You never quite know what to expect when Town Council goes in-camera. Often it’s a matter dealing with town property, or something that involves lawyers. Sometimes —like it was this week— the topic at hand was personnel.
While the details of the discussions are not public, the motion arising from the in-camera session is (as presented by Councillor Chrystal McNutt):
WHEREAS Council has determined that the following Town employee positions are significantly underpaid when compared to average salaries for the same or similar positions in comparable municipal units in Nova Scotia: Director of Public Works, Manager of Finance, and Chief Administrative Officer;
AND WHEREAS, in order to determine appropriate average salaries, Council has reviewed the Association of Municipal Administrators Nova Scotia Salary Survey 2024;
AND WHEREAS Coucil has further determined that in order to properly staff the Public Works Department of the Town, it is necessary to create the position of Public Works Foreman;
I move that
- The position of Public Works Foreman for the Town is hereby created, and the Chief Administrative Officer is hereby authorized and directed to draft the job description and commence the usual process to hire a qualified person for this position.
- The annual salaries of the following positions shall be as follows:
Director of Public Works: $73,250.89 (effective as of date of new hire)
Manager of Finance: $77,525.84 (effective October 27, 2025)
Chief Administrative Officer: $94,491.78 (effective October 27, 2025)
Public Works Foreman: $57,595.20 (effective as of date of new hire)
The motion was seconded by Councillor Paul Jones, and passed unanimously.
This was followed by another motion, introduced by Councillor Jones, regarding the open position of School Crossing Guard:
WHEREAS Council has determined that the school crossing guard position is underpaid, when compared to neighbouring municipalities, for the same position, I move that effective Monday, October 27, 2025, that Council approve the pay increase from minimum wage to a wage of $18.50 per hour.
Councillor Chrystal McNutt seconded the motion, which was also passed unanimously.
The 2025-26 Budget for salaries of the three existing positions were:
- Public Works Supervisor: $66,290
- Manager of Finance: $59,207
- Chief Administrative Officer: $70,191
Prior to CAO Linda Cloney taking up the Town Clerk position and then being promoted to CAO, the previous CAO —Rachel Jones— had a budgeted salary of $85,000 for the 2019-20 fiscal year. Jones was dismissed in February, 2021.
This was the entirety of the Special Council meeting for Wednesday, October 29th, 2025 — but there was more news to come.
Prior to the start of the Public Works Committee Meeting that followed, it was learned that current Public Works Supervisor, Nick Purdy, had submitted his notice and would be leaving the department. Purdy has been Supervisor since the Fall of 2022 following a lengthy effort to fill the position following the dismissal of former Public Works Supervisor Wes Adshade in the Spring.
The increase in salary for the job, plus the creation of the new Foreman position, reflects the need for a supervisor who can handle the increasingly complex administrative tasks such as managing a changing workload that today includes greater reporting required by provincial departments, keeping the town’s Asset Management System updated (which CAO Linda Cloney says is essential to understanding the town’s aged infrastructure while planning for future upgrades, procurement needs), as well as staying on top of one of the town’s top priorities: ensuring a safe supply of drinking water.
The new Foreman position will allow the Supervisor to cover the office work required, instead of splitting time between administration and crew management. Cloney says the Town is “really going to miss” Purdy as he moves on.
The search for a new Public Works Director begins immediately, with a job description to be posted soon to the Town’s website. The Public Works Foreman position is not likely to be filled before the end of the year, as the new Director will be involved in that hiring decision.
The changeover in Public Works leadership comes just as the Town of Oxford is preparing for major infrastructure projects, including the complete renovation of the downtown section of Main Street (water lines, sewer, storm drains, pavement), as well as work on Pugwash Road and the overhaul / replacement of the Town’s oldest reservoir and the water lines that connect it to the rest of the municipal water system.
