OXFORD — If the town of Oxford maintains the status quo on services and operations in the next fiscal year it’s budget is likely to increase by about $290,000.

This was the message Town Manager Adam Garland gave to selectmen during a joint review session between the board and the budget committee last Thursday.

“Budget increases are largely due to the cost of doing business continuing to rise,” Garland said. “The town is being charged more for services, particularly the businesses that transfer station operations rely on.”

Garland presented two options during the joint meeting. The budget draft that holds services at current levels would be $5,672,861 a 5% increase over this year.

The second scenario includes increases for public safety. Oxford Police Chief Rickie Jack is asking that one additional full time patrol officer be added to his department. Fire Chief & Safety Chief Paul Hewey is looking to hire fire fighters for weekend coverage so that Saturdays and Sundays are staffed with two, 12-hour per diem staff.

Increasing the public safety departments would add about $130,000, on top of the $290,000 to next years budget. Both Jack and Hewey will address the board about the need for more staff during a future meeting.

Garland said the possible impact of increasing next year’s budget by more than 7% cannot be projected until property revaluations have been complete next month. Property tax assessments will be recalculated and the mill rate for next year set before Oxford holds its annual town meeting, scheduled for June 3.

Other business

In other business, Garland informed selectmen that following last year’s budget audit revealed that $2.34 million is available to be transferred to the town’s fund balance reserve account, the result of town revenues recovering to pre-pandemic levels. Last year the fund balance could not be replenished, mostly due to losses of Oxford Casino revenue.

Oxford’s fiscal auditor, Ron H. R. Smith from RHR & Company, will attend the March 16 selectmen’s meeting to talk further about audit results.

The healthier reserve makes it possible to revisit capital improvement projects that have been sidelined, most notably roadwork that needs to be done to Whittemore and Number Six roads. Selectmen had approved up to $404,000 for work that would have been limited to skim-coating. But with a higher reserve balance selectmen agreed that it will be more cost-effective to repair and reconstruct all of Whittemore Road and a section of Number Six Road and authorized Garland to request updated bids for the work to be done.

The board also directed Garland to solicit bids to maintain the Pottle Road ball fields and build an ADA-compliant restroom there, and for construction bids to add utilities and pave Park Road. Two lots in the business park, numbers 9 and 10, have been sold for development. Bids for both projects are due by April 4.