All but one alderman and the sitting mayor Robyn Tannehill will serve another four years because no one chose to contest their seats.
The only election for alderman is for Ward 1 where Rick Addy stepped down. Drew Stevens, Erin Smith, and William Mayo will vie for that seat. There will be no primary and at the general election Tuesday, June 3, the top vote getter will be elected.
All this begs the question why so many city leadership positions have not been contested this year. I sat down with Mayor Tannehill to try to get to the bottom of this. While there are many theories regarding incumbent advantage, it might help to explore the mayor’s record in the past eight years and her plans for the future.
When did you first get involved in public service and why?
I first ran for Ward 2 Alderman in 2013. Five years before that I served on several local committees including the Chamber of Commerce and helped lead the bond initiative to get more school funding to build the new high school and improve our other public schools.
What are you most proud of during your time as mayor?
I am most proud of my work on the committee to redesign our state flag. I was one of nine leaders in our state chosen to select a new design for the flag. I’m also proud of passing a new city employee minimum wage increase from $9 to $17.40 per hour in 2017. I believe this has improved morale at the city. We also created a new Development Services department that streamlined the planning and building process in the city. This new department helps coordinate activities in previously separate departments like Planning and Engineering that didn’t always talk to each other before. This was frustrating for builders and developers and other city residents who often had to search for answers to their questions from multiple departments.
Why did you decide to serve another term?
I chose to serve a third term because my first term was marred by Covid. And protests over George Floyd and other issues were a distraction from things I was trying to get done. Before I was Mayor, Oxford leaders didn’t go to Jackson or Washington D.C. I started doing that and we now have obtained $246 million dollars in the past seven and a half years for our city.
What was the biggest challenge Oxford faced during the past four years?
Funding infrastructure necessary to support our growth has been the greatest challenge. Oxford now has a population of 28,000. On a random day in October we will have 90,000 people in our town. This is on a normal day. And during a fall football weekend we have 300,000 people.
What do you believe will be Oxford’s greatest challenge in the next four years?
We are the second fastest growing college town in America. So managing this growth will continue to be our greatest challenge. And maintaining our high quality of life. Also providing housing options for all our residents will continue to be a major challenge. We have partnered with the Rosedale Corporation on affordable housing for example.
How many more roundabouts does the city plan to build? Why?
Two roundabouts are currently under construction and the one on University Avenue and Highway 7 is needed right now. We are planning a roundabout connecting Pegues Road with Commonwealth and Ed Perry Blvd. We are also planning to streamline traffic at College Hill and Jackson Avenue. And new roundabouts are planned at 800 Park and McElroy and at the entrance to M Trade Park.
Down the road there is also a plan to have a roundabout at Molly Barr and North Lamar Blvd. This will be part of the plan to improve traffic flow on North Lamar and Molly Barr Road as that area experiences more density. The Morgan building was the first three-story building on that side of town but we now have many more under construction. Ultimately this will create the need for more turning lanes and traffic signals in addition to the roundabouts.
Do you think Oxford will allow high rise buildings at some point in the future?
In some places yes. But not in the historic downtown area. We already have zoning that allows for over four stories. For example, FNC before they were sold to Core Logic planned a multi-story office park along Highway 7 near Belk Road. And Jackson Avenue allows for this in places. Much of this came from our Vision 2038 plan where we sought to be proactive instead of reactive.
What is the plan for handling additional traffic on North Lamar and the Commons and other areas as development continues to grow?
The key to traffic flowing smoothly is the North-South connection. And Ed Perry Blvd and the Pegues connection should help with that. And Pat Patterson Parkway. And the County is planning to connect Industrial Drive to Pat Patterson Parkway. All these things will help and provide multiple routes for traffic to flow. Eventually we may have a loop around the city even as far as Old Taylor Road and Thacker.
How can the city best address the home affordability crisis for teachers, police officers, and other essential workers? Is the answer partnering with the state and other local governments to improve transportation and housing offerings to/from neighboring cities like Pontotoc, Holly Springs, and Water Valley where the cost of living is lower?
Unfortunately, O.U.T. (Oxford University Transit) cannot connect outside the city because it is not allowed to be multi-jurisdictional. But this issue certainly deserves more attention, and we will continue to explore additional transportation options for commuters. Existing resources can be found at OxMS.net.
Do you plan to run again? Would you consider higher office?
I have no plans at the moment but I also haven’t ruled anything out. I am keeping my options open.
