MEXICO — Whenever there’s an election, Connie Tutlis is always at the polls, greeting people, checking their names off the voting list.

She’s been doing this, and much, much more, for more than 30 years.

Tutlis was honored Thursday night as Mexico’s Citizen of the Year.

“This lady is there every time, and she’s served on most committees,” said Barbara Laramee, chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen who presented Tutlis with the plaque from the town. Besides serving as ballot clerk, Tutlis also is or has served on the Western Maine Transportation board, the Recreation Committee, the Budget Committee, the Mexico Historical Society, and has volunteered at Victorian Villa nursing home, the American Legion and for other organizations. She is also the past Republican town chairwoman and has worked on the state’s committee concerned with polio.

Tutlis’ two daughters and a granddaughter attended the annual Night of Appreciation. It’s a time for selectmen and the town manager to say thank you for all the work the dozens of municipal employees and volunteers have done throughout the previous year by presenting awards, providing a supper prepared by the Mexico Historical Society, and by drawing names for prizes donated by area businesses.

When preparing to make the Town Manager Award, John Madigan said every person on the employee list could have been chosen.

“That’s how good our employees are. I had to choose something that was really significant,” he said before he presented the award to Mexico police officer Dan Carrier.

“This is the first time since 1994 that Mexico has sent someone to the police academy,” Madigan said. “He is one of our newest employees and we’re very proud of him.”

Chosen as part-time Employee of the Year was Jeremy Lauzier, who works in both the summer and winter for the highway and parks departments.

The award for Full-time Employee of the Year went to David Errington who recently resigned to become code enforcement officer for both Mexico and Rangeley.

“This employee has worn many hats, and serves on many boards. He is called out at all hours of the day,” Selectman Reggie Arsenault said of Errington.

Volunteer of the Year went to the Holmquist family of Peru who were essential to the construction of the new bathroom building at the Mexico Recreation Park.

Selectmen’s secretary and state legislator Sheryl Briggs presented two legislative sentiments to people who have made tremendous contributions to human causes.

The first went to Ron Ashworth, a retired pastor for the Congregational Church who also was instrumental in the creation of the senior center, construction of the swimming pool at Black Mountain and to the development of the Greater Rumford Community Center.

“He has given a lifetime of love and dedication to his community,” Briggs said.

The second sentiment was to recognize Orella Poirier for her many years of what Briggs described as following the example of Mother Theresa.

Poirier has gathered thousands of much needed items and thousands of dollars over the years that were sent the nuns working with the poor in Haiti.

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