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Tullahoma board confirms interim airport manager after pilots urge quick action
Summary
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to confirm Ashley Udyke as interim airport manager after multiple airport users and the search committee urged immediate steps to restore safety and operations; approval is contingent on final contract and Tullahoma Airport Authority sign-off.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen confirmed Ashley Udyke as interim airport manager at a special called meeting on Nov. 20 after public appeals from pilots and business owners who said the airport needed immediate operational leadership.
Pilots and hangar owners described recent safety concerns and operational lapses during the meeting’s public-comment period. “We need somebody to come in, tell us what we don't know, tell us how to fix it, and get us on the right pathway,” said Dr. Bennett, a local physician and aircraft owner, urging the board to approve an interim contract. Rodney Allison, an airport hangar owner, said recent incidents, including a fuel spill and a crash response, showed the airport “desperately” needed management.
Kathy Manis, chair of the airport search subcommittee, told the board the committee had reviewed resumes and recommended Udyke as an experienced interim manager who has handled similar cleanups at other airports. Board members discussed whether to hire Udyke as a W-2 city employee or as an independent contractor. City staff and counsel said they prepared an offer letter so she could be a W-2 employee and be placed on the airport’s insurance policy, avoiding separate city-funded insurance reimbursements.
Aldermen also addressed pay and benefits. One board member referenced a short-term salary figure for the position of $35,000 for three months; staff noted that some benefits would be waived and that the interim hire would be covered under the airport insurance while employed. The mayor called the vote; the motion to confirm Udyke passed as recorded in the meeting transcript (recorded vote: 6–0).
The appointment is contingent on Tullahoma Airport Authority (TAA) approval of a final employment contract. City staff said the interim manager’s role is intended to stabilize operations until a permanent manager is selected. The board congratulated Udyke and closed that agenda item.
What’s next: The appointment depends on final contract terms and TAA approval; staff will proceed with onboarding under the offer-letter arrangement if TAA concurs.
