Board of Aldermen addresses emergency concerns

On Friday, the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Pat Patterson met to discuss specific issues in a specially scheduled meeting.

The meeting addressed the Baptist Memorial Hospital, a new construction project and the adoption of a proclamation of local emergency.

In his opening remarks, Patterson noted the damage caused by the storm systems of the previous week and expressed sympathy for the death of city employee, Kenneth Mullin, who was killed in a car accident on Thursday, April 28.

“He was a friend, a good employee and a gentleman,” Patterson said. “We shall miss him.”

Further, the Board voted on the adoption of a proclamation of local emergency.   

The proclamation is a document that allows the city to officially declare a local state of emergency, according to city emergency management coordinator Jimmy Allgood.  

Allgood said the storm system that impacted Oxford last week damaged some residential and commercial property, as well as two siren alert towers, but that he felt the City had responded well to the situation.    

“Everyone worked extremely well together and handled the situation very quickly,” Allgood said.

City officials also made headway in their ongoing negotiations with the Baptist Memorial Hospital Corporation concerning the construction of a new facility.

The Board discussed some changes to the memorandum of understanding that would allow Baptist Memorial Hospital Corporation to purchase the existing hospital facility.  

The hospital is projected to spend approximately $250 million on the construction of the new facility within the city limits, which will match the previous facility in terms of medical services and bed capacity.

City officials are tentatively set to vote on the MOU on Tuesday, May 3, after further discussion.

The Board also unanimously approved a construction project that includes a BMX track, sports facility, parking lot and walking trails.  

City officials are hoping that the project will lead to Oxford residents using more of the sports facilities around town.  

Funding for the approximately $200,000 venture will be drawn from City and County funds.