OXFORD — With Selectperson Sharon Jackson unable to attend Oxford’s Select Board meeting last week, most of the evening’s agenda items were tabled until the next regularly scheduled meeting Dec. 5.

Discussion and actions for a revision of the town’s employee handbook, whether to continue a pilot program to increase use of public sewer services and determining the format for Oxford’s 2025 annual town meeting were deferred during the meeting.

Sewer department discussion was to center around a grant program Oxford tested from 2023-2024, which would have waived some hookup fees through a rebate agreement. Superintendent Zhenya Shevchenko is expected to present data on residents’ enrollment trends as well as revenue projections and any remaining barriers to participation. The town built a high-capacity system 12 years ago to accommodate increasing demand from businesses like Oxford Casino Hotel and the Hampton Inn, but has had a difficult time getting households to buy in.

The board was also going to continue consideration to change Oxford’s annual town meeting format. Three selectmen – Chairman Floyd Thayer, Vice-Chair Dana Dillingham and Selectman Scott Hunter –favor a format that brings as wide as possible voter participation, while Sharon Jackson and Selectman Caldwell Jackson firmly committed to maintaining in person attendance with open voting.

During the last selectmen’s meeting, Town Manager Adam Garland was directed to prepare a sample written ballot warrant base on Oxford’s most recent town meeting last June. A straw poll conducted among residents during last June’s state and primary elections showed a slight preference on the part of voters for ballot voting, but the Board did not view it as enough of a mandate to put to a referendum vote this fall.

Human Resources Director Elizabeth Olsen will present the latest draft of Oxford’s employee handbook at a future meeting.

There were no department head reports or town manager’s update provided during the meeting.

The board voted to approve abatement requests totaling $1,779.60 for two properties, and a supplemental rebate to the business Us LLC for $300.