Avenue and its side streets, and Mexico Avenue would be at
least $300,000.

Other roads that are in great need of work are Backkingdom Road, Osgood Avenue and South Main Street,
among others.

Road commissioner David Errington was
asked to bring a priority list of town roads most in need of work to the
board’s next meeting on Aug. 19. The list was compiled a couple of years
ago by the Maine Local Roads Center, which helps towns with road projects and is administered by the Maine Department of Transportation.

If a November vote doesn’t work out,
Madigan said a special town vote could be held in January and still
allow enough time to take care of the bidding and borrowing in time
for the 2010 construction season.

In other business:

• The board appointed
Byron resident Matthew Boucher as a reserve police officer. Members
also agreed to meet a half-hour early on Aug. 19 to meet as many of
the police department’s new reserve and full-time officers as are
available.

 

• Sept. 24 was set as the date for the
town’s annual Night of Appreciation for employees and volunteers.

• Selectmen reviewed proposed ordinances
that would regulate rural noise and a mountain district, then voted
to send them to the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments for
further review.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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