OXFORD — The Board of Selectmen voted Thursday to authorize the creation of an advisory committee to look into issues related to the Robinson Mill Dam.

The purpose of the committee will be to discuss matters such as emergency action plans, daily maintenance, and capital improvement planning. Town Manager Michael Chammings said the committee should not have direct control over the dam, since the town became responsible for its operations when it took possession of the mill property in October of 2009.

“The bottom line is it’s Oxford property,” Chammings said.

Selectmen put Chammings on the committee, along with resident Peter Laverdiere. Oxford will have three members on the committee in total, and two members each will come from the towns of Casco, Otisfield and Poland. These towns all include land on Thompson Lake, and the water levels of the lake are controlled by the dam.

The three towns each authorized the contribution of $5,000 toward dam maintenance at their annual town meetings, and Oxford approved $10,000. Chammings said the collective cost to maintain the dam is about $15,000 annually. He said the town has been working to maintain the water levels, including higher levels during the summer.

Several repairs are needed on the dam. They include the replacement of a log boom which acts as a barrier against debris, the buttressing of a pylon supporting the walkway, and the replacement of grating which is rusting and needs frequent cleaning to keep water flowing properly. Chammings said new planking is being installed on the dam’s catwalk to improve safety.

“We’re dealing with an aged dam that’s been neglected,” Chammings said. “It’s as simple as that.”

The Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District has also requested that the town keep in touch with it in regard to the dam. The organization wrote to say they have an engineer and project manager who can assist the town.

Selectmen took possession of the 7.5-acre Robinson Mill property following the failure of its former owner, John C. Robinson, to make an $80,000 payment in accordance to a land installment contract. The town foreclosed on the property due to the nonpayment of $244,920 in taxes, and the land installment contract was meant to help Robinson pay a $162,970.88 lien to take the property out of automatic foreclosure.

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