Oxford will have to wait at least another year to move forward on a state mandate to replace old water lines after being passed over for a state grant, the city council announced Monday.

"We would have loved to have gotten it. We're going to reapply next year," said Mayor Jerry Roseberry. "There's only so much money to go around, as the state is reminding us."

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs received 142 applications requesting $68 million dollars but only had $32 million dollars of grant money to give away. Oxford had applied for a $500,000 grant.

The state mandated that communities create a working plan to replace older pipes made with a certain type of combined asbestos and concrete material.

Roseberry said one of the reasons the DCA gave for declining the application was that Oxford's situation was not urgent.

In other business:

- The city council unanimously approved the county-wide Multi-jurisdictional Solid Waste Management Plan, which would consolidate and expand the Lower River Municipal Solid Waste landfill by filling in the area between current pits, said Councilmember Hoyt Oliver.

- Susan Dale was approved as the city's grant writer and researcher. Dale described some of her previous experience as a hospital grant researcher and administrator.

- The council approved a request to develop the Cousins Center football field with a concession stand, restrooms and parking area for Newton County Recreation Department programs. The question of liability and policing responsibility was raised, and the council determined that the city was responsible for policing but not liable, since the Cousins Center is private property.

- The council rescheduled considering an application to open a non-profit coffeehouse that would be run by Victory Tabernacle Church. Questions were raised about the tax status of the coffeehouse, which would be a commercial entity.

- The city passed an ordinance ammendment prohibiting vehicles over 10,000 pounds from passing through Oxford using local streets instead of Ga. Highway 81.

- Approval was given for installing a sidewalk on Mitchell Street from East Soule Street to Watson Street, to provide safe passage for pedestrians - particularly children walking to school, said Roseberry.