Oakham Board of Selectmen Sets $11.12 Tax Rate, Approves Rail Trail Support

OAKHAM -- December 8, 2025, Oakham Board of Selectmen set the fiscal year 2026 property tax rate at $11.12 per thousand dollars of assessed value, down from $11.55, after completing a five-year revaluation that raised town property values by an average of 7 percent. Town Assessor Dan reported new growth of $32,000, below the $40,000 estimate, and noted that excess levy capacity stands at just $4,444.48, with the board "taxed right up to the max." The board voted 2-1 to sign a letter of support for the Mass Central Rail Trail, with one member opposing over concerns about DCR watershed access equity and what he described as permit disparities between hunters and cyclists. The board unanimously authorized Highway Superintendent to submit a Chapter 90 funding request for a $4,940 guardrail replacement on Beeching Road at Spencer Road, flagged as deficient in a MassDOT inspection. Administrative Assistant Maribel disclosed that the town has spent $16,975 of its $90,000 legal appropriation opposing a battery storage project, with Planning Board chair Phil flagging roughly $16,000 in additional expert witness costs expected in coming months.