MEXICO — The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously Monday evening to purchase a pin access for one of the doors on the Mexico Fitness Center.

During the Feb. 11 selectmen’s meeting, the board decided to set March 1 as the tentative opening date for the Mexico Fitness Center. The fitness center has been closed since Oct. 23, but resident Rich Vitale presented the board with a business plan that would allow it to open by March 1.

Town Manager John Madigan told the board that the pin access system is “a 2000 series, will cost $360 and contains 100 access codes.”

“We decided that the machine with 100 access codes would work best, because if somebody decides to cancel their membership to the fitness center, we could just change their code for the next person,” Madigan explained. “There was another system that would cost $180, but I was told it’s more likely to break a lot sooner, and we’d have to replace it.”

The board also discussed whether or not they should include pin access codes for more than one door on the fitness center.

Chairman Richie Philbrick said, “I say we just go with one to start and see where it goes from there.”

The board agreed and voted to purchase the $360 system.

In other business, resident Andy Dupuis questioned the board on a series of unpaid personal property taxes dating back to the 2005-2006 fiscal year.

“I was looking through last year’s town report and noticed a whole list of people who haven’t paid personal property taxes yet,” Dupuis said. “This goes back to 2005-2006. What are you doing to get it?”

Madigan said that the town could take the residents to small claims court, but it would cost money to do so.

Dupuis said, “I’ve been paying this for 33 years. I’ve always paid it. I’ll tell you what: It’s taxes that are owed, and these people should be made to pay them, because I’m not paying mine any more until you people get these taken care of. Why should I pay mine if you’re not going to go after me? Do you see my point there?”

Selectman Byron Ouellette suggested that the board “aggressively write letters to those who owe taxes and see what happens.”

“Sometimes it’s just a matter of notifying someone,” Ouellette said.

Madigan agreed, saying, “Some people don’t even realize they have the outstanding taxes to pay.”

Dupuis said that “he just wanted to check and see what the board would be doing about them, since taxes are due March 8.”

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