By Kelly Morgan,Staff Writer

OXFORD – Officials have received a rash of inquiries about property that may be for sale since discussing an excess of town-owned land.

At a meeting Thursday, Town Manager Michael Chammings said no land is being placed on the real estate market at this time. The town is only reviewing what land it owns and “looking at deeds and options,” he said.

At a Sept. 1 meeting, selectmen Chairman Floyd Thayer said the town has too many properties and needs to “get rid of” some.

Chammings said Thursday that discussion was blown out of proportion in the news. He has said the town likely owns around 40 pieces of land.

Talk of paring down the town property list has followed a review of Emugene Staples hall in Welchville village, which has been looked at in the town’s effort to bring more public buildings into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Chammings said Thursday that work is now under way to make the town office and new public safety building more ADA-compliant. The town’s ADA Committee will next meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the town office, he said.

In other business, the board voted 4-0, with member Caldwell Jackson absent, to approve a new town personnel policy.

The board also voted 4-0 to award a $24,000 bid submitted by Phil Smith to paint the Center Meeting House on Route 26.

Smith was the only painter to bid on the project, resident Tom Cushman said. The contract signed by the selectmen says the work will be done in the “early spring, dependent on the weather, in 2006,” he said.

Selectman David Ivey and Thayer expressed concern about the vague schedule and wondered whether the quoted price would go up next year.

“I’ve read it a couple of times – I don’t see any chance for an increase,” Cushman responded.

Shortly after voting on the contract, the board went into executive session to talk with town attorney Geoff Hole about his research into questions on the management of the Welchville Dam. The town has spent months debating how to maintain water levels at the dam.