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City Council elections: serving the student body

Lindsay Crist, For The Miami Student

Miami University students may be seeing some new faces on the Oxford City Council and Board of Trustees after the Nov. 5 election.

Four new spots are available on the City Council, according to Richard Keebler, mayor of Oxford. Five candidates filed petitions for the four available openings prior to Aug. 22, according to the Butler County Board of Elections website.

Kevin McKeehan and Robert Blackburn, two of the candidates, are incumbents.

Candidates Edna Southard, Michael Smith and Vicente Mira will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot as well, according to the Butler County Board of Elections' records.

In the past, Oxford City Council has placed emphasis on efforts to work closely with the Miami student-population, according to Keebler.

"We have increased the membership in our student-community relations committee and made appointments from the Miami student government," Keebler said. "This is important because, in some ways, everything we do affects the students."

Miami sophomore and political science major, Sam Creech, agreed that communication between the students and local government is important.

"I think local government is more effective at solving problems than any other level of government," Creech said. "Making decisions on a local level is really important to the community."

The race for township trustee positions is also heating up. The deadline to file petitions was Aug. 7, according to the Butler County Board of Elections website.

Three candidates are running for the two open positions on the Board of Trustees, according to Larry Frimerman, board president.

"I want to serve the community and continue the work that we have been doing to serve the township," Frimerman said. "It provides an opportunity to bring people together."

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Miami students are also affected by the decisions of the township. Issues such as emergency management services and road improvements are subjects that have an influence on any Oxford resident, according to Frimerman.

"Since Miami students are so connected to Oxford, any decisions made for the community will affect them," Creech said.

Oxford will have to wait until the Nov. 5 election to determine who will be on the City Council and Board of Trustees.

Creech has already marked his calendar.

"You better believe I will be voting," Creech said. "As an American it is my civic duty."