Jeff Damron can take the word “interim” off his title as Tullahoma has hired him as its new City Administrator.

It didn’t take long for Damron to be offered up for the full-time position as Alderman Kurt Glick went on the offensive as soon as discussion about filling the city administrator seat began at the June 1 special-called meeting.

“My motion is to end the selection process and offer the regular city administrator position to interim City Administrator Jeff Damron without contract,” Glick declared, noting the city administrator position would be a regular city position and not a contracted one.

Alderman Busch Thoma pumped the brakes on the process while noting that Damron, during his interim service, has proven to be “the candidate” when it came to getting the full-time nod.

“My question is the contract,” he said. “Haven’t we always had a contract with all of our city administrators?”

Mayor Lynn Sebourn corrected him that contracts have not always been part of the city administrator position.

Glick responded that “the most successful city administrator the city has had” served 20 years without a contract. “The last two who served a few years each both had contracts, and part of the problem we had was the contracts.”

Former City Administrator Jason Quick sued the city over breach of contract before he left the position.

City Attorney Brittany Hoskins agreed with Glick, saying the city is better off going without a contract.

“One of the biggest issues we’ve had with recent city administrators is the contract,” she said. “I agree that other employees are subject to the personnel regulations, and city administrators should be as well.”

Mayor Sebourn expressed concern about bypassing the selection process. “We’ve gotten in trouble in the past with that, and I’m concerned about how that looks for Mr. Damron. I’m a big fan of Mr. Damron. I just don’t think it reflects well on our process.”

Glick countered that he had looked through the other resumes the city had received.

“There wasn’t anybody that really jumped out at me,” he said. “As a matter of fact, over the past four months, Jeff Damron has jumped out at me even more so than ever.”

Glick said going through the process would drag out a lot of time and would involve bringing a lot of people in. “And then we are going to arrive at the same decision as we are going to arrive to tonight,” he said.

Alderman Sernobia McGee expressed concern about those who have turned in resumes. “I don’t think it would be a good look to those who applied,” she said.

Thoma suggested the city send communications to applicants thanking them for their interest in the position. “I think we have the right person,” Thoma said, noting Damron has already saved the city $125,000 on medical alone. “He took the bull by the horns.”

Alderman Matthew Bird urged patience, calling it a “very public hiring process” where the city should not cut corners. Alderman Jimmy Mathis pointed out that the city had gone by the “process” on the previous two city administrators.

“And you see where we are now,” he noted. “We don’t need to prolong this. We need to hire him.”

Glick reiterated that since Damron would likely be the candidate after interviews of other hopefuls, there would be no use putting applicants through a “dog and pony show”.

When asked if he would accept the position, Damron replied that he would accept the job and noted that if there are ever five board members who think he is not doing a good job, he would leave. As for the lack of a contract, Damron said he would rather work under the same rules as the other 185 city employees.

Damron was voted in unanimously, 6-0. Alderman Bobbie Wilson was absent from the meeting.