Tag Archive for: #oxfordnews

Oxford Commissioners to Hold June’s Board Meeting Tues., June 12

/by

-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall.

Among the agenda items:

-Public Hearing for the FY 2018 – 2019 Budget.

-Consider adopting the FY 2018-2019 Budget Ordinance and associated schedule of fees or call for a Special Meeting to adopt the budget prior to June 30, 2018.

-Public Hearing to consider a rezoning request from Attorney James C. Wrenn, Jr. on behalf of HEW Rental.

-Consider amending the Oxford Zoning Ordinance for 4.8 +/- acres of land located at 322 Lewis Street from B-2 (Highway Business to 1-2) General Industrial as well as approving the consistency statement of declaring that this also amends the comprehensive plan in an effort to meet the development needs of the community as a factor in rezoning the property.

-Consider formally including the portion of Professional Park Drive, not currently on the Powell Bill list.

-Consider adopting a demolition ordinance for 614 Granville Street.

-Consider awarding the Fiscal Years 2017-18 & 2018-19 Audit Contract to Preston Douglas & Associates. LLP.

-Consider formally offering a 7.5% raise to the manager in recognition of his performance and leadership this past year.

George C. Shaw Museum Open Monthly for Special Presentations

/by

-Information courtesy Angela Allen, Director, Granville County Tourism Development Authority

The George C. Shaw Museum, African-American History in Your Community, is open monthly on the third Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m. and is located at 202 E. McClanahan Street in downtown Oxford.

Upcoming presentations include:

“The Life of Rev. Martin V. Marable of Granville County” on Saturday, June 16 at 2 p.m.

“Cedar Law Plantation from Two Perspectives” on Saturday, August 18 at 2 p.m.

Both presentations feature Guest Artist/Speaker Sallyann Marable Hobson.

For more information on special tours or programs, please call 919-690-8055.

City of Oxford Public Works Committee to Meet Thurs., June 14

/by

-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The Public Works, Water, & Infrastructure Committee for the Oxford Board of Commissioners will meet on Thursday, June 14, 2018, at 1 p.m. The meeting will be held in the First Floor Training Room, City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street in Oxford.

The purpose of the meeting is to hear a presentation on Automated Water Meters, hear a presentation on the City of Oxford Road Condition Survey, and to discuss the existing downtown trash compactor.

All those interested are invited to attend.

Oxford Board of Commissioners to Hold Agenda Meeting Mon., June 4

/by

-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold an agenda meeting on Monday, June 4, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall.

Among the agenda items:

  • Report from the Airport Authority Chairman, David Thomas
  • Budget amendment for the final payment on the WWTP Lagoon – consider authorizing a budget amendment in the amount of $30,000 to cover the change order previously approved by the Board on April 30, 2018. Monies will be moved from the Water Fund to the Fixed Asset Over $5,000 fund. This budget amendment will allow the City to make final payment to Vance Construction for the WWTP Lagoon.
  • Set the agenda for the Tuesday, June 12, 2018, regular session

The regular monthly Board meeting will be held Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall.

Sergent Talks Downtown Oxford Street Work/Repairs, Main Street Program

/by

Mayor Jackie Sergent joined Town Talk, WIZS’ local call-in show, earlier this afternoon to provide updates regarding the City of Oxford.

Sergent, who is currently serving her seventh year and fourth term as Mayor of Oxford, spoke specifically on topics concerning the downtown area, including the maintenance needs of underground water and sewer lines, the repaving of downtown streets and updates to the City’s recent designation as a nationally accredited Main Street America program.

Underground Work and Street Paving

 One agenda item on the City’s plate is the aging underground water and sewer pipes in the downtown area. Alluding to the aging concern, Sergent said, “Oxford celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2016. Some water and sewer pipes were installed before the streets were paved in the downtown area.”

According to Sergent, City Engineer Amy Ratliff is currently in the process of trying to synchronize the replacement of aging pipes with the NCDOT’s timeline for repaving downtown roads. “We have a very forward-thinking engineer who understands that we need to get on the bandwagon with respect to identifying water and sewer needs and securing the funds for that project.”

Sergent said the Board has spent the past two and half years assessing the needs of the water and sewer lines and has applied for a number of grants to help with the project. “We are currently looking at a combination of zero percent interest loans and grants of $40 million towards a $94 million capital improvement plan.”

The City’s goal is to replace the pipes before the roads are repaved by the NCDOT. “Obviously, we can save residents some money and water and sewer users money if we can dig under the streets and replace the pipes before the NCDOT comes back to repave. That way, they pay for the paving, not the City,” Sergent said.

The NCDOT plans to repave Main Street in Oxford from Front Street to Williamsboro Street. Williamsboro Street is also set to be repaved from College Street to City Hall.

Board members have discussed allocating engineering funds for the 2018-2019 fiscal year in order to begin underground repair work while also doing above ground “streetscaping.” “We aim to do the pipe work underground first and some streetscaping at the same time before DOT comes through to do their surface work,” said Sergent.

Main Street Program

 Sergent reminded listeners that not only has downtown Oxford been accredited as a North Carolina Main Street program for years, recently the city was also nationally recognized as a Main Street America downtown program.

This distinction gives the downtown area greater access to available loan and grant money. With Granville County’s recent upgrade from a Tier 2 to a Tier 3 county, this additional source of funding couldn’t come at a better time.

