Nine Candidates Run For Open Spots On Oxford, Ohio, City Council

BY ANNA QUENNEVILLE
Miami University journalism student

Nine Oxford residents are vying for four open seats on Oxford City Council this fall.

Two incumbents -- Edna Southard and Mike Smith -- are seeking re-election.

Among the other candidates is Austin Worrell, who is a Miami University student majoring in political science with a minor in business law. If elected, his focus will be on bringing the student population together with the Oxford community.

“It’s time that we bridge the gap. It’s time that we come together to face our town’s biggest challenges, whether it’s high-risk drinking, safer infrastructure, or promoting local business,” Worrell said in a survey conducted by Patch.com.

The winners on Nov. 7 will be joining the seven-member council to set the city’s policies, establish city goals, oversee the annual budget, and make appointments to boards and committees.

Meet the candidates

Drew Davis

Davis, the assistant director of business operations in Miami's Student Affairs office, has been a long-time resident of Oxford and has been involved in basic levels of governance in the past.

Davis said he hopes to win a seat on council to “bring greater communication and transparency to the local legislative process, listen to and consider the perspective of all community members, and encourage economic growth in the city.”

Among his issues:

• Communication and transparency: Davis wants to make access to City Council meetings minutes more user-friendly and also plans to summarize meetings more effectively for the greater community.
• Economic development: In order to create more opportunities for small business development Davis will look at zoning restrictions. He hopes to improve Oxford as a tourist destination by encouraging more diverse economic development.
• Infrastructure: To provide a safer and more comfortable experience for Oxford residents Davis will focus on providing more nearby parking, invest in sidewalk repairs, and increase street lighting.

Jace Prows

Prows lives in Oxford, but works as a wealth adviser for a Texas-based investment firm. He is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his father, David Prows, who served on Oxford City Council from 1999 to 2007, and his grandfather, John D. Minnis, who served on Oxford’s council when it was called town council.

Prows hopes to be an active member of the community that has been an important part of his family for nearly 100 years. "Local government is one of the last places you can truly represent the people,” he said.

Among his issues are the city budget, zoning matters and the local environment.

David Prytherch

Prytherch, associate professor of geography at Miami, isn’t a stranger to helping Oxford. Since 2007, he's been an appointed member of the City of Oxford Planning Commission and has spent the last five years as its chair.

In that role, his past work includes managing growth to protect Oxford's community character, designing and securing funding for Oxford Area Trails, promoting sustainability on Miami’s campus, and working to bring Amtrak to Oxford.

Issues:

• Economic and community growth: Through careful planning to promote a year-round economy and high-quality development, Prytherch hopes to bring additional opportunities for all residents, while also enhancing Oxford’s historical character and beautiful environment.
• Housing: Prytherch intends to promote a mix of affordable housing to integrate Oxford. Student housing is one area of focus, but he also will pay attention to providing options for seniors, low- to moderate-income workers, and young professionals.
• Connecting the population: In order to do this he will address alcohol abuse and encourage healthy activities that bring the community together. This includes culture/entertainment Uptown, recreational trails, and transportation connections to regional employment centers.

Chantel Raghu

Raghu currently works as a veterinarian and is running for office for the first time. Even though she hasn't been on council before she said she understands the importance of city council meetings and how those decisions that are made affect people's lives.

Raghu is hoping to make Oxford, "an inclusive, lively, and active city for all people to thrive. I want to be a voice for all of Oxford regardless of what they look like, who they love, or how much money they have," said Raghu.

Issues:

• Safety: The days of leaving your front door unlocked have past. Raghu wants to be proactive in restoring the safety in Oxford in reaction to theft, sexual assault and the opioid epidemic.
• Affordable housing: Currently, the average income and the average rent aren't aligned. Raghu wants to incentivize real estate developers to build mixed-income housing for people of all age groups and socioeconomic status.
• Job growth: The empty storefronts uptown are a problem for current businesses and the appeal of the city. "We need to attract other industry and entertainment businesses, such as a movie theater, that would not only provide jobs, but also enrich the lives of students and residents alike," said Raghu.

Mike Smith

Smith has been a member of Oxford City Council since 2013, and is currently serving as vice mayor hoping for re-election. After attending Talawanda High School, Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences from Miami.

Smith did not respond to Patch.com's candidate survey.

Edna Carter Southard

A member of council since 2013, Southard is a art historian and museum curator. She wants to win re-election to continue to work toward the community’s goals by collaborating with the city staff, fellow council members, Miami officials and others members of the community.

“I believe in trying to make the world a better place than it was before we came into it,” said Southard.

Issues:

• Economic development: Southard wants to affirm Oxford as a “magnet for creativity” in order to increase economic as well as cultural development. She will work toward more development while preserving the special qualities of historic Oxford.
• Transportation: To improve transportation Southard wants streets for all users and more public transportation. She wants to ensure the city works for everyone.
• Safety and security: To improve Oxford’s quality of life Southard will work on civil rights to assure safety and security for all residents and visitors.

Samantha E. Vogel

Vogel has been an Oxford resident since birth. After graduating from Miami University with a Bachelor’s degree in mass communications, public relations marketing and currently works as an Office Manager in the areas of Insurance and Real Estate.

Vogel did not respond to Patch.com's candidate survey.

Corey Watt

Watt, assistant director for employer relations at Miami, lives in Oxford with his wife and three children. After earning his bachelor’s degree at Western Michigan University he received a master of public administration at Drake University. Watt said he’s a piece of the puzzle that will help evolve and grow Oxford.

“Oxford is good at putting bandages on issues, but we must focus on designing, implementing, and sticking to a plan,” said Watt.

Issues:

• Fire and EMS access to the west side of town: “An emergency plus a stopped train may equal tragedy for our town. I am open to exploring solutions, but not willing to do nothing, like our leaders have done for years,” said Watt.
• Businesses: Watt wants to create an economy that encourages and retains non-polluting businesses. There are many residents who have to travel up to an hour to find work. Watt believes he can cultivate more opportunities for the residents and students of Oxford.
• Housing: Housing in Oxford is currently geared toward highly paid professionals and college students, forcing other residents to live outside the city. Watt said he will focus on finding appropriate and affordable housing for professionals and entry-level or low-income workers.

Austin Worrell

As a political science student at Miami, Worrell has experience with governance as he is currently involved in Miami student government.

“Oxford has never had a student on City Council, at least not in recent history. I would be honored to be the first, and to offer a fresh perspective as I serve all of us,” said Worrell.

Issues:

Safety: Worrell will start with re-examining the approaches to high-risk drinking in order to promote a “better Oxford.” Better lighting and walkways will help with safety issues, he said.

Development: Worrell said he wants to start filling empty storefronts and build “beautiful new additions” to town. He wants to focus on attracting more local businesses and smart development.

Community: Worrell intends to do a better job of bridging what he considers a divide between students and residents -- bringing everyone in the community together no matter how long they’ve lived here.

Top photo: Oxford's City Council meets every two weeks at the courthouse building Uptown. -- Contributed photo