Meet the Candidates: Ward 3 Alderman Race Q&A – Hyneman and Miscamble

The Oxford municipal general election will be June 8. Oxford residents can vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Oxford Conference Center for mayor and their preferred candidate for the Board of Aldermen in their respective wards.

Absentee voting can be done at City Hall through Saturday.

This week, Hotty Toddy News is publishing Q&As with each of the candidates in the mayoral race and in Wards 2, 3, 5, 6 and at-large.

Ward 1 Alderman Rick Addy won the primary and has no opponents in the general election and Ward 4 Alderman Keisha Howell-Atkinson was unopposed.

Today, we hear from the two candidates vying for the Ward 3 seat on the Board of Aldermen: Democrat Brian Hyneman and Republican L. McQueen Miscamble.

Candidates are listed in alphabetical order for fairness.

Name: Brian Hyneman

Ward: 3

Age: 47

Party: Democrat

Family: Married to Amanda Lewis Hyneman with two boys, Henry (16) and Howard (12)

Profession: Attorney

Why did you decide to run for office? 

Investment in our community. I have had the privilege of living in Oxford for 30 years. It has provided Amanda and I the opportunity to raise our boys in a safe and supportive community. I want those opportunities to continue into the future for all citizens.  

What do you bring to the table for this position? 

Experience. I have assisted Oxford’s city government serving as member/chair of the Historic Preservation Commission from 2011-2017 and chair of Planning Commission, 2017 to the present. This service has allowed me the opportunity to work with the city leaders in developing the Vision 2037 plan and manage the immense growth experienced over the past decade. It has also allowed me to develop an understanding of the issues our city’s growth can pose, and my experience gives me the ability to (be) ready for the job on Day 1.    

What do you feel is the biggest issue city leaders are facing and your thought on how to improve it?  

Outside of managing the city during the pandemic, affordable housing is at the forefront. There are opportunities available to increase incentives that are incorporated within the current Land Development Code to allow developments to include affordable housing within their site plan. Along with the increase of incentives, the ability to work with LOU-Homes, Habitat for Humanity, Doors of Hope and other like-minded organizations in finding solutions is key.  

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? 

Contribute $500K as the initial funding of a housing trust fund. This fund would provide low-interest loans to assist families with a down payment on a home. Many families have the ability to maintain payments for a home, yet fall short in the ability to provide for a down payment. This fund would provide this assistance and be managed locally.

The remaining $500K would be used to initiate the process of planning infrastructure improvements. Both Jackson Avenue and the University/Highway 7 intersection can be improved to allow for increased safety of our citizens while maintaining the continued flow of the heavy traffic experienced in both areas. Every citizen is keenly aware of the traffic situation for these two main corridors, and improvements to these areas are in the best interest of every citizen of the LOU (Lafayette-Oxford-University) community.

***

Name: Lachlan McQueen Miscamble

Ward: 3

Age: 33

Party: Republican

Family: Married with four dogs and two cats

Profession: Veterinarian and owner of Crossroads Animal Hospital

Why did you decide to run for office?

Since moving to Oxford several years ago, my wife and I have come to love this town’s natural and historic beauty, as well as its kind and generous people. The residents of Oxford have welcomed us with open arms and have been extremely good to us. As such, I feel a responsibility to give back to the community and people that have been so generous to my wife and me. I believe that I have the desire and ability to do a lot of good for our town if given the opportunity, and this is the reason I decided to run for alderman of Ward 3.

What do you bring to the table for this position?

As a veterinarian and local business owner of Crossroads Animal Hospital, I have a unique set of skills and experiences that I believe will benefit me in the role of alderman. Through my business, I have (and continue to) personally invest in this town, contributing toward its growth and employment, and I plan to bring this philosophy of investment and economic growth into my role as alderman.

What do you feel is the biggest issue city leaders are facing and your thoughts on how to improve it?

The shelter. While this is not the only issue of importance to me (my complete campaign platform is available at www.mcqueenward3.com), it is certainly the most pressing issue for Oxford right now. The past shelter was such a disaster that it had to be shut down, that is a fact. It is also a fact that the current administration was responsible for the failures of the shelter. Those failures led to countless animals being forced to suffer in despicable conditions, while the city administration ignored the issue and did nothing to help. It was only a result of the actions of concerned citizens that the conditions inside the shelter were finally revealed and the mayor forced to act.

As the only veterinarian running for city alderman, I am the most qualified person to undo the damage that has been done. There is no reason why a city like Oxford should not have an animal shelter to be proud of. If elected, I plan to take an active role in the operation of any new shelter. Furthermore, I have already committed to donating my entire alderman salary to the care of animals at the shelter. I promise as a city alderman I will never allow what happened in the past with the animal shelter to happen again. I have provided a detailed outline of how I would improve the shelter on my website.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?

I would use it to completely overhaul the shelter. This money could be used to improve the facility and conditions animals are housed in, but also to train and hire skilled managers and animal handlers and improve community engagement with the shelter. With this sort of investment, we could restore the reputation of Oxford’s animal shelter and provide a sanctuary for animals, where they are cared for until adoption, rather than mistreated and neglected.