$2,400 pay raise for town manager.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Ellie Oleson

OXFORD - Selectmen last week voted to give Town Manager Joseph M. Zeneski a 2.5 percent or $2,400 merit raise on top of his $96,000 salary, after three of the five board members gave him an outstanding evaluation for his work in recent months.

Mr. Zeneski took over as interim town manager on Jan. 23, 2007, after the retirement of Dennis A. Power two weeks before. Mr. Power had served as town manager since 1975. For the final 16 years of Mr. Power's tenure, Mr. Zeneski had been town engineer and planner. On June 26, Mr. Zeneski was appointed town manager. Last week, he received his first evaluation from selectmen.

Overall, Mr. Zeneski received an average score of 86, which is in the "outstanding" range of 85 to 100. His average would have been higher, except for "satisfactory" scores, which range from 50 to 84, of 79 and 84 from selectmen John G. Saad and Susan M. Gallant, respectively.

Mr. Saad said, "There hasn't been enough time to make a legitimate comparison to what we had in the past. You have big shoes to fill. My score should not be construed as a negative evaluation in any way. I'm between outstanding and satisfactory. You have great potential and I have great expectations for your future progress. Oxford is fortunate to have you as town manager."

Ms. Gallant said Mr. Zeneski had not been town manager long enough for her to "really and truly evaluate him," but said, "Good job, Joe. I am pleasantly surprised by your performance."

She suggested that he work on improving Sutton Avenue and Main Street, add to local recreation areas and "continue to work on your interpersonal skills."

"Thank you for giving me a chance," Mr. Zeneski said.

Selectman Henry J. LaMountain...