2008 Woodie Awards
City of Oxford's finance director resigns, officials say replacement search underway
Allison Cole
Issue date: 1/18/08 Section: Front Page
Nearly two years after being named Oxford finance director, Harlita Robinson is taking her experience to another town.
As of Feb. 18, Robinson will make the transition from Oxford to Forest Park as that city's new finance director. She announced her resignation at Tuesday night's city council meeting.
According to Robinson, her new responsibilities in Forest Park will be equivalent to those she had in Oxford.
Kenneth Bogard, Oxford's vice mayor, said the responsibilities of a city's finance director include working with the city manager to develop the city's budget as well as supervising and running the finance department, which typically takes responsibility for all finance accounts, expenditures and collection of revenues for the city, such as utility bills.
Despite the move, which Robinson said she took partly because it is closer to her home, she will miss much of what Oxford has to offer.
"I got to understand what it was like to be in a college town and I enjoyed it," she said.
Robinson said some of the advantages to working in Oxford include the vibrancy of the town and the lack of lulls that can be experienced in other towns. She also credited the city's lack of ups and downs compared to other communities as a result of the student population that lives in Oxford the majority of the year.
Robinson said she would miss most the people of Oxford, both inside and outside of city hall.
"I will miss the people I work with as well as the greater community of Oxford," Robinson said.
City officials will miss Robinson as well and said she was a great person to work with over the years.
"It's been a delight (to work with Robinson). She has done so much in terms of developing the budget," Bogard said. "I'm going to miss Harlita very much."
Despite only working with her since being appointed city manager in October, Douglas Elliott, Oxford city manager, said he has enjoyed working with Robinson.
As of Feb. 18, Robinson will make the transition from Oxford to Forest Park as that city's new finance director. She announced her resignation at Tuesday night's city council meeting.
According to Robinson, her new responsibilities in Forest Park will be equivalent to those she had in Oxford.
Kenneth Bogard, Oxford's vice mayor, said the responsibilities of a city's finance director include working with the city manager to develop the city's budget as well as supervising and running the finance department, which typically takes responsibility for all finance accounts, expenditures and collection of revenues for the city, such as utility bills.
Despite the move, which Robinson said she took partly because it is closer to her home, she will miss much of what Oxford has to offer.
"I got to understand what it was like to be in a college town and I enjoyed it," she said.
Robinson said some of the advantages to working in Oxford include the vibrancy of the town and the lack of lulls that can be experienced in other towns. She also credited the city's lack of ups and downs compared to other communities as a result of the student population that lives in Oxford the majority of the year.
Robinson said she would miss most the people of Oxford, both inside and outside of city hall.
"I will miss the people I work with as well as the greater community of Oxford," Robinson said.
City officials will miss Robinson as well and said she was a great person to work with over the years.
"It's been a delight (to work with Robinson). She has done so much in terms of developing the budget," Bogard said. "I'm going to miss Harlita very much."
Despite only working with her since being appointed city manager in October, Douglas Elliott, Oxford city manager, said he has enjoyed working with Robinson.
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