News & Announcements

Mayor Alton Craft spoke of Oxford’s positive record of accomplishments during the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce’s “State of the Cities” forum held at the Oxford Civic Center on Friday, June 21.

“These are some of the finest mayors I have ever met,” Craft said of the others. “They love their cities.”

Craft praised the regional cooperation in which the cities have been involved over the past few years and emphasized the importance of working together.

He noted that, with the assistance of the Calhoun County and Talladega County commissions and the Calhoun County Economic Development Council, four local industries have expanded, plus the new Wellborn Cabinets will bring 900 new jobs to the area.

Craft called the new CREATE Center, which will soon become a regional workforce development center, “something that is very important to us.”

“There have been 25 new businesses open in Oxford since January, including TownePlace Suites, which just opened, and Candlewood Suites, which will open soon,” Craft said, adding there are now 38 active businesses operating in the downtown area.

Craft spoke of the Oxford Performing Arts Center, which now carries the title of “the busiest stage in Alabama,” and thanked all the sponsors “who have helped us.”

“Without the support of this area, the Oxford Performing Arts Center would not exist, and I thank all of you,” Craft said.

Craft mentioned the new YouTube docuseries about the Oxford Police Department, the success of the Oxford Fire Department’s smoke detector outreach program, and the more than 6,800 calls to which Oxford Health Systems has responded over the last year.