MEMBERS: Dr. Melvin Baker, Mr. Brian
Barnard, Mr. Jonathan Eady, Ms. Kendra Mayfield, Mr. Mark McGiboney, Ms. Martha
Molyneux, and Ms. Loren Roberts.
STAFF:
Bob Schwartz, city manager and zoning administrator.
GUESTS: Mayor Jerry Roseberry,
councilmembers David Eady and Mike Ready, Laura McCanless, Kristi Thomas, and
Sheena Thomas.
OPENING:
At 5:00 PM, Mr. Schwartz called the meeting to order. He congratulated everyone for being at the
first meeting of the Downtown Development Authority of the City of Oxford. He asked each member to introduce themselves
and tell a little about their background.
MAYOR ROSEBERRY: Mayor Jerry Roseberry made a presentation
of the accomplishments, progress, and changes the City had made in the last ten
years or so. [A copy of Mayor Roseberry’s notes for this presentation are
attached to these minutes.] Mayor
Roseberry emphasized the Downtown Development Authority was the latest in a
long series of improvements.
COUNCILMEMBER READY: Councilmember Mike Ready discussed
how we got to where we are today. It
started with a series of charrettes held at the old City Hall on Whatcoat
Street. Several sets of plans have been
prepared by design students from the University of Georgia. One of the ideas from the charrettes was for
a Town Center. About ten years ago the
revised zoning ordinance included a zone for a Town Center. Things sat still until in 2014 when City
Council discussed the possibility of forming a DDA.
In May 2016
Mayor Roseberry appointed an ad hoc
DDA study committee composed of Mr. Ready, Mr. Eady, and Mr. Windham. The committee met several months in open
session and went back and forth about what a DDA can do compared to what a city
can do in relation to development. The
committee presented the possibility of a DDA to City Council focusing on the
possibility of developing land the city had purchased on East Clark Street. In August 2016, Mr. Ready presented the
possibility of creating a DDA to the Planning Commission. On September 19th
he presented on behalf of the ad hoc
committee to City Council. In November
we had a chance lunch with a restaurant owner who might be interested in moving
his restaurant to Oxford. The pace of economic development has picked up in
Newton County.
The City
asked Randy Vinson to see what was viable on the property on East Clark and
along Emory. Mr. Vinson presented his
plans to a committee of city council and then to a city council work
session. No further action has been
taken on his proposal.
In February
2017, city council approved the DDA and the ad
hoc committee helped select the members.
We started with 52 and narrowed it down to 7 and that’s how you are
here.
MEETING TIMES:
After some discussion, the DDA members agreed to meet on the third
Wednesday of each month at 7 PM. This
will begin Wednesday, April 19th.
[a list of all the meeting dates
for 2017 is attached to these minutes.] The
DDA members also determined to schedule the required state training for all new
DDA members on Saturday, April 22nd.
Mr. Schwartz will check the schedule with Monica Callahan of Madison who
is the trainer. We will also invite city
council members and the members of the Planning Commission to join the DDA for
this training.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS: The members discussed the various
officers.
Upon motion of Ms. Molyneux, seconded
by Mr. Eady, the offices of Secretary and Treasurer were combined into the one
office of Secretary/Treasurer.
Upon motion of Ms. Mayfield, seconded
by Ms. Molyneux, Mr. McGiboney was elected Chair.
Upon motion of Ms. Mayfield, seconded
by Ms. Molyneux, Ms. Roberts was elected Vice-Chair.
Upon motion of Ms. Molyneux, seconded
by Dr. Baker, Bob Schwartz was elected as Secretary/Treasurer.
TOPICS FOR NEXT MEETING: Several subjects were suggested for
our next meeting: the selection of an attorney, discussion of an
Intergovernmental Agreement with the City, and consideration of By-Laws for the
DDA. Bob Schwartz is to provide a
draft of the By-Laws for consideration before the next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Schwartz adjourned the meeting
at 6:06 PM.
Approved by:
Bob Schwartz,
Secretary/Treasurer