Oxford officials fear flooding

OXFORD — When the winter's snow and ice starts to turn back into water, Oxford and other area towns could be subject to lots of flooding, says Town Manager Michael Chammings.

"We're petrified, we're so ripe right now for flooding," said Chammings. "We have a lot of snow and obviously the frost is not out ... if we get rain like [has been] predicted, the state's gonna have a lot of problems."

The issue came up during the March 3 meeting of the board of selectmen after a citizen pointed out that a drain near the American Legion at 112 King Street is blocked.

"If it really does ever rain ... it's going to take the road out again," she said.

Chammings said that the town's ability to address the issue is hampered by the fact that many of the roads in the area are controlled by the state.

"In an emergency situation, I'll do something on the state road if I think it's an immediate danger," said Chammings. "Their roads are not ours, and they don't like us being on those roads."

Chammings said that the town, too, has reasons to steer clear of work on state roads.

"It's their roads, it's their liability, and we don't want anything to do with the liability of it," said Chammings.

Chammings recommended that public pressure can help to alleviate local problems.

"I tell everybody though, with a state road, the more people that call the better," he said. "I'll call them up and tell them, but the more that call, the better."