MEXICO – The Board of Selectmen and Budget Committee unanimously voted Tuesday evening to approve the $8,000 economic development budget proposal for the 2014-15 fiscal year.
The proposal is $2,000 less than this fiscal year.
Among the new items on the economic development budget for 2014-15 are $2,000 for the River Valley Chamber of Commerce and $4,000 for the River Valley Growth Council, which Town Manager John Madigan said in February would be a way to fund organizations that have helped “bring jobs and opportunities to the region.”
Madigan said then that the $4,000 for the Growth Council would be one-third of the cost of Growth Council developer Jim Rinaldo’s yearly stipend.
He said Tuesday that Rumford voted to fund the remaining two-thirds of Rinaldo’s stipend, or $8,000.
Budget Committee member Peter Defilipp asked Madigan what the town was hoping to accomplish by giving $4,000 to the River Valley Growth Council.
“The $4,000 is based on the continuing efforts of Jim Rinaldo to help bring a gas pipeline through the towns of Rumford and Mexico,” Madigan said. “It’s critical that we keep trying to get this gas pipeline.”
Defilipp said he thought the groups should be marketing the area, that “they weren’t doing anything,” and the towns weren’t getting anywhere by funding an operational budget over and over without doing anything with the money.
Selectman Reggie Arsenault reiterated that the $4,000 would help “keep the momentum for the pipeline” going.
Budget Committee member Randy Canwell asked Madigan how many jobs the pipeline might bring to the area.
Madigan said that while there would be very few jobs born out of a pipeline going through Mexico, it would benefit local businesses and households by reducing heating prices and allowing local businesses, such as Community Energy, to improve their client base through installation of the pipeline in households and businesses.
Selectman Byron Ouellette said Mexico needed to start investing in the region, starting with the pipeline.
“Putting money aside for economic development is a good investment for us,” he said.
Canwell said he supported funding economic development, but wanted to “start seeing some results.”
Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the economic development budget proposal, and the Budget Committee voted 4-0 to approve it.
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- From left, Mexico Budget Committee members Randy Canwell, Mabel Merrill and Peter Defilipp listen to Town Manager John Madigan explain the benefits of funding the River Valley Growth Council during Tuesday evening’s meeting of the committee and selectmen.
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