Spent last 2.5 years with DDA
By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
OXFORD — The Oxford Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Board of Directors voted 7-1 to appoint Kimberly Smith as its full-time executive director during its board meeting on Oct. 21.
Board Member Rod Charles cast the lone nay vote, and Board Member Leigh Ann Knaus was absent.
The board had the option of appointing Smith as an interim director for a limited amount of time while looking for other candidates, but voted to hire Smith in part because Smith already worked as the DDA’s projects and media coordinator from April 2022 to May 2024, and as the DDA’s assistant director since.

“I knew with (former Executive Director Kelly Westbrook’s) departure that I would be kind of stepping into an interim-type role of supporting the DDA organization, but I am thrilled to be able to move into the executive director role permanently,” Smith said.
Board Member Scott Taylor said Smith is especially valuable due to how hands-on the position is, how much of a part of the director’s life the position is, knowing operations and other factors involved to keep the DDA running smoothly.
“I personally think, at ($60,000,) you’re never going to get anything close to what we have (in Smith,)” Taylor said.
Smith told the Oxford Leader that the DDA is in the midst of one of its busiest times of the year, and said this is her third year going through most of the DDA’s upcoming events.
Despite voting against hiring Smith at the meeting, Charles said he agreed with Taylor, that Smith has done “a good job in a lot of areas” and that the two could have ended up voting to hire the same candidate.
Still, Charles also said “I think there’s good optics at least going through a process,” and “I don’t see why we would not want to follow a process.”
Taylor said a process is still being followed. That process is “you’re hiring the person that’s already been training for the job for two years.” Taylor then said that Smith is local to the community, has done the job already, is willing to work for what the board wants to pay her and wants the job.
“Doing a process for optics when you end up hiring the same person, you get (people saying) ‘look at the time and money you guys wasted. You could have hired the person who’s (already) there,’” Taylor said.
Board Member and Township Representative Catherine Colvin said the process of searching and hiring a candidate will still have to be done to find an assistant to help Smith.
“I certainly don’t want to rush through the hiring process for my replacement, but … even if we were to get very lucky and have somebody start quickly, there is that initial period of learning and developing and growing,” Smith said. “And so I do consider it to be beneficial that I’ve been through the process before so that hopefully it will reduce some of the challenges that may have been there had it been somebody else.”
Board Chair Pete Scholz made the motion to hire Smith at a salary of $72,000 to be approved by village council. A benefit package will be worked out in contract negotiations, according to Scholz’s motion.
Appointing Smith means “the wage and benefit package would be then finalized at the November meeting going to the Village Council for their approval in November,” Scholz said. “But at the same time, the wage would take effect right now as opposed to a step wage.”
Scholz also said the board needs to post and advertise a job opening for the assistant position, and that there was discussion of making it a full-time position.
Colvin suggested sending the issue back to the org committee for them to create a job description “and go forward from there.”
Smith’s appointment comes nearly two weeks after Westbrook submitted a letter of resignation on Oct. 9, and completed her final week as executive director during the week of Oct. 16.
“This decision was not an easy one, as my commitment to this community, my forever home, and to the vision we’ve shared remains strong,” Westbrook wrote. “Nevertheless, I am confident that this transition will be in the best interest of the organization, and the continued progress of the downtown area.”
Smith said Westbrook was “phenomenal” as executive director and said she hopes to continue the legacy Westbrook created and grow the DDA in her absence.
Westbrook’s resignation was also accepted during the meeting. Village Council’s next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 12, at 7 p.m.