Oakham Conservation Commission Approves Up to $5,000 for Moraga Project Peer Review

OAKHAM -- June 17, 2026, Oakham Conservation Commission votes to hire stormwater expert for Moraga storage project peer review. The commission unanimously approved retaining water resource consultant Scott Horsley at a cost not to exceed $5,000, drawn from the town's Wetland Protection Fund, which holds roughly $10,000 after a prior $1,600 commitment. Horsley's full estimated scope runs between $5,200 and $7,600, covering hydrologic analysis, a formal comment letter, and attendance at the July 7 Notice of Intent hearing; a member identified as Sean described him as having "all the qualifications" and noted he has already identified "significant hydrologic impacts" to certified vernal pools and the Quaboag and Ware River watersheds. Commission members said they could not evaluate the project's voluminous stormwater management plan without outside expertise, and declined to wait for the applicant, who has filed a Superior Court challenge to the commission's enforcement order, to agree to pay for the review.