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Oxford Town Clerk Elizabeth Olsen, far right, announces the start of the annual Town Meeting on Saturday as selectmen look on. From left are Dana Dillingham, Sharon Jackson, Caldwell Jackson, Vice-Chair Samantha Hewey, Chair Scott Hunter, and Town Manager Adam Garland.
Nicole Carter / Advertiser Democrat
OXFORD After close to an hour and a half of question and debate over three articles regarding the immediate future of Oxford’s town offices, voters took less than 15 minutes to approve all 35 other articles at Saturday’s annual town meeting, held at Oxford Elementary School.
Among those articles was the town budget: All articles for the 2021-2022 budget of $5,261,210 passed unanimously, representing a decrease of $420,372 from the current budget, or 7.5%.
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OXFORD Selectmen held a special meeting Wednesday night to further discuss amendments as the town moves toward reversing its ban on recreational marijuana businesses.
In June 2018 Oxford residents approved an ordinance prohibiting the sale and cultivation of retail recreational marijuana along with accompanying social clubs. Medical cannabis was not included in the prohibition.
Coinciding with the opening of Maine’s first marijuana stores in October 2020, two people with interest in opening cannabis businesses in Oxford appeared before the Board of Selectmen requesting that the town revisit its ordinances restricting it.
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In 2017 the town created the Adult Use Marijuana Committee, comprised of administrators, public safety officials and residents to research and create the policy that became the 2018 ordinance. But last fall it fell to the Ordinance Review Committee, comprised only of town officials, for consideration.
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OXFORD Selectmen voted unanimously Thursday night to schedule a public hearing about a revised marijuana ordinance that puts no limits on the number of marijuana dispensaries and removes Oxford’s prohibition on retail marijuana businesses, but bars marijuana social clubs.
The decision by Chairman Scott Hunter, Vice Chairwoman Samantha Hewey, Caldwell Jackson, Sharon Jackson and Dana Dillingham came over objections that the committee who made the revisions included only town officials and that notice of the ordinance issue was not on the board’s agenda posted for the public.
Former board Chairman Peter Laverdiere and Roger Wulleman, who both served on the original Adult Use Marijuana Committee in 2017 and offered to serve on the second one last year, attended Thursday’s meeting.
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OXFORD Selectmen on Thursday night appointed a school board member, accepted a grant and held an executive session on hiring a new town manager.
The meeting, which lasted 15 minutes, was attended by Sharon Jackson, Dana Dillingham and Samantha Hewey, who acted as chairwoman in the absence of Scott Hunter, who was on a fire call. Caldwell Jackson did not attend.
Lisa Dunham was appointed a School Administrative District 17 director. She succeeds David Dunn, who resigned in November after his wife, Joan Davis-Dunn, took a position at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.
Dunham, co-owner of Valley View Orchard Pies on Madison Avenue, submitted a letter to the board expressing interest in the position.
The Board interviewed four candidates in November and conducted a second round with others on Dec. 16.
Oxford Town Manager Butch Asselin will delay his retirement up to 90 days as selectmen continuing interviewing potential replacements..
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Asselin had set Jan. 1, 2021 as his final day on the job. However, Oxford selectmen asked if he would serve in an interim capacity until a new hire is made or through March, which he agreed to do.
“We realize that we are in competition with several Maine towns all looking for a manager and are willing to wait to get the right fit,” Hunter continued. “Oxford has several irons in the fire and the new town manager needs to be able to pick up where Butch leaves off and hit the ground running.”