Oakham Officials to Vote on Police Contract, Weigh Battery Storage Project
The Board of Selectmen is poised to vote on a contract for the police chief and approve key appointments when it meets Monday, while the Conservation Commission will continue a public hearing on a large-scale battery energy storage proposal. Those decisions top a week of municipal activity in Oakham, following a series of board meetings in late June that addressed fiscal warrants, accounting services, and library fundraising.
Recent Meeting Agendas
The Board of Selectmen convened three times in the past two weeks, though minutes from all three meetings were not yet published at press time.
June 22 – The agenda included votes on inserting Unipay advertisements into tax bills and approving several warrants: payables warrant WR26-26, payroll warrant PR26-25, and withholding warrants WTH26-24 and WTH26-25.
June 23 – Members were scheduled to consider a fiscal year 2027 outsourced accounting services proposal, a possible vote on authorizing town counsel for the Board of Health, and a possible vote on wiring inspector fees. The meeting was accessible via Zoom and included a public comment period.
June 29 (special meeting) – A packed agenda called for approving special payroll warrant PR26-26B, payable warrant WR27-01A (which includes the Worcester Regional Retirement FY27 assessment), voting on fiscal year 2026 line-item transfers for the Board of Assessors, and making fiscal year 2027 appointments for employees, committees, commissions, and boards.
The Library Trustees met on June 25. Their agenda included reviewing and accepting minutes, fundraising for a lift replacement, planning for KidsFest!, and addressing water pump and tank repairs in the Play Garden. Public comment was also listed.
Upcoming Meetings
Board of Selectmen – July 6
The board will vote on the 25EMPG contract for the police chief, with Maribel LaRange listed as signatory, and on the use of wetland funds by the Conservation Commission. Three fiscal year 2027 appointments are up for approval: Fire Chief Timothy Howe, Council on Aging member Judy Brousseau, and Conservation Commission member Steve Labarre. Discussion items include a Special Town Meeting article set for October 25 and potential highway department truck trade-ins. Possible votes may be taken on a laborer/truck driver recommendation, a traffic constable policy, and a hiring procedure policy.
Conservation Commission – July 7
Two continued public hearings will resume. The first, for a single-family home on Robinson Road, is proposed by applicant Cara Peck. The second concerns a 180-megawatt battery energy storage system at 358 Coldbrook Road by Moraga Storage, LLC. The commission could vote to close each hearing or continue both to August 4, 2026.
Board of Selectmen – July 8
A special meeting will be held solely to open and consider seasonal bids submitted to the Highway Department. No other business is on the agenda.
Generated from official meeting agendas and minutes — every underlying document is linked from the city page. Read the primary source before you rely on a detail.