MEXICO — Longtime Selectman Richard “Richie” Philbrick is being challenged in Tuesday’s municipal elections by Caroline Mitchell, who said it’s time for change.

Voters will go to the polls from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 12 at the Town Hall to fill the three-year term.

Philbrick, who has served the past five years as chairman, is seeking a fifth term.

“I like to listen to people and talk to them. It’s very important,” he said.

He cited an example of a conversation he had with residents last winter that led to using salt on the back side of the Backkingdom Road.

Philbrick said he has also testified in Augusta on the importance of revenue-sharing for the town.

As far as the municipal budget, he said, “We’ve lowered our budget for the town. It’s hard when the school is 80 percent of our budget.”

Mitchell said she’s running to change the makeup of the board, which she said has had some of the same members for a dozen years or more.

“Part of that change is that a woman’s voice should be part of the select board,” she said, adding that being a selectperson is a step in the right direction to help create policies which will help Mexico’s success in the future.

As a board member, Mitchell said she would work to equalize the gender pay gap among town department directors’ salaries, and raise rents on outside businesses in town buildings to be more in line with retail rent prices in the area.

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