CHECKS & BALANCES

Oxford’s laws require public notice and a Town Meeting before leasing, selling, or giving away town assets. We may all assume this happens, but does it? •In 2020, a land swap with Cornerstone Church was approved without public notice. The church didn’t even hold title to the land they were offering! The deal resulted in inland/wetlands litigation and public opposition. •In 2022, 28 acres of the town’s raw materials, behind Center School, were given to a private contractor - for 100% profit - in exchange for flattening the land. There was no appraisal nor a Town Meeting. Sarris & McKane will follow the law and ensure transparency when handling town assets.

Planned Spending on Infrastructure – It's not just a wish list! A Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is a legally required, detailed 5-year plan for prioritizing and funding infrastructure projects. It guides grant eligibility and ensures strategic investment in town assets. Currently, the CIP is referred to as a “wish list,” leading to neglected maintenance, costly repairs, and deferred infrastructure investment. Aging buildings and systems continue to deteriorate, draining department budgets and taxpayer resources. Sarris & McKane believe the CIP must become a working plan that drives funding decisions, secures grants, and responsibly maintains Oxford’s infrastructure and finances.

For most federal and state grants, the town must pay upfront for the entirety of the project before seeking reimbursement, beyond the town's responsible portion. Therefore, before grant applications are submitted, the Board of Finance and the Town must agree to be obligated to these costs. But is this happening? Past financial audits have shown grants have been applied for and even portions paid for without required funding approval. In fact, the $8M Chestnut Tree Hill Road Extension project and the $4.3M sidewalk project - are grants that were applied for without the required Board of Finance and Town approval - there is no approved funding source. The $4.3M sidewalk project is advancing to the design stage without notifying impacted residents and may involve eminent domain issues. It is estimated that the overall cost to the town will be around $1M. Sarris & McKane will ensure that no grant application proceeds without prior Board of Finance and town involvement. They will prioritize grants that address essential needs and reduce your tax burdens, guided by a functioning Capital Improvement Plan.

By law, Oxford must complete and publish its annual audit by March 1st. The audit for fiscal year 23-24 was just completed on September 4, 2025 ( over six months late). Moody's WITHDREW our credit rating on September 19, 2025! Our delayed audit left the Board of Finance without essential financial data to prepare the FY 2025–26 budget or assess the General Fund balance. Meanwhile, it has been the General Fund tapped to cover the recently reported over $6.5M in flood-related costs—exceeding the $4M flood bond approved in February 2025. To maintain Oxford’s high bond rating, the General Fund must stay at 10% of the budget (nearly $6M). Our Board of Finance cannot tell us our current General Fund's balance, leaving Oxford’s true financial health unknown - clearly not great with a withdrawn credit rating. Our recent $16.275M in bond anticipation notes were dependent on the pending 2024 audit. With a withdrawn rating, what will this mean?

Under Oxford's laws, the Board of Selectmen can authorize up to $250,000 in emergency spending per fiscal year—but still with Board of Finance and Town Meeting approval. Despite this, the First Selectman has operated under a prolonged “state of emergency” for nearly a year, with over $5.3M in flood repairs paid. Loughlin Road repairs are not yet included in that total. As of July, FEMA has reimbursed Oxford only about $100,000, though officials still maintain they expect 75% reimbursement. Flood repair expenses continue to be drawn from the General Fund, even though the Board of Finance doesn't know the fund's balance, due to the delayed fiscal year end June 30, 2024 audit (due March 2025). Flood funding approval is not going through our elected finance board.

Oxford’s Emergency Operating Plan—developed with the Department of Homeland Security—sets clear steps for mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Following the recent flood, we heard that new committees were formed: Welfare & Victim Assistance Committee and Flood Finance Committee. These committees were chaired, respectively, by the First Selectman’s Administrative Assistant and Selectman Arnie Jensen (who was not elected until November, as State Rep.) Residents who had contacted the First Selectman to serve on these committees, heard nothing. A month after the flood, Amy Sarris contacted the Town Clerk’s office to find out the status of these committees. They had no record of any new committees following the flood! Amy Sarris contacted Selectman Jensen directly. Selectman Jensen said his committee had never met and had no meetings scheduled. Amy then asked the following night at a Board of Selectmen meeting about these committees – when she was told that she misheard - these committees did not exist! For the safety of our community, we need to ensure that our Emergency Operating Plan is operating and that we have trained individuals ready to respond to address mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, when disasters hit. Sarris & McKane will ensure emergency plans are followed to protect residents, property, and tax dollars.

Oxford has a federally and state-mandated Hazard Mitigation Plan (2021–2026), required to remain eligible for FEMA funding. Its purpose is to identify and reduce risks from natural disasters. The current Plan outlines 21 specific actions to protect lives, property, and infrastructure. We need to ensure that departments and officials are aware of their roles so that our community is more resilient to future nature disasters.