OXFORD — The annual town meeting Saturday will present voters with a $3.21 million budget and a $1.66 million bond proposal.

The bond includes $360,000 to extend the town waterline down Pottle Road and $1.3 million to repay Bob Bahre for financing a waterline extension to the Oxford Casino on Route 26.

The secret ballot election will be Tuesday, June 12. The only contest is for fire chief. Shawn Cordwell, one of the department’s three captains, is challenging Chief Scott Hunter.

Hunter and Cordwell disagree on budget issues and how to deal with casino traffic and other development in the town. Hunter said it’s important to be equipped for the town’s development, whether that means new equipment or adding staff in the future.

He said the department may need more nighttime coverage in the future. “Currently at night for rescue, there’s two people that are on call, so they need to come from home.” Those on-call employees have day jobs too, he said.

Cordwell spoke about the recent purchase of a fire command vehicle. Paris and Poland each have one, he said, and both towns respond to Oxford fire. “That’s a $45,000 purchase that we really could have done without,” he said. A pickup truck to haul fire hose and equipment after a fire would be more practical, he added.

Hunter said he was confident that casino revenues to the town and a larger tax base will help pay to upgrade the department. The town is set to receive 2 percent of casino gaming revenues.

Cordwell said the department should be thinking about taxpayers regardless of projected growth, and said buying equipment nearby towns have is wasteful. “No matter what happens, we’re going to keep working with our neighboring communities.”

Hunter is a 33-year veteran of the department and has been chief for six years. Cordwell has been with the department for 19 years and a captain for about seven. He works as a full-time paramedic in Lewiston and has an associate degree in fire science.

On the Board of Selectmen, Chairman Floyd Thayer and Selectman Dennis Sanborn are running for re-election. Thayer has served three terms and Sanborn has served five.

On the Oxford Water District, Penny Lowe is running unopposed.

John Palmer is resigning from the SAD 17 board, and Faith Gittings is running to take his place.

The town meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Oxford Elementary School on Pleasant Street. The election will he held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Oxford Public Safety Building on Route 26.

treaves@sunjournal.com

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