OXFORD – The special town meeting Saturday at Oxford Elementary School nearly ended before it began.

Because of the town’s decision to change to a July-June fiscal year, instead of a calendar year budget, the warrant wasn’t ready in time to be mailed to residents in the annual report.

After the election of Moderator Ron Kugell, resident Henry Jackson moved the meeting be recessed until June 26 to give people time to review the warrant. His motion was narrowly defeated, 35 to 40.

Voters rejected borrowing $300,000 to replace a fire department pumper truck, but agreed to fix two of the worst roads in town, Robinson Hill and Tiger Hill Roads.

The two roads will be entirely reconstructed using $920,000 in borrowed money. Bids will be opened in early August, with construction expected to take two years to complete.

While no one disagreed that the roads needed fixing, objections were raised because the bonding proposals had not been fully reviewed by the Budget Committee.

Moderator Kugell ruled that a vote could take place, despite bylaws that require budget committee review of spending proposals.

Selectman Floyd Thayer said, “An awful lot of people have called with concerns about these roads. We figured we’d let the people decide.” As to whether prior review was required by the budget committee, Thayer said, “That’s a gray area.”

Several residents said no improvements have been made to Tiger Hill Road since the mid-1970s. Both roads have been high on the priority list for repairs for several years.

Voters rejected a budget committee plan to raise $100,000 for a road reserve fund, and went with selectmen in approving $545,002 for capital improvements. The amount includes $250,000 for road improvements to Number Six Road and other roads in town that have seen repairs and need to be saved from further deterioration.

Voters turned thumbs down to borrowing $300,000 to replace an aging 1975 pumper truck housed at the central station on Route 26. The pumper, one of three the town owns, has already been rebuilt once. It may not pass inspection in the fall, Fire Chief Fred Knightly said.

But selectmen argued that the 1973 truck was often not needed, and that the town could put off the purchase for another year. Voters agreed.

Voters also approved setting aside $50,000 from surplus in support of a federal land conservation grant application. If the town wins the grant, the town would be reimbursed $25,000.

The overall impact of the $3.2 million in municipal spending passed Saturday will mean about a 2-mill increase in the present tax rate of $19.60 per $1,000 of valuation.