City council prioritizes funding for one-stop service center

tation I would not be able to do anything.”

Reverend Julie Fischer from the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church made a defense for prioritizing funding for the one-stop center rather than the senior center. While she respected Oxford’s seniors, he said, people who live in poverty don’t get as much representation.

“People who live in poverty do not have a lot of time to come to meetings like this and advocate for themselves,” Fischer said Jay Fagin, a resident of College Corner, talked about how he grew up in poverty in Oxford and how the city’s resources helped his family.

Fagin questioned why Miami wasn’t contributing money to the projects and why the city was investing in an Amtrak station for a train he said would only stop in Oxford three days a week at 2:30 a.m.

“While both of these represent clear and pressing needs in our community, the one-stop social service facility probably represents the greatest need,” Snavely said. “It also is one that can be done with the $1.5 [million] that we’re pretty sure they’ll vote for, and they thought they already did.”

The resolution to apply for the funds for the one-stop center was approved with the priority ranking of one was approved five to one, with Councilor Glenn Ellerbe voting no and Councilor Jason Bracken recusing himself.

The resolution to apply for $3 million more in funds for the new senior center was approved with the priority ranking of two was approved six to one, with Ellerbe voting no.

LUKE MACY ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR

Often, the busiest places on an average night in Oxford are Brick Street Bar or Bagel and Deli Shop.

However, that wasn’t the case on Feb. 7 as the Oxford Courthouse nearly overflowed with residents.

Almost 100 people, many of whom were senior citizens, were in attendance that night for the Oxford City Council meeting, which only offered standing room for many.

Three resolutions were the main discussion points of the night, all connected by the fact that they require American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from Butler County. The council had to rank the resolutions by priority so the county could determine where and how to allocate the ARPA funds.

The first, which started the night with a priority ranking of one, would require $1.5 million for a One-Stop Social Services Center with a kitchen, educational space and emergency shelter.

Priority two would be the $3 million needed to help the Oxford Seniors Organization build its new facility in association with the TRI Community Center. Butler County had already awarded $1.5 million to the city for the new senior facility the first time Oxford requested the $3 wisdom as well.”

REAGAN RUDE ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR

On Thursday, Feb. 9, Miami University’s Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI) hosted a virtual Black Love Panel, aimed to promote conversations about important dynamics within relationships in the Black American community.

Morgan Moore, assistant director of sexual and interpersonal violence (SIV) outreach in the Office of Student Wellness, moderated the event and worked closely with OIDI to organize it.

The panel featured three speakers, all of whom are Black faculty members at Miami: CaTia Daniels, proposal and contract specialist in the Office of Research and Innovation; Victor Jones, associate director of professional development in Farmer School of Business; and Andre DuBois, assistant director of career fairs and special events in the Center for Career Exploration and Success.

After introducing the panelists, Moore explained what Black love means to her.

“When I think about Black love, I think of a love beyond romantic love,” Moore said. “Black love is beautiful, and it is a catalyst that has birthed movements, songs, dances, poetry and revolutions.”

Moore added that Black love is more than loving Black people, but involves the care and actions you take to show that love.

Daniels said she shows Black love differently to different Black people, whether it be through quality time, physical touch or words of affirmation.

“I don’t like cuddling, but for my kids, I shower them with it because that’s how they need love, and I pay attention to how they need love,” Daniels said. “I just love people how they need to be loved.”

DuBois said part of showing Black love to his children is preparing them for the realities Black people face in their day-to-day lives. Certain behaviors, he said, that are acceptable for white people could put his children in dangerous situations.

“I love them enough to tell them the truth. The icing has to come off the cake, I have to prepare them,” DuBois said. “It’s my job to prepare them to be successful, self-sufficient, independent, God-fearing reliable citizens as best they can in this society that’s built against us.”

Jones said he cultivates Black love in his family by being a positive role model and by dismissing traditional norms of masculinity.

“They know they can come to their father and it’s not just a harsh, abrasive type of reaction,” Jones said. “It’s not a stone wall. He’s emotional, and he’s going to provide

Each of the panelists discovered the importance of Black love at different points in their lives. For DuBois, being introduced to the idea helped his self-esteem as one of the only people of color in his grade school.

“Sometimes, when I’m walking around and I’m the only person of color, it can make me feel a little bit insecure or maybe less worthy,” DuBois said. “But I think that has to do with the lack of knowledge of knowing who you are.”

After positive role models in his life, such as his aunt, provided DuBois with books about Black history and culture, he said it became easier to understand Black love.

Daniels said her time working as an associate at Walgreens made her realize how easy it is for people of color to feel invisible. Now, she shows Black love by making sure no one she interacts with feels that way.

“I always come in with a smile on my face, to try to be personable. I just try to show more happiness wherever I go because it spreads,” Daniels said. “I think that’s what helps push us forward. It’s always the smallest thing that we don’t know can help somebody.”

Jones began to understand the importance of Black love in 2014, after the killing of Michael Brown flooded national news. At work none of his team, all of whom were white, said a word to him.

“I had to go to another part of the building to find the only other Black person, and we just hugged,” Jones said. “That was the moment everything shifted, because no one else really gets it when you’re having these moments.”

After the panel, Moore said she hoped attendees left with a better understanding of how to love people of color.

“[When loving someone] from a minority group you have to think about the ways their lives are affected and care for them in those ways,” Moore said. “We’re trying to expand the definition of what it looks like to love somebody and truly understand and hear them.” rudere@miamioh.edu million. Mayor William Snavely explained Butler County only gave half the request amount, thinking it was actually awarding money for the onestop center.

Moore said she also hopes that Black attendees not only gained a better understanding of their relationships with others in their community, but with themselves as well.

“I really hope that it conveyed to our students to be proud of their Blackness no matter what,” Moore said.

The third resolution was to apply for $1.5 million in ARPA funds to put toward a Social Services Facility fund, which the city could distribute to social services when needed. Judy Kolbas, an adjunct faculty member in Miami University’s history department, shared how the senior center helped her navigate Oxford.

“When I arrived in Oxford 15 years ago, the senior center was my lifeline, and ever since, they’ve been very, very helpful,” Kolbas said. “I am visually impaired, and without the transpor-

The $2 million grant for the Amtrak station was obtained through the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments and could not be reallocated.

Although Councilor Alex French wanted to prioritize the one-stop facility, she also shared that she was upset to have to make a decision.

“When people ask where my head has been at on this decision, the first thing that comes to mind is that two organizations this important should not be competing over this few dollars,” French said. “To me, that is absolutely baffling and not a position we should have to be in.”

Snavely also wanted to prioritize the one-stop center, saying it was the most likely to receive the money needed.

The last resolution for the $1.5 million for a Social Services Facility fund failed by a vote of six to one, with Ellerbe being the only councilor to vote yes, even though he had wanted to raise the proposal to $3 million.

“I think it’s a good idea, but … if it hasn’t been discussed already, I think just throwing something new in front of them will look like we’re scattered,” Councilor Amber Franklin said. “Maybe there’ll be another opportunity at some point, but I think advancing the two that we’ve already voted on is the best option.” City council will meet again on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Oxford Courthouse.

@lukejmacy macylj@miamioh.edu