Oxford, AL – During the regular called Work Session and City Council Meeting held August 23ed Keep Oxford Beautiful representatives share the check they recently received.
Work Session
The Oxford work session was a packed night as there were presentations by the United Way, the Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention, Dr. Stanely with Oxford City Schools, and Jerry South who discussed the utilities and widening of Leon Smith Parkway.
Dr. Stanley discussed to partnership of the school system and the city in purchasing the new parking lot that has recently been completed. This would be a 50/50 division in costs totaling $450,000. She also discussed the coming investment and plan to have more resources officers in the school. This will be outlined in more detail at the next work session. She discussed the opportunities that the students have such as the live streaming of the resent international piano competition. These are skills that will be able to go on resumes and show real life experiences.
Representatives from the United Way spoke about several programs that impact Oxford as well as the surrounding communities. Imagination Library is the program of sending free books to young children. Currently 561 children in Oxford receive books and that equals 6,700 books a year going out. VitaTech is hosted in several locations at tax time to provide low income families who are working with free help from IRS trained volunteers to file their taxes. Workforce Development programs are in place to help people get their high school diploma and go into a career and/or post secondary education program. Helping Families Initiative is a program that works with the DA to prevent chronic absenteeism. This program has recently partnered with the Oxford School Systems to see what can be done to prevent this issue. At times that can mean hep with transportation, food, or even clothing. Hope United is the newest program that helps prevent trafficking through education and also resource to help those in a trafficking situation. This program works with local law enforcement as well. United in Homeless is a program that is working to develop a shelter in Anniston that is open to all the county. It will provide comprehensive services and resources to help the homeless population get off the street and back into the workforce.
The Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention shared information on what they do in the community as well as about their comic book used to educate elementary students about the dangers of drugs.
Jerry South presented maps and gave preliminary information on the road project on Leon Smith parkway to Friendship Road. A budget is being developed with more specifics.
City Council Meeting
- Call to Order
- Welcome/Invocation – Pastor Zach VanGieson, Lakeview Baptist Church
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Roll Call
- Councilwoman Hubbard – Present
- Councilman Gardner – Absent
- Councilman Waits – Present
- Councilman Henderson – Present
- Councilman Spurlin – Present
- Approval of Minutes of August 9, 2022 – Unanimously Approved
- Old Business – None
- New Business
- Consent Agenda – Unanimously Approved
- Resolution No. 2022- 92 – Resolution for the placement of a Municipal Lien on the property located at 1612 Woodland Drive in the total amount of $184.00.
- Resolution No. 2022- 93 – Resolution for the placement of a Municipal Lien on the property located at 1315 Maria Drive in the total amount of $184.00.
- Resolution No. 2022- 94 – Resolution for the placement of a Municipal Lien on the property located at 25 Main Street in the total amount of $184.00.
- Resolution No. 2022- 95 – Resolution for the placement of a Municipal Lien on the property located at 2132 Harrell Drive in the total amount of $437.00.
- Resolution No. 2022- 96 – Resolution for the placement of a Municipal Lien on the property located at 218 McKibbon Street in the total amount of $184.00.
- Resolution No. 2022- 97 – Resolution for the placement of a Municipal Lien on the property located at 1321 McPherson Street in the total amount of $184.00.
- Resolution No. 2022- 98 – Resolution for the placement of a Municipal Lien on the property located at 423 Taylors Chapel Road in the total amount of $184.00.
- Resolution No. 2022- 99 – Resolution for the placement of a Municipal Lien on the property located at 1312 Dogwood Drive in the total amount of $184.00.
- Resolution No. 2022- 100 – Resolution awarding the bid for the purchase of a “Concrete Pad Construction and Installation” to Steam Out (Jason Reed) in the total amount of $42,770.00.
- To be built at Choccolocco Park to be used for a new storage facility
- Consent Agenda – Unanimously Approved
- Council Comments/Reports
- Councilwoman Charlotte Hubbard used her time to call up Bill Bunn with Keep Oxford Beautiful to share that while recently attending a luncheon the organization had been awarded a $37,614 recycling grant from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). Upon receipt of the check ADEM stated “Keep Oxford Beautiful is receiving this check to add drop off locations and increase collections efforts. Last Year Keep Oxford Beautiful applied for their first grant and we were excited to see another application from them this year. Keep Oxford beautiful is passionate about their community and ensuring that recycling is available to its citizens. With aspirations to eventually process their own materials, ADEM looks forward to being a part of Oxford’s progression in recycling.” The check was presented to Bill Bunn, President and Robin Leonard, Secretary.
- Mayor’s Comments
- The Mayor deferred his time to Oxford Performing Arts Center executive director John Longshore who reported on the success of the Rubato International Piano Competition. There were 21 total competitors and it gave an opportunity for the international world to look in at Oxford.
- Visitors
- Chief Gary Sparks reminded all the there would be a 9/11 Remembrance Service on Sunday at Liberty Park beginning at 4 pm.
- Motion to adjourn (next regular Council Meeting, September 13, 2022) – Unanimously Approved
