2008 Woodie Awards
Legislators reflect on city council turnover
Rebecca Kelley
Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: Community
Oxford City Council turned over a new leaf this winter, bringing several new members into the administration and leaving former councilors to ponder about the job they once had.
For Jerome Conley, former mayor of Oxford, the transition during the turnover period for this city council, as well as past city councils, was seamless.
"It's because we have employed a very able and capable city staff," Conley said.
According to Prue Dana, current mayor of Oxford, the new city council is doing well with their work, and making progress.
"We had a very good council retreat in early January," Dana said. "It is a great feat to get all of us on a night when we can spend time together."
Dana said that some of the main issues currently being discussed by the city council are the Comprehensive Plan, as well as the building of the community swimming pool and municipal building.
"I think we've made significant progress in talking about the uptown area and what we hope to achieve there," Dana said.
Dana believes that the new council differs from the old based on the backgrounds of the members. According to Dana, past council members have brought different skills and backgrounds to the group, providing different opinions and sources of knowledge.
"What's interesting about council is you get used to not only people's personalities, but the way they think about certain issues," Dana said.
Dana said that the past city council members all had unique backgrounds that benefited the group. According to Dana, past councilor Alan Kyger brought a business perspective from his former business, Kyger Chrysler, to the city council, as well as a huge history with the city. Former councilor David Prows also had background knowledge of owning a business in construction.
"It's the strengths that each individual brought (to the council) because of their own expertise that we're missing, those that went off council," Dana said. "We've regained several of those strengths with a slightly different twist."
For Jerome Conley, former mayor of Oxford, the transition during the turnover period for this city council, as well as past city councils, was seamless.
"It's because we have employed a very able and capable city staff," Conley said.
According to Prue Dana, current mayor of Oxford, the new city council is doing well with their work, and making progress.
"We had a very good council retreat in early January," Dana said. "It is a great feat to get all of us on a night when we can spend time together."
Dana said that some of the main issues currently being discussed by the city council are the Comprehensive Plan, as well as the building of the community swimming pool and municipal building.
"I think we've made significant progress in talking about the uptown area and what we hope to achieve there," Dana said.
Dana believes that the new council differs from the old based on the backgrounds of the members. According to Dana, past council members have brought different skills and backgrounds to the group, providing different opinions and sources of knowledge.
"What's interesting about council is you get used to not only people's personalities, but the way they think about certain issues," Dana said.
Dana said that the past city council members all had unique backgrounds that benefited the group. According to Dana, past councilor Alan Kyger brought a business perspective from his former business, Kyger Chrysler, to the city council, as well as a huge history with the city. Former councilor David Prows also had background knowledge of owning a business in construction.
"It's the strengths that each individual brought (to the council) because of their own expertise that we're missing, those that went off council," Dana said. "We've regained several of those strengths with a slightly different twist."
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