Here are excerpts from Trustees Dale Leach & Joe Spence's notes
Dated: Aug. 14, 2007

Attended: Joe Spence, Dale Leach, Holly Abbott, Terry Stark and Lawrence Wilcox, Nancy Morey and Bill Brower, Greg LaMonica, Randy Gibbon, Paul Estelow, Matt Voce, Fred Lanfear and Jeanie Petersen.

The Mayor sent out a letter to organizations in June so that representatives of the Oxford groups would attend a first meeting on Aug. 28th, to form a Steering Committee for the Bicentennial activities of the Village during the 2008 Bicentennial year. The basic skeletal plan is proposed to be scheduled during the April - July. The main events will be planned during a period to be called "Old Home Week" during the dates of July 21st - July 27th, 2008.

There are projects that the Mayor thought that some groups would want to get involved in the planning, coordinating and implementing independent or joint projects with the village or other organizations.

The Objective of the Village Bicentennial Celebration is to:

• Recognize the long history of the Village of Oxford,
• Educate current generations of residents of their role in continuing to build on the history of Oxford and
• Implement a Celebration that favorably impacts the historical and visual image of Oxford and continues to portray the village as an appealing place to live or work.
• The Village was planning to sponsor a Commemorative Stamp and/or coin; have bicentennial banners and flags for light poles in the downtown area; make a proclamation or invitation to "Old Home Week" done in calligraphy; get political dignitaries to attend "Old Home Week"; and sponsor a parade (which the Lions are handling).

 

• Kathi Moser/Clachan Coffee House is to produce new or update old Oxford Post Cards.
• Historian, Charlotte Stafford is to follow-up her chronology of Oxford Happenings from 1788-1950 and published in 1976 as part of the US bicentennial. As second compilation by Charlotte for 1950 to date with help as needed from others is underway.
• ____________(an idea) Oxford Then and Now - a bound book pictorial of Oxford completed as par of the US bicentennial by the Heritage Committee could be updated.
• Terry Stark, on behalf of the Rotary - a calendar. A 15 month calendar from Oct. 07 - Dec. 08 with multiple pictures of Village sties in each month. Important "on this date in history" events notated in each day as well as key scheduled event dates for the calendar period, Front and Back inside cover pages will list all Village officials or other historical or current facts about Oxford. (It's January - no calendar so far.)
• Jeanie & Roy Petersen /Woollybear Web - web-site project. Terry would like us to develop a sub-section to the OxfordNY.com website dedicated to the bicentennial events. (We're still waiting for info to be sent.)
• The high school art teacher was asked to have students create a logo for the bicentennial. These notes also mention paintings and awards.
• ___________(an idea) a Photo Contest. Photos taken of recognizable Oxford scenes and entered by individuals taking the picture. Awards provided to winners.
• Fred Lanfear/Oxford Historical Society - walking tours. Walking tours of Village streets with historical references to home, church bldg architecture, renovations or owner history. also Oxford Historical Society: Memorabilia Tent display. Antique Road show of Oxford Memorabilia.
• also OHS: Pagoda-Washington Park. Time and weather has created a need to again restore the Pagoda.
• Anna Stark/OHS - Open House. An Open House of historical homes or buildings could be coordinated for Old Home Week.
• Liz Hoenninger/Holly Abbott - Block Party Picnic. Coordinated in cooperation with Alumni Wknd. Picnic during late afternoon leading to entertainment/dance band during evening.
• Francis Wilcox/Community Band - concerts on the park. LaFayette Park summer concert series with Historical themes.

