MEXICO – Selectmen are ready to kick off the development of a 2010-11 municipal budget that may be slightly higher than this year. They will begin the process at their meeting Wednesday, March 3.

Town Manager John Madigan said many variables will figure into the final figure that will be presented to residents at referendum on June 8. The current year’s municipal budget is $2.46 million, and the overall budget, which includes school taxes and county taxes, is $3.6 million. The Oxford County tax is $74,000, up from just over $69,000 this year. The costs for Regional School Unit 10 should be known by late April or early May.

At Wednesday’s board meeting, budget development dates were scheduled. After the initial meeting on March 3, the remaining meetings will include the town’s Budget Committee. They are: March 9, 11, 16, 23 and 25. All meetings are held at the town hall, and all but the March 16 meeting begins at 6 p.m.

The current tax rate is $19.85 per $1,000 of property value.

Madigan said he expects the board to adopt a proposed budget sometime in April.

In other matters, the board approved borrowing $800,000 from the Maine bond Bank for part of an extensive road repair/reconstruction project that is slated to begin in the spring. The money is part of a $2.9 million loan authorized last year for road work.

The first phase will provide funds for: design work for the entire length of the Backkingdom Road and for Osgood Avenue, and South Main, Alder and Spring streets. It will also complete a construction project on Swett Avenue between the Harlow Hill Road and Ledgeview Street, Mexico Avenue, Dalton Avenue and Mount Street.

Madigan said he plans to apply for a federal Community Development Block Grant in December that could provide funds to complete the final work and paving for South Main, Alder and Spring streets, and Osgood Avenue.

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