MEXICO — Selectmen took a first look Tuesday at a tentative proposal by the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office for police coverage for the town.

A proposal by Sheriff Wayne Gallant for 24-hour coverage by four deputies would be just under $409,000 for the first year.

The Mexico Police Department budget of $422,000 includes $60,000 from a federal grant, Town Manager John Madigan said. The department includes five full-time officers.

“We have two years left of the COPS grant,” Madigan said, adding concern that some of the money already allocated to the Mexico Police Department may have to be repaid if the department is dissolved.

“You would give up control,” Madigan said, and pay more and get less.

Selectman Reggie Arsenault said the town would still have to provide a space as a substation for county deputies. He was also concerned about the Police Explorers that the Mexico department sponsors, as well as the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program that it provides.

The Sheriff’s Office figure was requested by Selectman Byron Ouellette who said that the recent sheriff’s office coverage of Bethel, in place of the town’s own police department, appeared to be working well. He also wants to look at ways that police coverage could save the town money.

He said he hopes that the board will meet with Gallant to further discuss the matter.

Also in the mix is a preliminary proposal from Rumford police Chief Stacy Carter, who suggests a merger of the two towns into a single River Valley Police Department.

Mexico Police Chief James Theriault said he was 100 percent in favor of merging with Rumford, and opposed to police coverage by the county because the personal touch would be lost.

Board Chairwoman Barbara Laramee said the board wants a more detailed proposal from Rumford before such a plan goes any further.

Also, Madigan wants to meet with the Dixfield town manager to discuss the possibility of including Dixfield in a merged department.

When a merger was discussed several years ago, talks broke down because of the way the costs were allocated, Madigan said.

Laramee said the board may hold separate meetings with Carter and Gallant as budget discussions continue.

“We’ve always been interested in some merging. This is a continuation,” she said.

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