KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Just before wrapping up his last meeting, the Tullahoma Utilities Authority (TUA) Board of Directors took a moment to thank outgoing President Brian Skelton for his nearly two decades of service.

At the end of February, it was announced that long-time TUA President Brian Skelton would be departing from TUA after serving as president for 18 years. Skelton was selected as the new CEO/President of utility company Riviera Utilities in Foley, Ala., and will assume the role in May. Soon afterward, the board conducted its search for a new president, and unanimously selected Vice President of Electric and Fiber Allen Potter as the new TUA President and approved the contract in its March meeting.

Prior to being selected, Potter was promoted to Vice President of Electric and Fiber following the retirement of Brian Coate, and has been a member of TUA since 2008 as a Senior Engineering Associate.

Potter was the first to thank Skelton during his staff report, stating that he could not list all of things Skelton has done for both TUA and the community.

“The benefits that he and the board have provided keeps the moral up,” Potter said. “We have an excellent team because of him.”

He added that also could not thank Skelton enough for everything he had done for his career since he joined in 2008.

“I’m thankful for him and he’s been a phenomenal asset to TUA and this community as a whole,” Potter said. “It’s a huge loss for us and I am going to miss him tremendously.”

Following Potter, during their board member reports each member had the chance to address Skelton. Board member Mike Stanton said “Sayōnara” to Skelton and thanked him for everything he had done during his tenure. Board member Jimmy Blanks followed up and said he appreciated serving with him as a member of the board for six years, and said TUA’s loss was Foley’s gain and they will miss him.

“You moved here as a young man with a wife and two young kids,” Blanks said as he took a moment to compose himself. “You raised a family here and I was hoping you would retire here but life changes. Go do great work where you are going. I know you will.”

Board member Patty Deen was next, and she praised Skelton for presenting the board with his item of giving a complimentary internet service waiver for existing LightTube customers on the May 10 bill, highlighting that a small utility can have great fiscal management to be able to do similar things to its customers.

“I think the whole community of Tullahoma is going to be appreciative of that and your overall leadership over the years here,” Deen said. “I know I’ve appreciated it in the short time we’ve known each other.”

Mayor Ray Knowis, serving as the liaison for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, thanked Skelton for recruiting him to be a part of the TUA board.

“I didn’t much want to do that but I’m glad I did,” Knowis said. “Thank you for encouraging me to do that and I have enjoyed working on this board.”

Board Chairman JT Northcutt was the final member to speak and he said it was amazing to see a utility authority in a town as big as Tullahoma receive a national award, which he said was possible by the leadership of both Skelton and the team he assembled. After thanking each Vice President, he told Skelton that he was a great leader because he was a people person, and many of the technical accomplishments that TUA had achieve was partly due to Skelton caring about people.

“What you have done for Tullahoma is amazing, and what you have done for this organization, this community and this area has been amazing,” Northcutt said. “I’ve had the pleasure to be with you for eight years. I love you, and your family. Keep going, we’re going to miss you.”

Skelton then took a moment give his last comments as President to the board. He first thanked Clem Reese, Fred Nelms, Bob Van Patten, Janice Bowling and Majorie Collier for picking him to take the helm of the utility in 2006. Skelton said the team at TUA has accomplished a lot during his time, which included having services be more reliable, costs being more economical, LightTube fiber internet, having electric AMI system for both electric and water, improved LED street lights, improved customer service, improved employee benefits and so on. He added those were accomplishments he was proud of as President. Skelton said when he first came on there was 65 employes, and now TUA has grown to 85 employees, which includes new divisions in the company like LightTube.

“Out of those 85 employees, 70 were hired by me so that’s how many people I have touched in that period of time,” Skelton said.

Skelton said he is leaving TUA in great shape, with plenty of room to grow under Potter’s leadership. He then thanked all current and former members of the board for their part of involving the organization from TUB (Tullahoma Utilities Board) to TUA today.

“Each of you had an influence on making TUA a better organization for our customers and our employees,” Skelton said to the board.

He then, pushing back tears, thanked Shannon Hamblin for her “unyielding dedication” to keep him on task, and he thanked the Vice Presidents he worked with over years, including Scott Young, Dwight Miller, Brian Coate, Jason Ray, Mary Mealer and Potter.

“Y’all did a good job making look good, each of you do,” Skelton said.

He then thanked his wife Monica, and his sons Robert and Heath. With tears in his eyes, he said they moved 18 years ago to make Tullahoma their home, which they did.

“It’s not easy to leave but we will cherish all of the friends we made during this time,” he said. “I thank you all.”

All the board members and staff in attendance gave Skelton a standing ovation before adjourning Skelton’s last meeting as President. Skelton will retire in mid-May.