Overby Center hosts Great Conversations luncheon with Oxford Mayor Robyn Tennehill

By Edward Grimes

Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill spoke about the city of Oxford’s current infrastructure budgeting situation as part of the Great Conversations series by the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics. Members of the Oxford community and representatives of Ole Miss were in attendance. 

Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill speaks at a Great Conversations luncheon at the Overby Center. Photo by Ahmer Khan. 

Tannehill first talked about the 102% population growth since 2000, and an expected 124% growth by 2030. With that growth, state aid has been needed to fund projects, something Tannehill says the city did not have when she took office in 2017. Tannehill said Oxford has since brought in $246 million for infrastructure projects. Water and sewer have been large costs, with the city paying $15 million last year and an estimated $18 million for 2025. As of now, 2,967 single-family or apartment home units are under construction in Oxford, and Tannehill credits the city’s partnership with Rosedale Corporation for the success in the increase in housing. .

On road infrastructure, Tannehill said the roundabouts and entry ramps construction on University Avenue and Highway 7 is about six months ahead of schedule. She said there remains $40 million in funds not spent by MDOT, which she emphasized should be used in Lafayette County. Projects with this funding would include merge lane extensions on Highway 6 and Highway 7, lining up Pegues Road and 334, and significantly improving the bridge on South Lamar over Highway 6. She is also looking for state aid to improve roads like College Hill and Old Sardis. 

Tannehill finished her overview by looking ahead to completing her third term as mayor and seeking to build the “workforce of the future.” Some points she included were having the minimum wage for city workers rise from $9 to $19 an hour since 2017, a now-total of 125 police officers with the Oxford Police Department, and close, secure connections established with local businesses, primarily those on the Square. 

The mayor also discussed the generally lenient approach to policing college students in their activities on the Square. She said the main focus was to make sure students were safe, especially with transportation.

Lastly, she took a few questions from the room, including on the continued ordinance to replant trees, the prospects of building a new airport to serve Oxford, and a parks and trails plan that will have an update in January.

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Edward Grimes is a second year graduate student at the University of Mississippi with a degree in Journalism, currently pursuing a master’s in Journalism and a student assistant in the Overby Center and the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association.