Oxford Readies to Present Town Budget

The Town of Oxford’s next budget is about two weeks away, but some shopping couldn’t be put on hold.

Speaking on Six Rivers Morning Talk this week, Mayor Greg Henley says Town Council’s approval of a new backhoe purchase couldn’t have been put off any longer, with public works infrastructure projects looming and crews needing reliable equipment to get the work done. 

Last week’s approval to purchase a $217-thousand dollar backhoe (closer to $170-thousand with trade-in of the old machine) came just a week after another unplanned expenditure for the public works department: $54-thousand for a new pickup truck to replace a vehicle that was more often than not in the shop.

Public Works supervisor Nick Purdy says the town’s backhoe had exceeded its expected service life, and electrical problems left it undependable. 

Mayor Henley noted that among the planned-for infrastructure work this year is one major water project for the town. 

Six Rivers News host Bill Martin asked Mayor Henley whether there was a “wish list” for this year’s budget. Henley said the challenge facing the town is to ensure there are reserve funds available to qualify for government matching funds – the so-called “50-cent dollars” – and believes Oxford is in good shape for the infrastructure projects that the town has in mind. 

He says one of the major challenges facing the town is that major construction companies get “tied up” in a major city or municipality, and Oxford is “pushed to the back of the pack”.  Still, Henley hopes to see some water lines laid and pavement put down in the town this year.

Henley says the provincial government doesn’t want to see a municipality take on a major project and then pull out empty pockets, with no money to pay the bill. 

The Mayor says he’s pleased with the work done in Oxford, commending the town’s Senior Accountant, RuthAnn Brookins, for dotting the “I”s and crossing the “T”s, to ensure all is in order.

While this year’s budget is coming to council a few weeks later than last year, Mayor Henley notes they were early with the 2022-2023 budget, while mentioning one year the town didn’t pass a budget until September. 

Oxford’s Town Hall is, he says, a “small office”, and there are other things that have to get done, hence the delay. In the end, he says, this is a “good budget”.

Premier Tim Houston is the radio guest this morning at 9:45 on Morning Talk.

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