New councilors, mayor introduce themselves to Oxford

New faces and a short agenda were the highlights of the Oxford City Council meeting on Dec. 2, with a new mayor and two new councilors introducing themselves to the city.

Mayor Michael Smith led his first meeting as the mayor of Oxford. Smith previously served as Oxford’s mayor for two years starting in 2019, and he served on the city council.

James “Jim” Vinch and Roxanne Ornelas also attended their first meeting as Oxford city councilors.

“I want to make sure that I don’t abuse this privilege that I have,” Vinch said. “I want to express my gratitude to the citizens of Oxford for electing me.”

Vinch added he believes trust from the public is his biggest asset, and he hopes locals will give him input on his time on the council.

“I encourage the public that (if) they think I’m not doing the job or they have input or they want me to do something better or different, contact me,” he said.

Ornelas shared the same sentiment of gratitude towards the town, as well as her excitement over her new position.

“I too want to say thank you to the city of Oxford for giving me this wonderful opportunity to share with you over the next four years,” Ornelas said. 

Councilor Alex French served her first meeting as vice-mayor.

“I’m humbled by the trust of my colleagues to be in this position,” French said. “Thank you all.” 

Parking meter fees

In other news, Oxford parking meters will not be accepting fees from Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. until Jan. 10, 2026, at 8 p.m. 

The two-hour and 11-hour restrictions for parking will remain in effect during this period.

Councilor Bill Snavely spoke in favor of the resolution, saying, “I think this is a really good idea for Uptown businesses.”

“I hope that the people in town take advantage of that opportunity,” he said.

Meters in town will not be covered with red bags indicating they are not in service, but a message will be displayed on digital meters in town. 

The Oxford City Council will meet next on Dec. 16 for their final meeting of the year.