“Granville County has been upgraded, or perhaps downgraded depending on how you look at it, from a Tier 2 to a Tier 3 county considered to be of little need,” Sergent said. “This disqualifies us from some grant since we are now considered lower need; however, by being a nationally qualified Main Street program, we are serious contenders in available funding.”

Part of the requirements of being a nationally recognized Main Street program is that the city provides a full-time position dedicated to promoting the goals of the program. Sergent said Julia Overton, downtown events coordinator for the City of Oxford has been handling the events planning aspect of the Main Street program on a part-time basis for several years and is “the mastermind of the annual hot sauce contest.”

To meet the requirement of full-time work towards the program’s objectives, Sergent said the Board made the decision to allocate another part-time position so the City would, in essence, have a full-time position assigned to this area. Mary Yount has stepped in as downtown development director of Oxford, the second piece in the Main Street puzzle.

Part of Main Street’s goal is to attract businesses to the downtown area by offering job creation opportunities. “New businesses can apply for $25,000 per job created if they apply and their application is viewed favorably,” said Sergent.

Two businesses owned by local business people are planning to open in the downtown area in the next few months, Tobacco Wood Brewing Company and Strong Arm Baking Company. It’s Sergent’s hope that they will both be eligible for the Main Street Solutions funding.

Sergent believes the Main Street program has been instrumental in providing planning assistance to help the downtown area grow and prosper.

“The Main Street folks are phenomenal for coming to our community and offering technical assistance, helping us revise our vision and mission statements as well as develop a strategic plan that gives Oxford’s Downtown Economic Development Commission very specific steps forward,” said Sergent.

 

 

 

Oxford Preparatory School Announces Graduation Marshals for 2018

/by

-Information courtesy Victoria Bradsher, School Director, Oxford Preparatory School

Oxford Preparatory School has announced the marshals who will serve at the commencement exercises for 2018. Students selected as marshals have maintained a cumulative GPA greater than 4.25 and have no grade below a C in any class.

Students who merited selection as 2018 marshals are: Front row, left to right – Ey’Mania Alston, Ian Simmons, Shawn Matthews (Chief Marshal), Alex Bare, Erica Evitts, Mira Patel. Second row, left to right – Wes Aitken, Abbie Mann, Hannah Brewer, Nathan Metcalf, Sophia Metcalf, Robert Hopper, Claire Gordon and Kaylah Hunt. Not pictured: Sala Algatha and Emily Iannuzzi. (Photo courtesy Oxford Preparatory School)

 

BBQ Chicken Fundraiser This Friday to Benefit New Horizons Baptist

/by

-Information courtesy Cam Ford, Pastor, New Horizons Baptist Church

New Horizons Baptist Church, 3490 Sterl Carrington Rd., Oxford, will host a BBQ chicken plate sale on Friday, June 1. The church invites you to enjoy a delicious plate of BBQ chicken with all of the fixings. Plates are $8 a piece. The money raised will benefit the Building Fund of New Horizons Baptist Church!

Plate pickup will be from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on June 1 at the church.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Oxford Board of Commissioners Finance Committee to Meet Wed., May 30

/by

-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The Finance Committee for the Oxford Board of Commissioners will meet on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, at 1:15 p.m. The meeting will be held in the 1st Floor Training Room City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street. This meeting is a continuation of the May 17 meeting to discuss the FY 2018-2019 budget.

All those interested are invited to attend.

 

NC Coop Extension

NC Coop. Extension’s Pond Workshop, Thurs., May 24

/by

-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, Agricultural Extension Agent, NC Cooperative Extension

Ponds can be an important asset for farmers and landowners, providing irrigation for crops and livestock, and recreational opportunities such as fishing. Pond owners can maximize the benefits of these aquatic resources by learning how to manage them properly.

Come on out to the Oxford Tobacco Research Station on May 24, 2018, to learn all about managing your farm or recreational pond. Experts from NC State University will present and demonstrate methods to manage aquatic weeds as well as fish populations.

This event will start at 4 p.m. and conclude at 7 p.m. A sponsored meal is included. The workshop will be held at one of the farm shop buildings, which is located on the north side of US Highway 158, west of Oxford, between Cornwall Rd. and Graham Hobgood Rd. The GPS street address is 2503 US 158, Oxford, NC, or use coordinates 36.323831, -78.658246.

Register at go.ncsu.edu/pond2018 or by calling 252-438-8188 or 919-603-1350. This event is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Southern States of Oxford.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Granville’s First Alive After Five of 2018 Rescheduled

/by

— courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce | Ginnie Currin, Executive Director ~ 919-693-6125 ~ ginnie@granville-chamber.com

Regretfully, this past Thursday evening’s storm began in Oxford just prior to us beginning our first Alive After Five event of 2018.  There was simply no way to have the event that night.

The Granville County Chamber of Commerce was waiting to confirm with the band, “Gary Lowder and Smokin’ Hot” a re-schedule date.

Please mark Thursday, July 26, 2018, on your calendars as the rescheduled date.  This is the first open date – and the last open date for a couple of months – that the band has to return as our entertainers.

The Chamber appreciates your patience and support.  We look forward to seeing you at this first AA5 of 2018, in downtown Oxford’s parking lot at Littlejohn and Gilliam Streets, to celebrate our 15thAnniversary!  Please help us pass the word!

(This is not a paid advertisement)