Mayor Alton Craft and council members Chris Spurlin, Steven Waits, Phil Gardner, Charlotte Hubbard, and Mike Henderson each took the oath of office to begin a new four-year term during a ceremonial meeting of the city council on November 3, 2025.
The meeting opened with a prayer by Jerry Spurling of Angel Grove Baptist Church, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Briggs, Brooke, and Braxon Haynie, the children of Oxford City Schools assistant superintendent Dr. Todd Haynie.
The oath of office was administered to Craft by council president Chris Spurlin. Craft was surrounded by members of his family as he placed his hand on the ceremonial Bible used by the city of Oxford since 1947.
Presiding Circuit Judge Shannon C. Page was present to administer the oath of office to the city council members, but first remarked on the uniqueness of the occasion.
“My wife and I made the decision 20 years ago to raise our family in the city of Oxford, Alabama,” Page said. “Every day, that decision has been validated by our mayor and these folks right here. It is astounding to me that in a city the size of Oxford, we have elected the entire city government in an uncontested election. That speaks volumes about the job they are all doing, and I appreciate it. It is an honor and a privilege as a citizen of Oxford to do this today.”
Page asked the council members to place their hands on the ceremonial Bible as they cited the oath of office in unison.
Council members then unanimously voted to reappoint Spurlin as council president, Waits as council president pro tempore, and Ron Allen as city attorney.
Council also unanimously approved the appointment of Hubbard as council liaison to the Planning Commission and Gardner as council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Department.
In further actions, the council took up the following items of business:
Ordinance No. 2025- 49 – Ordinance affirming Section 2.71, Order of Business, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Oxford, Alabama; Procedural Ordinance. (Approved 5-0).
Ordinance No. 2025- 50 – Ordinance affirming Chapter 2, Section 2-6 of the City Code, City Depositories. (Approved 5-0).
Ordinance No. 2025- 51 – Ordinance rezoning property located at 1335 Butler Street from General Manufacturing District (M-2) to General Business District (GB). (Approved 5-0).
Consent Agenda: (Approved 5-0)
Resolution No. 2025 – 104 – Resolution authorizing an appropriation and purchase of Rescue Airbag Systems for the Fire Department from North American Fire Equipment Inc. (NAFECO) in the total amount of $40,221.00.
Resolution No. 2025- 105 – Resolution declaring certain equipment surplus and authorizing its donation to Martha’s Hope.
The next scheduled council meeting will be held Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.