Five Oxford Village residents have applied for the council seat vacated by Steve Allen Jan. 24.
Next week, council will interview residents Lynette Johnson, Chris Bishop, Kristina Sands, Terry Stiles and Richard DeLong for the open seat.
Johnson and Bishop will be interviewed Tuesday, March 7 while Sands, Stiles and DeLong will be interviewed Thursday, March 9.
Council has until March 16 to select someone to fill the vacancy through the September 2007 village election.
A lifetime resident of Oxford and village resident for four years, Johnson, who lives on Crawford Street, is employed as operations manager for POH Medical Center ? Oxford.
From managing a staff of approximately 50 employees and multiple budgets to maintaining company policies and procedures, Johnson believes she has ‘strong leadership qualities that will be beneficial to all.?
Johnson currently serves as vice president of the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce, an organization she’s been involved with for approximately three years.
A village resident since 1995, Bishop is the general manager for Grove’s True Value Hardware, where he oversees six hardware stores and one Dollar Store.
Bishop, who lives on Moyer Street, believes his ‘business background and retail experience would be an asset? to council. He noted that’s he’s ‘very familiar with Oxford history, zoning, the various boards and commission, public services? and does ‘keep abreast of the issues facing the village on a regular basis.?
Sands, a village resident for nine years, works for Century 21 Real Estate 217 as a realtor.
An active parent, church member, and volunteer with the Oakland Humane Society, Girl Scouts and Boys and Girls Club, Sands, who lives on S. Glaspie Street, wrote in her application that ‘the future of Oxford is extremely important to me.?
‘I have a passion to see the course of our development and the rentention of our hometown qualities,? she wrote. ‘The best interest of the entire community is important to me.?
A village resident for 20 years, Stiles, who lives on N. Glaspie Street, was appointed to the village planning commission in November 2005.
Stiles worked 25 years in administrative support before becoming a reporter for The Citizen newspaper from 2001-04 and for the Leader from October 2004 to March 2005. She also served on the Ortonville Chamber of Commerce board of directors for a year while with The Citizen.
‘I feel my experience as a reporter of municipal news gives me a clear understanding of the role, decisions, ramifications and process utilized in making choices . . . for our entire community,? Stiles wrote in her application.
DeLong is a 3?-year village resident who lives on Bay Pointe Drive in Oxford Lakes. He’s vice president/general manager for J.W. Pepper & Son, Inc., a sheet music retailer.
‘I have a strong business/financial background,? wrote DeLong, who has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Oakland University. ‘I would really like to be a part of Oxford’s future. I enjoy living in the community very much.?