PARIS — County commissioners approved the release of a payment to the Maine Board of Corrections’ investment fund at its Oct. 15 meeting, but cautioned that further payments will depend on the performance of the state’s jail system. Oxford County pays $187,073 annually to the fund, which goes to offset the additional cost of housing inmates […]
Oxford County
Posted inFranklin, Maine, Oxford Hills, sj-web
Franklin, Oxford counties have state’s lowest per capita income
That’s one of the main takeaways from the Maine Development Foundation’s quarterly economic report released on Thursday. While MDF’s annual Measures of Growth report tracks Maine’s per capita personal income and compares it to the rest of the country, the quarterly reports allow for a deeper dive into the data, according to Ryan Neale, MDF’s […]
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Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills, River Valley
Requested county budget $652k more than 2013
PARIS — Oxford County department heads are requesting almost $652,000 more for 2014, an 11 percent increase from this year. The requests, released Friday, are the first stage in the budget process that stretches for the next three months. The budgets submitted by department heads are reviewed by the three commissioners, who pass on recommendations to […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills
Board votes to keep Paris streetlights burning
PARIS — Selectmen voted unanimously to keep 41 streetlights illuminated, following a public hearing Monday night at the Paris Fire Station. The hearing was attended by about 25 residents. A number of them voiced concern that the risk to public safety was not worth the minimal savings the town would realize by turning off the lights. […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills
Commissioners address payroll issues
PARIS — Oxford County commissioners have implemented new policies to clear up issues with the county government payroll. During a commission meeting Aug. 19, Annalee Rosenblatt, an attorney contracted by the commissioners to advise them on human resource issues, advised of seven apparent problems with the way payroll currently works. In particular, Rosenblatt questioned the […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills, River Valley
Commissioners accept $193k grant for airport
PARIS — A large federal grant to pay for a perimeter fence and study obstruction lighting at the Oxford County Regional Airport has been accepted by county commissioners. The $193,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration was announced by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King earlier this month. According to county Administrator Scott Cole, […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills
County to hold Budget Committee caucus Wednesday
PARIS — The nine-member Oxford County Budget Committee will be selected during selectmen caucuses Wednesday evening in Lovell, Paris and Rumford. County Commissioners David Duguay of Byron, Steve Merrill of Norway and Caldwell Jackson of Oxford will host caucuses in the county’s three districts. The Budget Committee’s duties are outlined in state statute, county Administrator […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills, River Valley
Fund balance policy proposed to staunch county’s bleeding coffers
PARIS — Oxford County Commissioners need to consider adopting a savings policy to rebuild a diminished general fund account, according to County Treasurer Roy Gedat. Gedat brought up the need to refill the county’s depleted coffers during a presentation of the County’s 2011-2012 audit by Bruce Nadeau, an accountant from Buxton-based RHR Smith and Company accounting firm. […]
Posted inOxford Hills
Former Rumford cop pleads guilty to threatening fellow officer
PARIS — Michael Belanger, a former Rumford police officer, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of criminal threatening with a weapon in a case involving a fellow officer. The plea was entered in Oxford County Superior Court. According to a yearlong deferred disposition agreement, he may be able to withdraw his plea and have the case […]
Posted inSpecials
Life in Oxford County
Oxford County, incorporated in 1805, is located on the western edge of Maine and borders New Hampshire. South Paris is the county seat. Comprised of the commercial districts of Norway, Oxford, and Paris, and complimented by the outlying villages of Buckfield, Harrison, Hartford, Hebron, Mechanic Falls, Otisfield, Poland, Sumner, Waterford and West Paris, the member towns […]