2008 Woodie Awards
Locals reflect on council presence within history
Erin Bowen
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Community
The red-bricked roads uptown and streets peppered with residential life are mere facets of Oxford-a city rich in tradition-that has been managed by city council since 1828.
Oxford Vice Mayor Prue Dana also said with the arrival of Miami University in 1809, Oxford has continued to exist through the years because of the university.
"Miami is inseparable from Oxford's history," Dana said.
According to Vice Mayor Prue Dana, the city was originally termed the Village of Oxford in 1810. Soon after, Dana said government came quickly to the area.
"Originally, an elected official called the president ran the village," Dana said. "The president of the town was also
accompanied by three elected trustees."
According to The 150 Year History of Oxford Government: 1830-1980 by Adolph W. Cullen, Colonel Isaiah Leigh was elected as the first president in 1828. As the first head of the village government, Leigh was also a veteran of the War of 1812.
Dana said the meetings of Oxford's earliest form of government were held at the president's house. By 1859, however, the term "president" changed to "mayor," as it stands today.
During the 1870s, Dana said the town trustees began to be known as councilors. Additionally, the three trustees were increased to five councilors who joined the mayor to form the town council. Around the change of the century, Dana said the number of councilors became seven.
"This form of town government remained in town until the late 1950s," Dana said. "The 1950s brought chatter about adopting a city charter form of government."
In 1960, a commission of 15 voted and subsequently wrote a Home Rule Charter, according to Dana.
"The featured speaker at the meeting to adopt the city charter in 1960 was, in fact, Dr. John Millett," Dana said of the namesake to Miami University's present day gymnasium.
At this time, Oxford hired the first city manager, Leonard Howe.
The charter form of government dictated the way in which Oxford's city council functions today-an elected seven-member council that serves overlapping four-year terms,
Oxford Vice Mayor Prue Dana also said with the arrival of Miami University in 1809, Oxford has continued to exist through the years because of the university.
"Miami is inseparable from Oxford's history," Dana said.
According to Vice Mayor Prue Dana, the city was originally termed the Village of Oxford in 1810. Soon after, Dana said government came quickly to the area.
"Originally, an elected official called the president ran the village," Dana said. "The president of the town was also
accompanied by three elected trustees."
According to The 150 Year History of Oxford Government: 1830-1980 by Adolph W. Cullen, Colonel Isaiah Leigh was elected as the first president in 1828. As the first head of the village government, Leigh was also a veteran of the War of 1812.
Dana said the meetings of Oxford's earliest form of government were held at the president's house. By 1859, however, the term "president" changed to "mayor," as it stands today.
During the 1870s, Dana said the town trustees began to be known as councilors. Additionally, the three trustees were increased to five councilors who joined the mayor to form the town council. Around the change of the century, Dana said the number of councilors became seven.
"This form of town government remained in town until the late 1950s," Dana said. "The 1950s brought chatter about adopting a city charter form of government."
In 1960, a commission of 15 voted and subsequently wrote a Home Rule Charter, according to Dana.
"The featured speaker at the meeting to adopt the city charter in 1960 was, in fact, Dr. John Millett," Dana said of the namesake to Miami University's present day gymnasium.
At this time, Oxford hired the first city manager, Leonard Howe.
The charter form of government dictated the way in which Oxford's city council functions today-an elected seven-member council that serves overlapping four-year terms,
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