Voters approve $2.4 million budget for Mexican technical schools

Residents representing 16 towns that are part of Mexico's Region 9 School of Applied Technology voted Wednesday to approve a $2.4 million budget for the school's next fiscal year, which begins July 1. Marianne Hutchinson/Rumford Falls Times

MEXICO — More than 30 residents representing 16 towns that are part of the Region 9 Graduate School of Applied Technology approved a $2.4 million budget Wednesday night for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

This amount is $17,082 more than the current fiscal year, which ends June 30th. The career and technical education school will also receive $353,057 in community assessments, primarily from Regional Schools Unit 10 in Rumford, Maine, School Management District 44 in Bethel and Regional Schools Unit 56. at Dixfield.

Byron's Dave Duguay, moderator of Wednesday's Region 9 Technical College budget meeting at the school in Mexico, will present Region 9 assistant director Jen Whitmore, center, and Region 9 business manager Dawn Leahy with clear questions. sworn as. Marianne Hutchinson/Rumford Falls Times

The school serves high school students in Mexico, Rumford, Roxbury, Hanover, Bethel, Newry, Woodstock, Greenwood, Dixfield, Canton, Carthage, Peru, and Andover, in automotive technology, computer technology, culinary arts, It offers 12 courses including outdoor skills and leadership programs. , Byron, Gilead, Upton.

Voters on Wednesday also approved an adult education budget of $425,784, $4,096 less than this year.

Before voting began, residents elected Byron's Oxford County Commissioner Dave Duguay as moderator, and Region 9 Deputy Commissioner Jen Whitmore and Business Manager Dawn Leahy as secretaries.

At the board meeting after the budget vote, Region 9 Director Brenda Gammon said the school purchased the land in mid-April primarily for the school's outdoor skills and leadership programs.

She said the property is just over 15 acres with fields and woodlands and convenient access to Little Concord Pond State Park in Woodstock. Gammon said the camp also includes a camp that would need to be renovated to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act for classroom use.

She also updated on the school's two construction projects. On Tuesday, the school visited the site of the Culinary Arts Architecture Project. Construction of the welding building is expected to begin next week.

“Adult Education’s top priority this year is to expand our programs to attract additional participants,” Dave Murphy, director of adult and community education, told board members.

He also noted that the lack of reliable and consistent transportation for students often “represents a significant challenge for potential participants,” and that non-governmental organizations are being used to create satellite construction sites near populated areas. He also noted the program's efforts to develop relationships with commercial organizations. .

Region 9 School of Applied Technology trustees listen Wednesday night to school director Brenda Gammon (center right) talk about land purchased for outdoor skills and leadership programs. Norm Clanton, Bethel's board president, sits next to her. Marianne Hutchinson/Rumford Falls Times

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