Oxford, AL – Oxford held their Regularly called City Council Meeting and Work Session on June 25th along with public Hearing.
Public Hearing
The City of Oxford conducted a public hearing on Tuesday, June 25th, 2024, at 5:30 pm at the Bynum Community Center in Eastaboga, AL, to discuss the ‘Bynum Resurfacing & Drainage Improvements’ project. This project involved resurfacing Bynum Cutoff Road from Bynum Boulevard to U.S. Highway 78 and making drainage improvements in the area. Citizens were encouraged to attend to review the project’s scope and affected properties and to provide public comments in person.
Lance Armbrester of CDG Engineers provided an overview of the Bynum Resurfacing & Drainage Improvements project during the public hearing. He acknowledged the involvement of various key team members and city officials in addressing drainage concerns raised by the Bynum community. The project, which includes resurfacing Bynum Cutoff Road and drainage improvements in several areas, was initiated after a drainage study confirmed significant flooding potential beyond the initially identified problem areas. The project focuses on three main drainage channels and involves replacing large drainage pipes and improving ditches.
Armbrester also explained the financial aspects of the project, highlighting the successful acquisition of over $4.25 million in federal grant funds, supplemented by a minimum commitment of $1 million from the city. He detailed the need for temporary and permanent drainage easements on affected properties, ensuring residents that these legal agreements would allow for necessary construction and long-term maintenance. Armbrester invited residents to review maps and discuss specific property impacts with CDG team members at the hearing. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2025, following the completion of design, permit acquisition, and easement agreements.
Concluding the session, Armbrester invited attendees to sit one-on-one with CDG representatives to discuss specific property concerns. He encouraged residents to visit the designated tables to review detailed maps and understand the potential impacts on their properties, ensuring that each individual’s concerns are addressed comprehensively.
Work Session
Councilmember Chris Spurlin initiated the work session by highlighting the agenda’s focus on one key voting item, followed by an opportunity for council members to discuss any issues. He also mentioned that Walter Frazier would share something with the council later in the session.
The council discussed Resolution 2024-65, which declares certain equipment from the garage as surplus. Councilmember Spurlin inquired if there were any questions and noted Bill’s presence to address any concerns. It was also mentioned that a public hearing would be held at the next meeting to consider a planning issue related to a zoning request.
Councilmember Steven Waits shared the success of the fishing rodeo held at the park over the weekend. The event saw an impressive turnout, with every field filled and around 500-600 kids participating. Highlights included:
– 200 free fishing rods were handed out to kids.
– Approximately 800 hamburgers and hot dogs, 500 bottles of water, and 1000 snow cones were distributed.
– Numerous volunteers, including those from Antioch Baptist Church, assisted with activities like bouncy houses and rider rentals.
– Waits thanked Thomas Shelton for organizing the event and suggested considering holding it again in April next year.
Councilmember Charlotte Hubbard addressed an issue regarding the downtown sprinkler system, which was not functioning properly. She mentioned speaking with the mayor, who agreed to investigate the problem. In the meantime, local shop owners were asked to water the area to keep it maintained during the dry period.
Mr. Walter Frazier was invited to address the council.
Walter Fraser, a longtime resident and local real estate broker, addressed the council to discuss his experiences and challenges with his new business venture. Fraser, who has lived in the area for over 50 years and is a retired Air Force veteran, recently started a food truck park due to the lack of dining options in the community. He explained that the idea, conceived in February 2023, took until April 2024 to come to fruition due to various setbacks, including personal medical issues and the pandemic’s impact on his finances.
Fraser highlighted several key issues. He pointed out that the city allows food trucks to park for free, which has undermined his business. Despite offering free trial days to attract local food trucks, Fraser received minimal interest. The free parking policy has led food truck operators to prefer city locations over his park, severely affecting his ability to generate revenue. He raised concerns about the safety of Bynum Boulevard, emphasizing the need for improvements such as piping the ditch and adding curbs to prevent accidents. He mentioned that the lack of shoulders on the road makes it particularly dangerous.
Additionally, Fraser criticized the poor maintenance of the area, citing infrequent grass cutting and overall neglect, which he believes negatively impacts the city’s image. He also requested the installation of lights and paving for the gravel ingress and egress of his property. While acknowledging that the city does not typically fund lights for businesses, he believes this would improve safety and attractiveness.
Fraser asked the council to reconsider the free food truck parking policy or to compensate him for his losses, as the current situation is unsustainable for his business. He invited council members to visit his site to see the issues firsthand and emphasized the potential benefits of supporting his food truck park.
Councilmember Chris Spurlin acknowledged Walter Fraser’s concerns but explained that the city’s policy of not charging food trucks is intended to support small businesses. He stated that food trucks purchase business licenses and are inspected to comply with Alabama regulations, and the city aims to avoid placing additional financial burdens on them. Spurlin expressed regret that the policy negatively impacted Fraser’s business but emphasized the city’s commitment to helping small businesses thrive. He suggested that the council could explore alternative solutions to address Fraser’s concerns, such as maintenance issues like grass cutting. Spurlin thanked Fraser for bringing his concerns to the council’s attention.
City Council Meeting
- Call to Order
- Councilwoman Hubbard – Present
- Councilman Gardner – Present
- Councilman Waits – Present
- Councilman Henderson – Present
- Councilman Spurlin – Present
- Welcome/Invocation
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Approval of Minutes of June 11, 2024 –
- Unanimously Approved
- Old Business – None
- New Business
- Consent Agenda
- Resolution No. 2024- 65 – Resolution declaring certain equipment surplus and authorizing their sale/disposal. – Unanimously Approved
- Consent Agenda
- Council Comments/Reports
- Councilmember Mike Henderson reminded everyone of the upcoming Fourth of July activities at Oxford Lake, encouraging those without other plans to join the city’s full day of events. He highlighted the fireworks show scheduled for the evening and praised Don and his staff for their hard work in organizing the celebration. He urged everyone to come out, celebrate America, and appreciate the freedoms they have.
- Councilmember Spurlin emphasized the importance of enjoying the festivities safely and reminded attendees that individual fireworks and drones are prohibited to prevent any accidents.
- Mayor’s Comments
- Mayor Alton Craft shared that the city’s Fourth of July parade has been a tradition for 38 years, and he encouraged everyone to come out and enjoy the activities, praising the efforts put into organizing the event. He also mentioned the Oxford Performing Arts Center’s upcoming season reveal this Friday, noting that it would showcase around 60 shows for the next fall. Craft highlighted the excitement of attending a reveal event and encouraged those who have never been to one to experience it.
- Set a Public Hearing for July 9, 2024, to consider the following request which was considered by the Oxford Planning Commission at their June 4, 2024 meeting:
- Zoning request from Jerry Curry (Jill Edwards) to zone property located at 2500 Gunnells Lane as Residential 1 District (R-1)
- Visitors
- Walter Frazier again expressed his concern about the city allowing food trucks to park for free, mentioning that he was unaware of when this policy began. He indicated that if he had known earlier, he would have liked to have been informed and involved in the process.
- Councilmember Spurlin responed by stating, “Mr Frazier, we want you to have a successful business. We’re not we’re not trying to hurt your business. We’re just trying to help our small businesses and our city.”
- Motion to adjourn (next regular Council Meeting, July 9th, 2024)
Editor’s Note: The last name of Lance “Armbrester” was corrected where it was intially released as Armrester.
