OXFORD – The Oxford Village Board of Trustees has tabled a decision to adopt a nine-month moratorium on natural gas drilling after the Central New York Landowner’s Coalition threatened to sue them and the municipality if they did.

Oxford Mayor Terry Stark said notice of the potential legal action forced the board to set aside a vote pending review of the implications of such a lawsuit as well as the village’s current zoning code language for gas exploration, extraction and disposal.

“We need to make sure we are on solid legal grounds. It doesn’t kill anything; just allows time,” the mayor said after emerging with the board and the village’s attorney from a 30-minute executive session. The session was called during a special meeting held last night to take a vote on the proposed local law.

About 80 people attended the meeting in the Oxford Academy Middle School. The mayor changed the venue from the village hall Wednesday afternoon in order to accommodate the anticipated crowd. Police were present, and while the board met in executive session, an officer quieted one member of the audience after several people began speaking at once during an impromptu debate led by a moratorium supporter and village resident, Irving Wesley Hall.

Based on prior votes – to draft the new law (3 to 2) and to propose it (4 to 1) – and considering the mostly pro-moratorium sentiments expressed by residents who attended a public hearing on Nov. 13, trustees were expected to adopt the new legislation.

However, CNYLC’s representative and village resident Bryant LaTourette, given an opportunity to speak during an extended public comment session, gave the mayor a letter of intent “from the people” to “show that the moratorium is illegal.”

He stated that the pending local law had divided the community and originated from groups opposed to drilling without consideration for the potential economic development opportunities offered by the area’s largest mineral rights lease holder, Norse Energy. LaTourette suggested the village board and members of its Visions group take 45 days to engage Norse executives about the “huge opportunity from a business that wants to come here.”

“Norse Energy filed for Chapter 11 last week, but that means they are planning on restructuring,” he said. “This is a real business that needs no tax incentives and has already made an investment in us,” he said.