Oxford Board of Aldermen Regular Meeting – July 21, 2026

The Oxford Board of Aldermen held its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the City Hall Courtroom, presided over by Mayor Robyn Tannehill. All aldermen were present. The meeting covered routine financial approvals, consent agenda items, appointments to city commissions, several development and infrastructure projects, and concluded with an executive session addressing personnel and litigation matters.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the Regular Board of Aldermen Meeting on July 7, 2026, and the Recess Board of Aldermen meetings on July 13 and July 14, 2026.
• Approved accounts for all city departments totaling $4,113,436.20, including General Fund claims, Water & Sewer claims, Trust & Agency claims, Metro Narcotics claims, OPC Activity Fund claims, and Bond and Interest claims.
• Approved emergency purchases made in response to Winter Storm Fern (January 23–26, 2026).
• Approved the consent agenda as amended (adding items 3.c.xiv, 8.i, and 8.j), which included:
  • Declaring several items as surplus and authorizing disposal (a 2010 Gillig bus, computers, TVs, laboratory equipment, a Stihl FC96, etc.) from various departments.
  • Accepting a $500 donation from Crime Stoppers for the Oxford Police Department.
  • Considering water/sewer bill adjustments per the Oxford Utilities Leak Adjustment Policy.
  • Approving 14 travel requests for city employees and board members to attend conferences, training, and events, including the Fall Certified Municipal Clerk Program, Mississippi Damage Prevention Summit, IACP Impaired Driving Conference, Washington D.C. trip, and others, with total estimated costs noted per request.
  • Accepting resignations of Patrol Officer John Dukes (effective July 22) and Records Clerk Larrie Hardy (effective July 31) from the Oxford Police Department.
  • Promoting Anna Scott to full-time Communications Officer at $41,798.70/year; hiring Ava Gaddis as Patrol Officer at $54,107.60/year; hiring Eden Cain as part-time Communications Officer at $20.00/hour; hiring Gavin Smith as laborer at $40,170.00/year; promoting Jack Roberts to Right of Way Groundsman at $46,612.80/year; hiring Logan Ross as Small Engine Mechanic at $40,170.00/year; granting a 3% step increase to Lavina Dyer for Certified Municipal Clerk certification (salary from $52,960.18 to $54,548.99).
  • Accepting three grants from the MS Office of Highway Safety (405D Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driving Fund Training Coordination $745,030.52; 402 Police Traffic Services $20,877.30; 405D Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driving Fund Enforcement $199,676.82) for FY27, and authorizing application for the FY26 Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program grant up to $250,000 with no match required.

Discussion Items

• Mayor's Report: Mayor Tannehill highlighted the upcoming St. Jude Dream Home (first in Oxford), with land donated by community members, house built by Josh Samuels, supplies from Maximus Building Supplies, and staging by Something Southern/Mark Huelse. She also announced a public-private partnership with Max South to provide free Wi-Fi in the downtown area, expected to remain functional during high-traffic events. She requested patience from residents as students return for move-in.
• Appointments to City Commissions: The board unanimously approved:
  • Jim Williams to the Courthouse Square Preservation Commission.
  • Reappointment of Joli Nichols and Priscilla Wright to the Historic Preservation Commission.
  • Appointment of Marvin Smith (replacing Diane Scruggs) and Dale Riser (replacing Virginia Luckenbach) to the Historic Preservation Commission.
  • Reappointment of Don Feitel and David Rubenstein to the Pathways Commission.
  • Reappointment of Alonzo Hilliard to the Affordable Housing Commission.
• Economic Development Administration Agreement: The board authorized the mayor to sign an agreement related to transfer station renovations involving the solid waste authority with Three Rivers; the property will remain city-owned and operated.
• Parade/Assembly Permits: Approved permits for Visit Oxford to host Third Thursday—Music in the Park on four dates (Sept 17, Oct 17, Nov 19, Dec 17, 2026, 5:00–7:00 PM) and for the Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce to host Shop Oxford on November 14, 2026, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM.
• Subdivision Approvals:
  • Case #3371: Final plat for ‘The Heights, Phase 6’ (15 lots and common area, ~2.5 acres off Devonshire Drive) approved with two conditions from the Planning Commission.
  • Case #3372: Preliminary and Final plat for ‘Montecito Medical’ subdivision (~14.5 acres on Mississippi Highway 6) approved with two conditions and related variances.
• Special Projects:
  • Authorized advertising for bids to coat the roof of the Old Activity Center (27-year-old roof; liquid silicon-based system recommended).
  • Approved Change Order No. 1 from RKA Construction for the Development Services Annex Building (reconfiguring office space to meet ADA and natural light needs) at a maximum amount of $23,979.21.
  • Authorized advertising for bids for an Audio Visual System in the Development Services Annex building, similar to the system in the courtroom.
• Engineering Department Items:
  • Authorized advertising for 2026-2027 material bids (gravel, asphalt, pipe, etc.).
  • Authorized advertising for bids for the Oxford Square Crosswalk Lighting In-Pavement Project (pedestrian-actuated blinking lights).
  • Approved extended work hours for concrete pours at Bramlett Elementary on either August 5, 6, or 7, 2026, weather permitting.
  • Approved early concrete pours for the Oxford Station Project at Oxford Way (student housing) beginning July 24 through October 2026, with restrictions: no pours on Ole Miss home football weekends and the board retains the right to rescind approval if complaints arise.
  • Approved water service extension for Oak Hill Development along County Road 101 (outside city limits, water only, extension of 2,000-3,000 feet within certificated area).
  • Authorized submission of a modification request to the MCWI Grant Program to transfer ~$86,000 in leftover funds from the Highway 7 water/sewer relocation project to the North Lamar Sewer project to cover a budget overrun.
  • Approved the low bid of $1,135,500 from Donald Smith Company, Inc. for the mTrade Wells No. 3 and No. 4 Project (two additional wells for the future water treatment plant).
  • Approved Change Order No. 1 for the Gus Booker Sewer Project (final quantity change order to add individual sewer services to houses along Gus Booker Road).
  • Approved the request from Montgomery Martin Contractors to close the intersection of Heritage Drive and Anderson Road for paving operations on July 30, 2026 (one day, rather than the originally requested July 22-23).
  • Approved overnight work hours for the Belle at Oxford Commons (metal roof installation) from Wednesday, July 22 through Friday, July 24, 2026.

Executive Session

• The board voted unanimously to enter executive session to discuss personnel matters in the Oxford Police Department and potential litigation concerning the Anderson Road water main, Thacker Road sidewalk, and a dirt-moving project on Highway 7. The City Clerk left the room.
• During executive session, the board:
  • Suspended Wilmer Diaz from the Oxford Police Department for three days for violation of City Policy.
  • Terminated contractor Jeff Williams for the Thacker Road sidewalk project and directed that the work be done in-house.
  • Regarding the Anderson Road water main project, the board was informed of the contractor’s problems, delays, insufficient staffing, construction/testing issues, and impacts on traffic and adjoining properties. The board authorized the city engineer to provide a notice of intent to terminate the contractor, and to terminate the contract if no cure is made within the contractually allowed time.
  • Discussed possible litigation by an attorney for Gary Lane related to the Highway 7 dirt-moving project and was briefed on surrounding circumstances.
• The board returned to regular session and adjourned to recess until August 3, 2026, at 11:00 AM in the City Hall Courtroom.