July 3, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
The City of Smithville has a new airport manager.
Chelsea H. Jones has been hired to succeed Katelyn Sanders who recently left for another career move.
Mayor Josh Miller made the announcement during a special meeting of the mayor and aldermen last Monday, June 26.
Jones, a resident of Murfreesboro, has an education background in aviation. She earned her bachelor’s degree B.S. in Aerospace Administration in the fall of 2018 and a Master of Science M.S. in Aviation Safety and Security in the fall of 2020. Prior to college, Jones attended Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro where she graduated with Honors in 2014.
“Aviation management is something I would love to continue to pursue,” wrote Jones in her resume. “I have dedicated the last three years of my life towards furthering the education of future aviation personnel. The prospect of stepping back from the education field into the industry itself and into a position that better suits my degrees is very exciting,” Jones contined.
“With my bachelor’s degree in airline administration and a master’s degree in aviation safety and security, I am very comfortable with managerial and instructing roles. This characteristic has been further enhanced by my time as the administrator for MTSU’s NASA Focus Lab, in which I ran the airline simulation and oversaw the students, teachers’ assistants, and consultants that were part of the team I oversaw. I am confident in myself for my ability to branch out into a fulltime industry position, and the Smithville Municipal Airport would be a wonderful opportunity. My passion for aviation is “plane” to see and I would very much love to further my knowledge, career, and experience by formally joining the workforce and stepping into a role in which I believe I can flourish. I have worked part time under John Black, Executive Director of Smyrna Airport, for the past 2 years and with his tutelage believe the information he has passed along would be very applicable towards the running and day to day safe operations of Smithville’s airport,” wrote Jones.
Meanwhile, Mayor Miller and Alderman Shawn Jacobs commended members of the city’s airport advisory board for their leadership and presented two of them, Chairman Roth Terrell and member Josh Williams plaques in appreciation for their service.
“They have done an outstanding job while we have been down an airport manager,” said Mayor Miller. “Anytime someone volunteers a lot of their time and not getting paid for it, I think that speaks in great volume. I wanted to recognize them at tonight’s meeting,” he said.
Alderman Jacobs, who is also a member of the airport board, presented the plaques to Terrell and Williams which read” For your sincere and loyal dedication shown to the Smithville Airport. Rejuvenated and rekindled are we for knowing and working with you. Thank you for everything you have done”.
In other business, the aldermen awarded a paving bid to Copeland Paving of Cookeville at the price of $114 per ton. Two other companies, Rogers Group and Tinsley Asphalt of Tullahoma had also submitted bids. Much of the paving work will be done on West Main Street.
The aldermen also adopted an ordinance on first reading to establish $25,000 as the maximum amount for purchases without public advertisement and competitive bidding.
According to the ordinance, the City of Smithville is subject to the provisions of the “Municipal Purchasing Laws of 1983” and this law permits municipalities to increase the dollar amount of purchases requiring public advertisement and competitive bidding. The governing body of the city has determined that it is in the best interest of the city to increase the amount from the current level of $10,000 to $25,000.
With passage of the ordinance, public advertisement and competitive bidding shall be required for the purchase of all goods and services exceeding an amount of $25,000 except for those purchases specifically exempted from advertisement and bidding by the Municipal Purchasing Act of 1983.
Three written quotations are required whenever possible for purchases costing less than the $25,000 bid threshold adopted for competitive bidding and public advertisement, but more than 40% of the threshold amount.