DIXFIELD — The Board of Selectmen will discuss its next steps in regard to the intermunicipal proposal between Rumford and Mexico and the LEAN business model at 5 p.m. Sept. 23 at Ludden Memorial Library.

The LEAN program is a business model in which professionals job shadow town employees to see whether there are ways to make work more efficient and make suggestions for cutting costs.

Town Manager Linda Pagels-Wentworth said Tuesday that a representative from the LEAN program gave a presentation on what the business model could offer Dixfield. She said selectmen “seemed excited” about the program.

However, the presentation came a week after the towns of Rumford and Mexico held a joint meeting to discuss the possibility of sharing certain municipal services.

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, the Rumford and Mexico Boards of Selectmen unanimously voted to accept the proposal of Municipal Resources, an out-of-state consultant, that will help identify areas where the towns could cooperate and consolidate services.

The town of Dixfield was invited to the Sept. 4 meeting, and Pagels-Wentworth, along with Dixfield Selectmen Scott Belskis and Bob Withrow, attended to see whether it was a good fit for Dixfield.

Following the joint meeting, Pagels-Wentworth said, “It seemed like a good fit for Rumford and Mexico,” though she was unsure how Dixfield would choose until the LEAN presentation.

Selectmen will also hear a report on the status of the town garage by the Public Works Department.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link