MEXICO — Selectmen voted 3-1 Tuesday night to advertise for an interim director to serve the Mexico Free Public Library until June 30, 2016.

Director Valerie Messana, who held the position for the past 15 years, resigned effective Oct. 1.

The decision to get a temporary replacement followed three tie votes and 70 minutes of debate between selectmen and the library board.

Selectman Reggie Arsenault, who agreed with library board members that a replacement be hired with the same salary and benefits as Messana, voted against the measure. Selectman Andy Dupuis was absent.

Without a director, the only weekday the library could be open is Friday.

“We need a backup plan,” Sharon Madore, a part-time library employee and library board member, said.

Town Manager John Madigan said he will contact the Rumford and Dixfield libraries to see if they can assist during the transition. However, Rumford Public Library Director Luke Sorensen is also leaving.

Selectmen Byron Ouellette and Albert Aniel saw Messana’s resignation as an opportunity to save money. The library budget of $67,861 for 2015-16 includes $24,905 in salaries and benefits.

Ouellette wanted to change the position to no more than 29 hours without benefits, with perhaps a part-time person to assist.

Madigan said the savings on health insurance would be $16,000.

Aniel also was in favor of eliminating the benefits and wanted to explore other options, including regionalization.

Arsenault and Board of Selectmen Chairman Richie Philbrick favored keeping the position the same, but in the end Philbrick compromised, saying, “We have to get something out or we’re going to lose (the library).”

Library board member Betty Barrett led the fight to advertise for a new director under the same terms.

“The library has been very successful. It’s a good library that does a lot for children here,” she said.

The library also raises some of its funds though activities such as basket raffles, book sales and bake sales.

Former librarian Frances DeFilipp said the library also has a book club, which she enjoys with her friends.

Further, Barrett and others said taxpayers OK’d the library budget in June and the will of the voters should be granted.

“I would like to see us cut back with a part-time employee,” Ouellette said.

Asked what would become of any savings, Madigan said it would go into surplus.

Messana offered to develop the job description for the advertisement.

Madigan said he will be involved with the process, but he also asked that members of the library board also be involved and make a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen.

In other business, selectmen unanimously approved Madigan’s recommendation that the tax rate remain unchanged at $26 per $1,000 of assessed value.

To do this, the board approved allocating $150,000 from surplus to reduce the 2015-16 tax commitment, and to allocate $100,000 from surplus to reduce the debt service budget.

bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net