OXFORD — The Board of Selectmen decided Thursday, Aug. 15, to table the issue of allowing white trash bags at the transfer station while they check with retailers about adding more clear bags to their inventory.

“The operating manual for the transfer station says mass solid waste must be disposed of in clear bags,” Selectman Ed Knightly said. “White bags have been coming through.”

Knightly said he met with the manager of Walmart in Oxford and was told the retailer had a difficult time keeping the bags in stock. He did not check with other major retailers, he said.

Knightly suggested selling the required clear bags at the transfer station since they could not be easily obtained.

“I don’t think we should be in the business of selling bags,” Selectman Caldwell Jackson said.

Selectwoman Sharon Jackson said another alternative would be to change the policy to include white bags.

The board tabled the issue until more information could be gathered from other area retailers about adding clear trash bags to their inventory.

In other matters, Finance Director Rebecca Lippincott told the board the Finance Department has been working with department heads to help them understand the budgetary and expenditure process.

She said she met with each department head after the June town meeting and explained expenditures could not exceed the amount budgeted for their department.

“The town manager has bimonthly department head meetings and budgets are reviewed,” she said.

Sharon Jackson asked Lippincott to provide the board with quarterly updates of expense reports.

“On a final note, auditors completed their fieldwork today,” Lippincott added.

The draft of the 2019 audit should be ready by mid-October, she added.

Selectmen also:

• voted unanimously to change the time of the regular board meetings from 6:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. starting Sept. 5. Meetings are held on the first and third Thursdays of the month.

• accepted bids from All States Asphalt of Windham for the paving of Fore Street ($61,762) and Station Road ($79,992).

• removed Jason Wallace from the Recreation Committee due to a lack of attendance of regularly scheduled meetings. They appointed Marjorie Owens to fill out the seven-member committee.

• appointed Alexander Luke to the Budget Committee. The 11-member board currently has three vacant positions.