MEXICO — Town officials are planning a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new boat launch on the Androscoggin River for Wednesday, Oct. 6.

“This has been two years in the making,” Town Manager John Madigan told selectmen at their meeting Tuesday night.

He said the first user of the launch behind the town office was a guide from L.L. Bean last week. A priest from Jay also used the new launch to get some canoe time in the river, Chairwoman Barbara Laramee said.

The launch was built by C.H. Stevenson Excavators of Wayne and paid for with $33,000 from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The official grand opening is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6.

The only other public boat launch in town is into the Swift River from the red bridge that connects Mexico and Rumford.

Also at Tuesday’s board meeting, selectmen named longtime resident Donald Haines, 99, as the eldest Mexico resident. He resides at Rumford Community Home.

A date will be set for the board to present him with a plaque naming him the recipient of the Boston Post Cane. The cane stays at the town office.

The previous recipient of the cane, Grace Stanley, died recently at the age of 101.

In other matters, the board decided to see if someone would raze a town-owned building on Riverside Drive and remove the debris in exchange for a Granite Street property. The Riverside property is in the flood plain and the town wants to keep the parcel as part of its long-term redevelopment plan, Madigan said.

The board approved adding Richard Kent to the list of reserve police officers for the town. Kent is Rumford’s code enforcement officer.

Madigan also announced the official opening of a new dental hygienist practice at the former office of Dr. Jerrold Cohen on Main Street. His longtime dental hygienist, Lisa Doherty, will hold a grand opening Oct. 14.

Madigan said another new business is considering a move into the former Mexico Police Department space next to the town office. He declined to provide details, but said it would be discussed in a closed session scheduled for later in the meeting.

Also slated for closed-door discussions were matters involving the town’s code enforcement officer and a property tax abatement hearing.

The board’s next meeting is rescheduled to Oct. 19 because the original date coincides with the annual Maine Municipal Association convention.

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