DIXFIELD — Selectmen continued discussion Monday evening on whether or not to accept a recent proposal by an out-of-state consultant who will help identify areas where the towns of Rumford, Mexico and Dixfield could cooperate and consolidate services.

On Wednesday, the towns of Rumford, Mexico and Dixfield met at Rumford Auditorium to discuss a proposal by New Hampshire consultants Municipal Resources regarding the consolidation of services and regionalization. The Rumford and Mexico boards of selectmen voted to approve the proposal, on the condition that Municipal Resources provides a list of references of towns that they have helped in the past.

Town Manager Linda Pagels-Wentworth, who attended the Wednesday joint meeting with Selectmen Scott Belskis and Bob Withrow, said that the proposal “seemed like a really good fit for Rumford and Mexico.”

“Right now, their approval is dependent on the research that we do on the consultant’s references,” Pagels-Wentworth said during Monday’s selectmen meeting. “We need to see if these towns on their reference page were able to implement their plans.”

Pagels-Wentworth said that a conference call between herself, Rumford Town Manager Carlo Puiia and Mexico Town Manager John Madigan has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, to discuss the towns on the consultant’s reference page.

However, Pagels-Wentworth told selectmen that she believes the town needs to hear the LEAN presentation that they have scheduled for Sept. 16.

According to the minutes of the March 11 board meeting, Wayne Messer of the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments suggested selectmen look into the program, which has other professionals job shadow town employees to offer suggestions about ways to make their jobs more efficient and ideas for cutting costs.

The presentation, according to Pagels-Wentworth, will help the town “figure out ways we can provide the maximum amount of customer service and where we can improve to help us get there.”

Pagels-Wentworth later added, “I think we all believe in regionalization, and whether we approve this proposal or not, it doesn’t mean we’re turning our backs on regionalization. If we don’t go with this proposal, it doesn’t mean that we won’t work with these two towns or any other town that comes to us.”

In other business, the board unanimously approved four tax-acquired property bids.

Selectman Dana Whittemore abstained from voting, explaining that his brother-in-law placed a bid on one of the properties, and he expected to be involved with it.

Among the properties approved include the following:

* 6 Mill Street, awarded to Charles Swan for $13,600.

* Rover Road, awarded to Beverly Coolidge for $3,600.

* 5 Jacobs Alley, awarded to Jeff Porter for $7,777.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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