Oxford voters okay bond, $3.2M budget

OXFORD — Voters approved a $3.21 million budget and a $1.66 million bond proposal at the annual town meeting held on June 9.

$1.3 million of the bond will be used to repay a loan Bob Bahre made to the town to finance a waterline extension on Route 26.

The remaining $360,000 will be used to extend a town waterline on Pottle Road.

Town Manager Michael Chammings said that the Pottle Road project may only cost $275,000. The town plans on repaying the loan with funds from its Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district.

The town's budget includes $567,255 for the police department – a $103,192 increase from the previous year.

The funds will pay for hiring a new officer for the force.

Police Chief Jon Tibbetts told voters that around $80,000 would pay for the officer's salary and benefits and the remainder would cover increased equipment and fuel costs associated with hiring a new officer.

Voters also authorized the board of selectmen to install seasonal floats on town property at the end of Lake Street.

The estimated cost of the floats is $7,000, and the town has received a $8,500 donation for the project.

Voters also authorized the town to accept pre-payment of taxes and enacted a Property Accessed Clean Energy (PACE) ordinance.

The PACE ordinance will allow qualified residents to access low-interest loans from Energy Maine Trust to make energy-saving improvements to their homes.