In July, the town will adopt a July-June fiscal year.
OXFORD – Residents will vote on the appropriating almost $1.3 million at their annual town meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 13.
The meeting, at Oxford Elementary School, will be the first of two town meetings to be held this year.
In July, the town will adopt a July-June fiscal year. Because of this change, money appropriated at the March meeting will only carry the town through the six-month period from January to June 2004. The second meeting, in June, will approve a budget for the July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005, period.
The highest priced item on the January-June budget is administration. Selectmen recommend $206,000 in administration costs, including $88,000 in salaries, $34,000 in employee benefits, and $27,000 for professional services. More than $360,000 was budgeted for administration in 2003.
Another item of interest is the future of the former police and fire stations. The buildings have been vacant since the police and fire departments moved to the new public safety building last year. Residents will vote on an article to allow the Recreation Committee to develop the buildings into a recreation complex. The proposed complex would include an ice rink, horseshoe pits and a community room.
Separate articles call for appropriating $13,000 to the recreation account, with an additional $3,500 for improvements to the former fire station.
In his report, Chief of Police Ronald Kugell thanked VIP Auto Center for its donation of $16,244, which helped to furnish the new public safety building. The funds were collected at last year’s Show Shine and Drag. Kugell reports “We appreciate the generosity of the citizens of the town for providing such a nice facility for which we and you can be proud.”
Voters will elect two selectmen and assessors, two school board members, and one trustee to the water district. The annual report is dedicated to selectman Roger Smedburg, for his 21 years of service to the town. Smedburg will be retiring from the Board of Selectmen when his term expires Saturday.
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