Oxford Planning Official Judy Daniel Retires

By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

For four years, Judy Daniel has helped guide Oxford into the future through her work in the development of the Vision 2037 Comprehensive Plan as the city’s planning director.

On Tuesday, the Oxford Board of Aldermen recognized Daniel with a resolution for her retirement from the city; however, Daniel said she plans on still being a part of Oxford’s future.

“I’m not going away,” she said Tuesday. “I will certainly continue to serve this community in multiple volunteer capacities just as soon as I can.”

Daniel moved to Oxford from North Carolina in 2014 where she served as planning director in Asheville for six years. Prior, she was with the planning commission in Montgomery County, Maryland for 14 years.

An Ole Miss alumna, Daniel became involved in the Vision 2037 plan on a volunteer basis before being asked to do some consulting work for the city. In 2016, she was hired as the director of planning. Most recently, she was the senior associate planning director for Oxford.

Mayor Robyn Tannehill said Daniel was a mentor to many of her coworkers, including the mayor herself.

“She helped this rookie mayor to figure it all out during my first year,” Tannehill said at the meeting. “I couldn’t have done this job without you.”

Daniel was also instrumental in rewriting the city’s zoning ordinance and Land Development Code and establishing the city’s first Housing Commission.

“It was an extreme joy to me for this to have been my last full-time career position,” Daniel said. “The people I work with – the extraordinary staff – made it a complete joy.”

The Board of Aldermen also read a resolution of retirement for Eddie Booker, who has worked as a journeyman lineman for Oxford Utilities since 2003. He was not present at the meeting.