ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — There is more drama at Northeast Florida Regional Airport.
As the airport continues to search for an executive director, Kevin Harvey, the interim director, has resigned.
The sudden resignation threw off Monday's night St. Johns County Airport Authority Board Meeting agenda.
Including bringing a commercial airline to the airport.
During public comment at the meeting, airport employee, Matt O'Toole, read from what he said is Harvey's resignation letter.
“My decision to resign is a direct result of recent actions taken by the St Johns County Airport Authority Board of Directors, which have significantly impacted my ability to continue my role with the organization," O'Toole read.
O'Toole continued to read the letter and listed reasons Harvey, who was not at the meeting, resigned.
Including lack of respect and support from the board, which oversees the airport.
“I appreciate Matt [O'Toole] reading it to the media for us and even though there could be many rebuttals to that we have too much character to address it, so we do appreciate his [Harvey's] service," board member, Reba Ludlow, said.
In March, Harvey took over as interim executive director after longtime executive director, Ed Wuellner was ousted by the board.
In the same meeting, the board voted to appoint Jaime Topp as its new interim executive director.
Topp said he has decades of aviation experience.
Despite a short-term solution, the board wasn’t ready to make any long-term commitment to bring a commercial airline to the airport.
“I don’t want to have an interim director that’s here for a few months be tasked with making these life altering decisions for an executive director that we’ve yet to hire," board member, Michelle Cash-Chapman, said.
"I hear you, but we have to present ourselves everyday as an airport that's open for business," board member, Robert Olson, said.
In March, the board discussed bringing Avelo Airlines to the airport.
Avelo wanted to bring routes to New Haven, Connecticut, Wilmington, Delaware, and Raliegh/Durham, North Carolina.
A deal never happened.
“Avelo has been in communication with UST’s air service consultants due to their work with the current airports Avelo serves. We told them the line of communication would be open but have not made any contact other than that. If the airport wants to proceed with any conversations, we are available. It is our understanding that the Board was going to discuss possibly re-engaging with Avelo at tonight’s meeting. Apart from that, there is nothing further to discuss," Avelo said in a statement to First Coast News.
At Monday's meeting, the majority of the board voted to postpone picking up the phone once again.
“We don’t have any of the details I think it would be appropriate for our next executive director to take a look at this," board member, Jennifer Liotta said.
“I agree with you, but we have slow walked since Avelo came to us. It has been slow walked," Olson said.
The board says it will hold two workshops in August to narrow down executive director candidates.