By Eileen M. Adams,Staff Writer

MEXICO – The town Recreation Department still owes $3,400 for participation by Mexico children in a Rumford group’s recreation program last summer.

The money is owed Greater Rumford Community Center, said Kim Powers, the center’s accountant, at Wednesday night’s Mexico selectmen’s meeting.

“I’ve come here as a last resort. We have been operating under the assumption that we would get the funds,” she said. “I am requesting that you do something to help us out.”

She said she was told by former Town Manager Joseph Derouche that the Mexico Recreation Department didn’t have the funds to pay the bill last fall. Efforts to reach Derouche were unsuccessful Wednesday night. Powers said she also hopes to meet with the Mexico Recreation Board but has not yet been able to do so.

More than 150 Mexico children participated in such programs as baseball, soccer, track and field, and swimming last summer. She said the actual cost to offer Rumford’s summer programs to Mexico children was more than $5,000.

Town Manager John Madigan said the request for the money wasn’t in the current municipal budget because the Mexico Recreation Department planned to try to offer similar programs for the Mexico youngsters in Mexico. He said such programs, like baseball for various ages, apparently couldn’t be planned because of an emergency replacement of the recreation center’s boiler last year at a cost of $50,000.

He added, too, that the Recreation Department has a $10,000 deficit from fiscal year 2003 and $13,000 from fiscal year 2004, and it will likely have another deficit at the end of fiscal year 2005.

“The recreation center and general assistance has had the worst effect on the town,” Madigan said.

Powers’ assertion is the latest in a series of financial problems facing the town. Late last fall, a preliminary audit showed that the town was operating at a deficit. That deficit, which has been disputed by some in town government, was reportedly about $300,000. Board Chairman Arthur Bordeau has said the final audit report is expected in mid-February.

Madigan, who just took over as town manager, has been working his way through the town’s books. He said the recreation budget has relied heavily on fees for many of the programs offered. Some of those have declined in recent years.

“There has been no money for programs,” he said.

Bordeau said the Rumford Community Center will get its money, although he wasn’t specific on when that would be. He also said that better communication is needed between town officials and the recreation board.