Oxford Board of Selectmen

March 1, 2018

Oxford Town Office

What happened: Brent Bridges, senior vice president of Woodard & Curran engineering firm in Portland, updated selectmen on installing sewer lines in the center of town to connect with the wastewater treatment plant in Welchville village this year.

What it means: Bridges said the plan is to construct a gravity feed system that will pump sewage from the Oxford Elementary School, along Pleasant Street toward Allen Hill Road and on to Lake Street, according to the minutes of the meeting. 

What’s next: Bid requests have been sent for the three-month project. In November 2017, Bridges told selectmen that between $400,000 and $500,000 remains of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant for the $28 million plant project. School Administrative District 17 needs to secure $24,000 to tie into the main line.

Pickup truck and crane

What happened: Officials will try to use some of the federal grant to purchase a pickup with a crane for the Sewer Department, according to minutes of the meeting. Plant operator Zhenya Shevchenko has been using his vehicle and borrowing or renting a crane when he needs to pick up submersible pumps for repair and service.

What’s next: Selectmen have asked whether the equipment can be rented and whether permanent generators can be purchased for the pump stations.

Treatment plant leak

What happened: The board was told that about $54,000 is needed to permanently correct a leak in the basement of the treatment plant on Route 121.

What’s next: Electrical panels and conduits will be relocated while the concrete is sealed.

Welchville Dam repairs

What happened: Bridges said he didn’t find money to repair or replace the Welchville Dam on the Little Androscoggin River near the treatment plant, but a match grant is available to dismantle it, according to minutes of the meeting.

What’s next: The first step would be to conduct a feasibility study. The pre-application is due this month.

Money transfers

What happened: Selectmen agreed to transfer $6,000 from the seized property reserve to purchase uniforms and equipment; $3,100 from the town building reserve to repair the collapsed roof drain pipe at the Municipal Building; and $2,224.75 from the safety equipment reserve to cover emergency lighting and an air quality management asbestos test.

New trees

What happened: Town Manager Butch Asselin said the Oxford Hills Rotary Club would like to plant trees in town.

What it means: Anyone interested in participating should contact Rotarian George Rice.
 
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