• The West Point Concert Band is scheduled on April 3rd to play a concert at the High School. This was arranged by Gene Rood. This coordinates pretty closely to the real bicentennial date of April 6, 1808.
• _____________(an idea) Time Capsule. Bury a time capsule to be opened at next centennial.
• _____________(an idea) Resident Bed & Breakfast. Each resident of Oxford invite and host a former resident (friend or family) back to Oxford during weekend of July 25th celebration of "Old Home Week".
• _____________(an idea) Community Breakfast. Sunday morning July 27th -Farewell breakfast.
• Fireworks - Saturday evening, July 26th, 9:30 PM. (These are confirmed.)
• Oxford Farmers Market - and other locally made products on the park Saturdays with big event on July 26th. This idea actually is being organized by Kim Marshman and Nancy Morey. They have been discussing having a special feature each Saturday of the summer.
• _____________(proposed idea) Bench project. Additional benches - maintenance.
• _____________(proposed idea) Band Stand. Rotary has painted but the Band Stand really needs a restoration. Any organization looking for a project can contact Terry Stark to discuss this.
• _____________(proposed idea) Flower and Shrub Projects. Hanging baskets, provided by PON, are watered daily by DPW during the week and volunteers on wknds. Any organization that would like to help water on wknds. should contact PON (David Emerson).
• Oxford Garden Club/Donna Schindler -  Band stand flowers. The Garden Club has provided flowers on the bandstand and the Club has planted tulips around the historic sign on east end of the park. The next plan is all around the fountain. Arrangements were made at the first meeting for composted manure, etc. Tred Place was going to dig it up. Springtime planting plan is for red, white and blue flowers. Master Gardeners: Lynne Lightowler-Buck; Harriet Adamson (Earlville) and Donna Schindler (Oxford) will come up with a landscaping plan coordinating rings of the patriotic flowers.
• _______________(proposed idea) Small/Burr Park. The village mows the Park and soccer fields. There is a nature area and a river walk trail evolving that needs to be maintained. The Garden Club and Headwaters Youth Conservation Corp had been active in the development of the nature area and Trail to date. Any organization interested in the Park's development for the bicentennial should contact the Village. The flood of '06 has damaged the river walk area.
• Oxford Rotary/Kathy Anderson - Village Entry Signs. Sign designer from Ithaca has been contacted to develop hand carved wood sign for Village entry. The site is on Rte. 12 on Village property across from Blueox. Jim Tefft will lay out a 24' diameter using field stone. The center will be used for a two-sided entry sign with the ground area being used for flowers.
• The Bridge replacement was mentioned. It's scheduled for replacement in 2009.
• Oxford Rotary/Terry Stark - North Canal Park. There is an area located south of the Head Start site on North Washington Avenue bordered by the Village Pump house sites and the Tree Board's nursery that could be further developed into a park. This could also include a skateboard area or other community development. Anyone interested in discussing this potential please contact Terry.
• Oxford Youth Sports Program - Boname Park Ball Fields. OYSP is planning improvements to the ball fields at Boname Pk. This would include regrading and adding a soccer field. Design will not interfere with current activities of the park. Anyone interested in more info. or how their organization could be of help, please contact Terry or Tim Carr of OYSP.
• ________________(proposed idea) - Boname Park - Main Pavilion. Recent inspections reveal need to do repairs to fire pit, structure pole near fire pit, light fixtures and other minor repairs. Organizations, such as the Lions Club have traditionally taken on repairs to various Park structures.
• (Pastor -Bible Baptist Church?)____(proposed idea) RT.12 south mowing maintenance and area development. The area on the east side of Rt. 12 south of the village center across from Legion belongs to the DOT and is currently being mowed by the Village. We could place a flower bed or a couple of picnic tables and place them in this area as an attractive place to stop along the river. If you have interest in mowing or paying for materials for a couple of picnic tables, please contact the Village.
• Street Lamp Replacement in LaFayette Park and downtown proper (part of the bridge discussion).
• ________________(proposed idea) River Walk. The objective is to encompass a large potential swath from the Emerson Soccer Fields located north of the Village to Small/Burroughs Park to include portions of the village as well as High School property. Recent Village access to more river edge area and the upcoming Main St. Bridge replacement has accelerated the need to re-energize the development of the walkway from the current Main St. Br. south to Small Burroughs Field.

The next meeting was Sept. 11th, then Oct. 9th, and then Nov. 20th.

Below are all the articles in this section
Celebration Of Agriculture	Early Living Fair
Fire Department Events	First Meeting
Garden Club	Historic Hikes
Historic Houses	Library Plans
Lions Parade	Old Home Week
Old Home Week Schedule	Place In History
Readers Theater	Reenactments
Reunion Block Party	Six On The Square
Sun Coverage	West Point Band Concert