OXFORD — The Recreation Committee, its director and the Board of Selectmen are set to meet tonight, August 2, to continue recent, sometimes contentious discussions, on how to resolve what a few have called a “hostile workplace.”

The workshop, set to begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Office, is to discuss the Oxford Recreation Committee bylaws. The move comes two weeks after the majority of selectmen voted to allow the committee to continue its work but agreed to meet later to discuss its bylaws.

Recreation Committee Chairman Lori Turgeon said her goal is to keep the current bylaws.

The board is expected to review a proposal to amend the bylaws that would  essentially make them a volunteer group.

The bylaws that will be under review, were last amended in  2012. They currently include the following:

Article 1 establishes the name of the group as the Oxford Recreation Committee;

Article 2 states the commitee’ objective is working “in cooperation with the governing bodies (town manager, Selectmen, Committee Chairman) and other organizations dealing with recreation and to plan and implement programs and facilities for use by all residents and taxpayers of the town.

Article 3 deals with membership, length of term and residency requirement.

Article 4 includes eight sections.

Those sections provide that:

• monthly meetings be held

• project meetings be called by the chairman or upon the written request of at least two members

• the first regular meeting after the Annual Town Meeting would be an organizational meeting, all committee recommendations are on a majority vote

• there will be a chairman and recording secretary

• the duty of selectmen and the committee is to actively seek input and recommendations of interested citizens who want to serve

• committee members have jurisdiction to act even is there are vacancies on the board

• if committee members miss three or more consecutive meetings, the Board of Selectmen will vote to consider his/her chair vacant or to excuse the absences.

Under a proposal made last month by Director Kathleen Dillingham, the group would become a volunteer organization and be called the Oxford Volunteer Recreation Committee.

The objective of the group would be to work in cooperation with the Recreation Department director to suggest, plan, create, and implement programs and events to benefit all residents and taxpayers in the Town of Oxford.

The Recreation Committee has proposed slight changes including that the group be called the Oxford Recreation Advisory Board. Its objective would be to work in cooperation with the governing bodies (Town Manager and Selectmen), the committee chairperson, Recreation Director as well as other organizations involved in the town’s recreation activities.

Further, the board would plan and implement programs and coordinate facilities for use by all residents and taxpayers in the Town of Oxford.

Currently, the committee is comprised of 11 members and appointed by the Board of Selectmen on a staggered three-year term.

ldixon@sunmediagroup.net

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