Oxford honors retiring city employees Doug Ewing, Perry Rogers

At a regular Board of Aldermen meeting held April 7 at City Hall, Oxford publicly recognized two long‑serving city employees as they entered retirement: Doug Ewing, a parks department employee since 2009 who served as maintenance supervisor at mTrade Park, and Perry Rogers, a more than 28‑year veteran of Oxford Utilities who most recently was superintendent of the wastewater treatment plant and lab supervisor. The retirement resolutions for both men were read during the meeting, underscoring the city’s practice of formally honoring staff at board sessions.

Brad Freeman, director of mTrade Park, read the resolution recognizing Doug Ewing, whose work on the park dates to its early days around 2008–2009. Ewing was instrumental in facility buildout and grounds work, including installing and maintaining FieldTurf infields that keep the complex tournament‑ready. mTrade Park spans roughly 75 acres and features approximately 14 baseball and fast‑pitch fields and five full‑size soccer fields at 328 Highway 314 (Old Sardis Road), a footprint that helped the complex win USSSA Complex of the Year honors in 2025 and drive room nights and visitor spending for Oxford businesses.

Mayor Robyn Tannehill spoke in praise of Ewing during the meeting, and the board framed the resolutions as both gratitude and recognition of essential, day‑to‑day labor that keeps the park operational for a busy spring and summer tournament calendar. Park leadership and the city face the practical task of replacing a longtime grounds manager who helped secure national recognition for the facility and who maintained infrastructure that directly affects tournament scheduling and field availability.

Oxford Utilities General Manager Rob Neely read the resolution for Perry Rogers and told the board that Rogers’ combined duties were broad enough that the utility hired two people to cover his responsibilities after retirement. Rogers’ most recent title was superintendent of the wastewater treatment plant and lab supervisor; Oxford Utilities provides electric service to more than 10,000 customers and water and sewer service to roughly 16,500 customers from its offices at 300 McElroy Drive. Public records include historical payroll entries for wastewater leadership roles, including listings for Rogers in 2024, a reminder of the technical and budgetary dimensions tied to replacing senior operators.

Board agendas and staff requests in spring 2026 show the utility pursuing training and certification for wastewater staff, including plans to send personnel to a Mississippi Rural Water Association wastewater operator certification course in August 2026. That training, combined with Neely’s decision to split Rogers’ duties between two hires, signals active succession planning even as institutional knowledge walks out the door.

Oxford’s pattern of reading retirement resolutions at board meetings continued with these recognitions, as city officials name and thank employees whose routine work supports parks, tournaments and basic utilities. City leaders, including Rob Neely, Brad Freeman and Mayor Robyn Tannehill, are the contacts for questions about staffing and operational follow‑up as the city implements hires and certification steps in the coming months.