Oakham Board of Selectmen Signs Road Easements, Appoints Alternate Building Inspector

OAKHAM -- April 27, 2026, Oakham Board of Selectmen executes eminent-domain road easements and flags a $234,000 budget shortfall. Meeting on April 27, the board unanimously signed an order of taking for permanent public-way and drainage easements on Skyline Drive and Old Schoolhouse Road, acting under authority from the March 9, 2026 town meeting; documents are headed to the Worcester South District Registry of Deeds and MassDOT for Chapter 90 listing. The board also appointed David Horn as alternate building inspector, filling a previously vacant backup role, and extended highway superintendent Mike Granger's appointment contingent on contract talks. A board member reported the town's FY2027 budget gap stands at $234,235.28 against the Proposition 2½ limit, with local aid tentatively set at $436,001 pending Senate action. The second $75,000 legal-fund appropriation for an ongoing energy-facility case has been drawn down to $39,439.40 after a $29,000 invoice. The Conservation Commission's revised wetlands bylaw, backed by 68 voter signatures, was voted to town counsel for review ahead of a May 5 public informational session.