Towns discuss cooperation                                                                 

By Eileen M. Adams, Staff Writer
Friday, March 18,2005

MEXICO - John Madigan is encouraged by ongoing talks among many of the River Valley's 10 towns that could lead to greater cooperative efforts and a potential to save money.

"We're still in the early stages," Mexico's town manager said on Thursday. "This is a complex, long process."

Twenty town officials and fire and police representatives met for the second time Wednesday night, this time at the Mexico Town Hall.

First up was completion and presentation of an assignment from last month's meeting - a list of "musts" if area fire departments should merge. Such as: establishing a central record-keeping point, setting up a board of directors to oversee such a department, requiring members of all fire departments to get mandated training, and improving emergency response in all member communities.

The biggest concern for all departments, but particularly for the smaller, volunteer ones, is training.

"Most fire departments aren't funded to keep up (with mandates)," said Steve Eldridge, Rumford town manager.

Also under discussion is a possible merger of the area's three police departments.

Dixfield Town Manager Nanci Allard said Rumford, Mexico and Dixfield police chiefs and town managers are slated to meet to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such a move sometime between now and the next regional meeting on April 19.

"We will discuss the scope of services for police coverage," she said.

Then, that information will be presented and further discussed as part of all discussions of ways to merge or better cooperate in an effort to save money while providing the necessary services.

Eldridge thinks it might be possible to save money by merging the three departments, but that won't be known until a cost-benefit analysis is completed.

Mexico and Dixfield had applied for a $10,000 state planning grant earlier in the year, but received word that the request had been denied.

Madigan believes that was because only two towns were considering some kind of merger. He said additional money is available for similar grants, and with a greater number of towns writing the grant application, there would be a better chance of getting the funds.

In the meantime, he said several towns may place funds in their individual budgets to study combining public safety services.

"As we keep going, we'll inevitably come up with some pretty good draft plans," he said.