Oxford’s village council selected a new president last week, but not everyone was pleased with the choice.

Council voted 2-1 to elect Joe Frost to the position.

Frost was absent from the Nov. 13 meeting as he was attending a work-related conference in San Francisco, California, but he told this reporter in a phone interview that he’s looking forward to this new leadership opportunity.

“I thank my colleagues for their confidence in me,” he said.

Frost has served on council since his appointment in October 2017. He was elected to a four-year term on Nov. 6.

Prior to council, Frost was employed as the Oxford Downtown Development Authority (DDA) director from July 2015 to February 2017. He left to take a position with his current employer, Main Street Oakland County, an economic development program that provides technical assistance to downtowns.

“Three years ago, I never thought I’d be in this role when I came to this community,” Frost said. “(My family and I) love the community. We love the schools. We love our neighborhood. We love all the neighborhoods. It’s a great place to raise a family. I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to serve.”

As president, Frost would like to see the village host some sessions where officials “listen to our residents” and “see what they’re thinking.”

He plans to continue using his Facebook page, “Joe Frost, Oxford Village Council Member,” to communicate with the public. He likes “sharing things” on it “to get people’s opinions” and “take the temperature of our community.”

Frost wants to help the village’s industrial area grow and fill vacant storefronts in the downtown.

As village president, he will automatically serve on the nine-member DDA board.

Frost also wants to keep the village “focused” on the M-24 construction project scheduled for 2020. The state highway will be completely removed and reconstructed between Drahner Rd. and Harriet St., just north of the village.

“It’s going to have a profound impact on our community and I want to work, through the DDA, with our business owners, property owners (and) merchants to find a way to help mitigate the impact on them,” he said.

The only opposition to Frost’s election as president came from Councilman Erik Dolan, who was critical of Frost’s attendance record at regular and special meetings.

According to Dolan, Frost’s attendance rate for regular meetings is “hovering somewhere in the vicinity of about 50 percent” and for special meetings, such as work-study sessions, his attendance is “somewhere similar, possibly lower.”

“Mr. Frost, to this point, has not, in my opinion, displayed leadership in that regard,” he said.

Dolan feared Frost would not be able to attend DDA board meetings as the village president is required to.

“It appears, to this point, that his schedule prohibits any additional meetings, not to mention the meetings that are here,” he said.

Based on Frost’s attendance, Dolan said, “I don’t necessarily think that we have seen conduct (from him) that’s consistent with what (the president) position requires.”

But meeting minutes show Frost’s attendance record is higher than what Dolan claimed.

Between Oct. 10, 2017 and Nov. 13, 2018, council conducted 35 regular and special meetings. Frost attended 25 of them, giving him at an overall attendance rate of 71.4 percent.

Frost has attended 20 of council’s 26 regular meetings. That’s a rate of 76.9 percent.

When it comes to special meetings, Frost has been present for five of the nine, putting his attendance rate at 55.6 percent.

In response to Dolan’s criticism, Frost told this reporter, “My attendance is not a reflection of my commitment.”

“I have a young family. I have a full-time job. There are times when my council colleagues don’t see the other sacrifices that I make for council,” he said.

For example, Frost said he is the head coach for a 6-and-under hockey team in Lapeer.

“I miss every other practice to be at the village council meetings,” he said. “I have missed work meetings to be at council meetings.”

Frost understands the “perception” regarding his meeting attendance, but he “would argue that (his) being on council is probably more representative of (village) constituents than others” because he and his wife are busy raising three children ages 6, 5 and 1.

“A good percentage of our community is young families,” he said.

Council conducts regular meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month beginning at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are held at 22 W. Burdick St.