During its regular meeting on Tuesday, the Oxford Board of Aldermen appointed Alderman Jason Bailey to continue to serve as Mayor Pro Tem for the next four years.
Bailey was appointed mayor pro tem in 2019 after the death of the late Ulysses “Coach” Howell who served as the Mayor Pro Tem for more than 20 years.
Bailey was not physically at the Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday but instead attended via phone call; however, he did not call in until moments after the Board unanimously approved his appointment.
The mayor and Board decided to have a bit of fun with him when his call finally connected.
Clearly planned before the meeting, Mayor Robyn Tannehill told Bailey they were just about to vote on the Mayor Pro Tem appointment and asked for a nomination three times with no response.
Bailey interjected, “Good Lord, come on,” which invoked a round of laughter from the Board and those attending the meeting. Tannehill informed Bailey they were joking with him and that he had already been nominated and approved to serve as Pro Tem.
“I just couldn’t resist,” Tannehill said chuckling.
The Mayor Pro Tem acts as mayor in absence of the actual mayor.
Tuesday’s meeting was the first meeting of the new board. Six of the seven aldermen seats were all retained by the incumbents. Former Ward 3 alderman Janice Antonow did not seek re-election. Her successor, Brian Hyneman, sat with the Board for the first time since winning the election in June.
The new Board is not bound by decisions of the previous Board, so according to state law, the new Board is tasked with approving the re-employment of city department heads and employees, which the Board all approved Tuesday.
The Board also approved the re-appointment of City Attorney Pope Mallette, City Clerk Ashley Atkinson, Chief Operating Officer Bart Robinson, Police Chief Jeff McCutchen, Fire Marshall/Fire Chief Joey Gardner, City Engineer Reanna Mayoral, and all Municipal Court officers including Clerk Donna Fisher, Judge Hal Neilson and Prosecutor Jay Chain.
