Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The City of Oxford Board of Aldermen held its regular meeting on September 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM in City Hall Courtroom. Mayor Robyn Tannehill presided, with Aldermen Erin Smith (Ward I), Mark Huelse (II), Brian Hyneman (III), Kesha Howell-Atkinson (IV), Preston Taylor (V), Jason Bailey (VI, via Teams), and Mary Martha Crowe (At-Large) present. The agenda was amended to remove the emergency purchases item (2.c), add two part-time officer hires (3.d.x), approve the minutes of the August 28 special meeting (2.f), and add a water conservation request (4.e). The meeting included a public budget hearing, adoption of several major plans, and an executive session for personnel matters.
The consent agenda was approved unanimously, comprising:
City Clerk Leslie McCormick presented the July 2026 budget report, noting the city had collected 97% of projected tax revenue and 87% of the year’s total revenue, with expenditures below budget expectations. She then presented the proposed 2026-2027 budget: projected general fund revenues of $57.1 million, expenses of $63.5 million. The largest investments are Police ($15.5 million, 24.6%) and Fire ($9.3 million, 14.8%). The proposed millage rate remains unchanged at 32.65 mills (23.2 mills general fund, 2 mills parks, 7.45 mills debt service). A public hearing was held; one citizen commented on TIFs. No vote was taken; the Board will vote on the budget at a special meeting on September 8, 2026, at 1:30 PM.
Josh Cissell, Chair of the Affordable Housing Commission, and Dr. Janice Antonell presented the semi-annual update and the Affordable Rental Housing Certification Program. The program allows property owners who lease to households earning no more than 80% of area median income ($98,100 for Oxford-Lafayette County in 2026) and charge rent at or below 30% of household income to apply for property tax assessment using the net operating income method, potentially reducing taxes. The Oxford Housing Authority will verify incomes. The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors passed a supporting resolution in June. The Board unanimously approved the resolution establishing the program.
The Board unanimously approved extending the local state of emergency to continue qualifying for FEMA and MEMA reimbursements related to Winter Storm Fern (January 23–26, 2026).
Rob Neely, Superintendent of Oxford Utilities, reported record production: 9 million gallons in a single day and 234.9 million gallons in August (12% more than August 2025), due to extreme heat and 30 days without rain. All wells are running near capacity. To maintain system reliability and fire protection, he asked the Board to issue a request for customers to voluntarily reduce outdoor irrigation by 50% effective immediately. The Board supported the request; no formal vote was needed. Neely noted that multiple infrastructure projects are underway to increase capacity in the next 12 months.
Building Official Johnathan Mizell reported that inspections increased from 13,651 in FY2024-2025 to 20,817 in FY2025-2026 (as of September 1). To reduce repeat trips, the Board approved a new fee structure: initial reinspection free; second reinspection $100; third $250; fourth $500; fifth or more $1,000. The first reading of an ordinance to add demolition permits to Chapter 22 was also introduced.
Ben Requet presented the City of Oxford Parks and Trails Master Plan, developed with Ecological Design Group and extensive community input. The plan positions parks and trails as essential community infrastructure supporting connectivity, recreation, environmental stewardship, mobility, and economic vitality. The Board unanimously adopted the plan.
This item was a second reading and public hearing for an ordinance amending Article XVII of the Oxford Code of Ordinances regarding game day parking rates, pay-by-plate pay stations, and rental car violations. Following extensive board discussion and public comment:
Approved a contract award to Distinctive AFWS Designs, Inc. for a flood threat resolution system (Base Bid, Alternate No. 1, and Alternate No. 2) and authorized the Mayor to execute all related documents subject to legal review.
The Board unanimously voted to enter executive session for personnel matters. Actions taken during executive session (recorded in the minutes):
All votes were unanimous unless otherwise noted. Key decisions include:
For Tuesday, September the first. How in the world is it already September? I do not know. I will ask the board to consider these changes to the agenda before we adopt it to the consent agenda. If you will add at 3DX, request permission to hire two part-time employees for the Oxford Police Department. If you will add to the regular agenda under financial administration at 2F, request to approve the minutes of the special board of Alderman meeting on August 28th, 2026, to regular agenda other departments. A request from our superintendent of Oxford Utilities for citizens to conserve water. And then I have one to remove from the agenda. That would be it under Financial Administration 2C. We don't have any emergency purchases to approve for the first time since the storm hit in January, the end of January. So that's good news. Change from adjourn to the recess that we will recess this meeting until Tuesday, September the 8th at 1 30 in this same courtroom where we will approve our budget at that meeting. Do I have a motion to accept the agenda with those changes? So moved. Second. All in favor? Any opposed. One quick announcement in the mayor's report. We um have a leadership program for potential leaders or people who are already leaders within our city departments. And I'm proud to say that we graduated our third class of project lead this past week, and the project lead participants did some great projects where they researched other communities and found things that are things that other communities are doing that we're not doing and brought some great ideas to the table that we will plan to implement over the next year. But now for the important stuff. One of my favorite celebrities on the back row, Clayton Dows. So these are the Ole Miss Special Olympics college flag football team. These folks in June went to Minneapolis where they played in the Special Olympics USA games, 5v5 flag football, and they brought home the gold. So if you will walk up and stand when I call your name. So guys, we are so proud of you. I hope you know that you have made your community very, very proud in how you represented us. Congratulations. All right, that's it for the mayor's report. Um now I'll ask the board to approve the minutes of the regular board meeting on August 18th. Okay. All in favor, any opposed. I'll ask you to request permission to approve the accounts for all city departments. So second. All in favor, any opposed. We removed 2C. So at 2D, we have our July 2026 budget report that comes after many, many months of work. So Leslie, I'll let you present that. So this is just our budget report of July. So as of July 31st, 2026, we have collected 97% of projected tax revenue and 87% of the year's total budget of revenue. Overall expenditures remain below budget expectations, and all departments are being monitored as we begin closing out this year.