Oxford Board of Aldermen Regular Meeting – August 4, 2026

The City of Oxford Board of Aldermen met at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in the City Hall Courtroom. Mayor Robyn Tannehill was absent, and Mayor Pro Tem Jason Bailey presided; all seven aldermen were present. The board approved the amended agenda, a consent calendar, a public hearing and bond resolution for student housing, several contracts and engineering measures, and entered executive session before adjourning.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda adopted with additions (3.a.ii, 3.d.xi, 3.d.xii, 6.e, 6.f, 6.g) and removals (2.c, 3.d.x, 4.d).
• Approved minutes of the July 21, 2026 regular meeting.
• Approved city department accounts and claims totaling $4,741,667.28, including General Fund, Water & Sewer, Trust & Agency, Metro Narcotics, OPC Activity Fund, and Bond and Interest claims.
• Consent agenda approved by unanimous vote, excluding item 3.d.x (hiring two full-time Oxford Police Department employees), which had been removed.
• Fixed assets: donated surplus OPD vehicles to Water Valley and Durant police departments; declared an HP printer surplus for disposal.
• Miscellaneous: accepted $2,500 from Keep Mississippi Beautiful; approved utility leak adjustments under city policy; accepted the Early Childhood and Reading Development 2026 Summer Board Report.
• Travel: approved numerous police training trips, Municipal Clerk Conference, conference center lunch/learn, Municipal Court MCIC training, and planning trips (APA Fly-In and OU Economic Development Institute).
• Human resources: approved salary corrections, promotions, hires, transfers, internships, and resignations, including the resignation of CFO Rhonda Burchett effective August 7, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public commented during the public hearing for the University of Mississippi student housing revenue bonds; the hearing was closed after no comments.

Financial Administration

• June 2026 budget report presented by the CFO: General Fund revenues reached about 80% of the annual budget while expenditures were about 66%; revenue collected through June was about $41 million of a $51 million budget; property tax collections were 95% of budget and sales tax revenue was 81% of budget. No action was required.
• Approved the mayor signing the GovEase payment amendment related to the tax sale at the end of August.

Oxford School District Ad Valorem Request

• Approved the FY26 ad valorem request and resolution from the Oxford School District. Dr. Germain McConnell stated there was no millage increase; the dollar amount increased only because of property values. Aldermen Crowe and Howell-Atkinson left the room during this item; remaining aldermen voted unanimously.

Public Hearing and Bond Resolution

• Public hearing held for the Public Finance Authority Student Housing Revenue Bonds (PRG – Oxford Properties LLC West Row Project) Series 2026, not to exceed $125,000,000, as required by the IRS code, to finance an approximately 850-bed student housing facility with about 450 service parking spaces on or near the University of Mississippi campus.
• Approved the resolution authorizing the bond issuance in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $125,000,000. The representative noted the bonds will not constitute a debt or general obligation of the state or city.

First Readings of Ordinances

• Chapter 87 (Neighborhood Code Enforcement): first reading held; housekeeping language change related to city-issued garbage containers. No motion; public hearing set for August 18, 2026.
• Chapter 94 (Solid Waste): first reading held on proposed rate changes. The residential rate would increase from $22 to $29 per month per unit ($7, approximately 30%). Staff cited cost-of-living, fuel, and equipment costs, noted the last increase was commercial-only in 2019 and residential rates had not increased in about 12 years, and discussed curbside bulky-item disposal and possible future surcharges. No motion; public hearing set for August 18, 2026.

Police Department

• Approved a Parade/Assembly permit for Oxford Cycling on August 8, 2026, 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., route from Pat Patterson to Highway 7 and back.
• The ZeroEyes, Inc. agreement was held for discussion after executive session; after executive session, the board voted to continue talks to the August 18, 2026 meeting.
• Approved Olin Winchester’s request to hire two off-duty patrol officers at $46.00 per hour for a week-long event.

Engineering and Development

• Approved advertising for bids for the South 14th Street and Tyler Avenue Compactor Enclosure.
• Approved Change Order No. 2 for the Fillmore Avenue and South 11th Street Drainage Project, increasing cost about $25,000 because old, active city sewer, gas, and water utilities were discovered and required relocation; staff said no further change orders are expected.
• Approved Hodges Construction’s early morning concrete pour at First Security Bank/Ed Perry Blvd Site on August 5 or 6, 2026.
• Approved releasing Subdivision Bond 4455439 and final acceptance of Seminole Bluff, Villa West, Phase 1 for Oakmont Oxford, LLC.
• Sidewalk closure on Gertrude Ford Blvd for the University of Mississippi School of Accountancy project was not approved; staff was directed to obtain a pedestrian detour plan and return to the board.
• Approved supplying 16-inch ductile iron pipe for a new water main serving the asphalt plant on County Road 166 Extended. About 850 additional feet will cost roughly $76,000, funded in the current budget; the developer will lay the pipe, helping a future city water main connection.
• Approved a resolution declaring 1.2 acres of city right-of-way along Molly Barr Road between Lamar Boulevard and Chickasaw Road surplus and authorizing its sale to the proposed NOLA development for $545,000. Alderman Hyneman recused; all other aldermen voted aye.

Executive Session and Adjournment

• The board voted to enter executive session for property acquisition on Buddy East Parkway and Sisk Avenue and police security. The City Clerk left the room during the session.
• After returning to regular session, the board voted to continue ZeroEyes discussions to the next regular meeting on August 18, 2026, and then adjourned.

Key Outcomes

• All votes were unanimous among aldermen present, with Alderman Hyneman recusing on the Molly Barr Road property sale.
• Removed/no action items: emergency purchases from Winter Storm Fern; hiring two full-time OPD employees; Fire Chief Inspector William Stewart retirement resolution (to be presented August 18, 2026); sidewalk closure pending detour plan.
• Next meeting: regular Board of Aldermen meeting on August 18, 2026.