Tasha Raymond, left, key account manager for Central Maine Power, answers a question about energy-efficient LED streetlights with Mexico Selectmen Byron Ouellette and TJ Williams, right, Tuesday. (Rumford Falls Times photo by Bruce Farrin)

MEXICO — Residents voted 6-0 Tuesday night to enter into a 15-year contract with Central Maine Power to switch hundreds of streetlights to LED fixtures.

The work is expected to be completed by summer, allowing the town to save money on 317 energy-efficient lights it rents from the utility company. CMP will pay for the fixtures and maintain them.

Tasha Raymond, key account manager for CMP, said depending on resources, CMP would have a contractor begin installing the lights beginning in April.

She said sodium lights lose brightness over time, but LEDs do not. While sodium light leaves shadows, LEDs have less because of a more even distribution of light, she said.

Town Manager Jack Gaudet said previously that the town paid more than $51,000 for the streetlights in 2017, and the potential savings with LEDs would be more than $12,400, or around 25 percent.

In other matters, selectmen appointed eight people to the new Recreation Committee. Mitzi Sequoia, Kevin Gallant, Shane Child, Melanie Prescott, Lisa Arsenault, Nick Graham, Leslie Jamison and Jennifer Heinzen will join Jamie O’Leary.

Last year, selectmen abolished the recreation board in favor of a committee.

Town Clerk Penny Duguay said the appointments will expire in June 2020. Before then, selectmen will evaluate the committee and consider staggered terms going forward, she said.

The board agreed to hold a preliminary workshop with the Budget Committee at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, upstairs in the Town Hall. The session will involve minimal questions from the committee and no questions from the public.

Fire Chief Richard Jones said his department has five junior firefighters who will address the board at a future meeting. They are Jacob Cunningham, who accompanied Jones, Autumn Freeman, Kenneth Hill, Noah Stickney and Kody Moretto.

Jones said most of the junior firefighters are training in the fire science program at the Region 9 School of Applied Technology in Mexico.

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