All Oxford Departments Busy in Spring
Oxford Town Council met last evening in back-to-back sessions, with the regular monthly Committee-of-the-Whole (COW) meeting, followed by another for the purpose of passing the 2024–2025 budget.
The usual tabling of department reports brought Council up to speed on the previous month’s business. Public Works spent the month of April doing spring cleaning, and had several calls to deal with water-related matters, from overflowing ditches on Seven Lee Way, leaking residential water connections, new water meter installs, and cleaning out the sewer lift stations, among many other tasks.
The Oxford Volunteer Fire Department reported a busy year to date, with 19 calls in April bringing the cumulative total to 61. Over half the calls in April were for medical responses, leading the volunteer firefighters to reduce their “response level” to answer only “Immediate Life Threat” situations, whereas “Time Critical” calls will be answered first by Emergency Health Services (EHS), though the firefighters could still be called out for support if required.
The OVFD is doing well with recruitment, adding members in recent months and seeing two firefighters complete their Level 1 training — a commitment that required 14 weekends of courses.
Fire Chief Bruce Rushton says the department plans to meet with town staff in the coming weeks to move forward on finalising the requirements for a new fire truck to replace a (still in service) 35-year-old apparatus. The town aims to spend upwards of $1-million dollars, cost-shared to some degree with the Municipality of Cumberland County.
This is also the time of year when the property tax bills end up in residents’ mailboxes. Chatter on social media has residents complaining of higher tax bills, which is a reflection of the increased property assessments done by the Property Valuation Services Corporation, an independent, not-for-profit organization created by the Province in 2007. When it comes to property taxes, municipalities may adjust their tax rates, but they have no input on the assessments. Even with the CAP on property values, many residents are seeing higher tax bills this year.
In terms of town services, good news for patrons of the Oxford Branch Library with new funding coming from the province and municipalities, Oxford and other branches in Cumberland are seeing recent cuts to hours reversed. The local library is also now another partner in the efforts to ensure food security for residents. With a $52,900 grant from the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, libraries are now providing snacks in cooperation with community partners like the Cumberland Adult Network for Upgrading (CAN-U), and the YMCA. In the Oxford branch, visitors will find a basket in the common area with free snacks for those who need them. While library funding and staffing has recently been a challenge for the organization, there is no shortage of folks who make use of the facility, with over 800 items signed out in Oxford, including books, DVDs, magazines, and more, with 224 in-person visits.
Oxford’s Police Advisory Board continues to look at ways to improve security in the town and much of that attention is going toward speeders.
The board is recommending the town consider the purchase of digital speed signs to assist drivers in recognizing when they’re going over the speed limit. While the signs would need to be secured to prevent theft, they are otherwise portable and could be moved from place to place as speeding issues arise. Areas of concern for speeding are Little River Road, Lower Main Street, Upper Main Street, and Birchwood Road.
Likewise, matters of traffic flow on Main Street by the post office have been raised, with folks parking in restricted areas as they dash across the street to check their mail, something the RCMP will be working to address.
Public Works Supervisor Nick Purdy informed the Board of problems with speeding through work zones, which puts the town crew at risk when dealing with water breaks and other tasks on the town’s streets. The public is reminded that speed fines are doubled in work zones.
The quarterly police report filed through the end of March noted some 98 incidents, 28 of those falling under criminal code offences such as assault, theft and disturbing the peace.
Other matters arising at the COW meeting included an update from CAO Linda Cloney on the matter of “Dangerous & Unsightly” properties. There are currently 11 cases being addressed across the town, with one having been resolved.
The remainder are at various points of action, from notification of property owners to discussions on what measures need to be taken by property owners. The location of those properties has not been made public.
Good news for folks interested in seeing Oxford put on a prettier face… Communities in Bloom is being revitalised this year. Cloney reported to Council that funding is being sought through the Community Health Board.
The community gardens are being freshened up, with a “digging party” scheduled for June 3rd to remove the existing soil and plants that last year were decimated by an invasive species.
The hoped-for funding will cover the purchase of new soil, seeds and plants.
The community garden boxes in Black River Park and at the South Side Trail Head are being given some attention with another set to be installed at the Blueberry Corner across from Town Hall, where participants of the Sunset Industries programming will be tasked to help out.
And the committee working on the Road Trails Designation Bylaw plans to come before the council meeting on May 22nd with a proposal that would see ATVs allowed on Oxford Streets. Details will be made public at the meeting, though it is expected that the option for a designated route in town will be proposed, but not a free-for-all on all of the community streets.
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