Two new members of City Council took their seats, along with two returning members and former three-term mayor Bill Snavely was chosen to return to the mayor’s chair when Council met for their organizational meeting November 23.
The mayor is elected to serve for a two-year term.
Chantel Raghu, one of the two Council members beginning second terms of office, was elected by Council to serve as vice mayor for the next two years.
In addition to Raghu, the other returning member of Council is David Prytherch, while the two new members are Amber Franklin and Alexandria French.
Snavely is joined in continuing terms on Council with Glenn Ellerbe and Jason Bracken.
Snavely served three terms as mayor in the 1990s, holding the office from 1993-95, 1997-99 and 1999-2001.
“I was not thinking about mayor. I wouldn’t have said even in my wildest dreams I would be doing this again,” Snavely said. “I appreciate the trust my colleagues put in me. I will do my very best. I think this will be a hard-working and effective Council. I look forward to working with them.”
He was reminded his first official duty would be to throw the switch lighting up the Uptown with its holiday lights last night with Santa’s arrival for the Holiday Festival. He said he was looking forward to that, but then thinking about the recent mayors opening the city swimming pool by doing a dive, said, “I will not be doing a cannonball.”
Raghu said she is looking forward to serving as vice mayor with Snavely’s leadership.
“I’m just excited to serve. I’m excited to learn from Bill. I’m excited about our new Council members,” she said, adding one concern she carries into serving on the new Council is to make sure they always listen to what everyone has to say. “I want to be sure time keeping when people are speaking is fair to everybody.”
Snavely said he expects his previous terms as mayor will help him as he takes the office again, but said his previous service in that position ended 20 years ago and he will still have a lot to learn. He said his return to Oxford after retirement and getting back into city government and then his election to Council did not include any plan to serve again as mayor.
“It’s the same, but different. The role hasn’t changed. Council has changed. The city has changed. The staff has changed. I see the role as facilitator, to be Council’s facilitator and work well with the city manager and staff. We are lucky to have such a wonderful staff.”
In addition to electing a mayor and vice mayor at the organizational meeting, Council members also divided their responsibilities of serving as liaison to various boards and commissions of the city.
Prytherch was chosen as a Council representative to Planning Commission joining Bracken, who continues in that role.
French will serve as the representative to both the Recreation Board and the Historic and Architectural Preservation Commission. She will also be one of two assigned to the Community Improvement Corporation, along with Ellerbe who continues in that role.
Ellerbe will continue with the Student Community Relations Commission and Raghu will remain on the Environmental Commission.
Franklin will join Bracken on the Housing Advisory Commission and will join Snavely serving on both the Firefighters Dependents Board and the Woodside Cemetery Board. She will also be the Council representative to Public Arts Commission of Oxford.
Snavely and Bracken will share the duties as OKI Representative. Snavely will also serve on the Senior Citizens Board of Trustees, while Raghu will serve on the Enjoy Oxford board.
Prytherch will continue to serve on both the Parking and Transportation Board and the Climate Action Steering Committee.
Snavely predicted a busy two years ahead for City Council but said he is challenged by what is ahead.
“I’m honored my colleagues put their trust in me,” he said.
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