Richard Crawford has taken flight from Warren County Memorial Airport after almost nine years as manager.

Dr. Mike Roberts jumped from the Warren County Memorial Airport Commission into the pilot’s seat to oversee day-to-day operations as the airport’s interim manager.

“I was chairman of the Airport Commission, which hires and fires whomever sits in that chair,” said Roberts, as he pointed to the manager’s desk. “Because of Richard’s sudden departure, I became interim airport manager of the airport. So there won’t be any appearance of conflict of interest, I resigned from the Airport Commission. I didn’t want to be my own boss. That wouldn’t look good and it wouldn’t work anyway so I resigned.” 

Roberts has been a member of the Airport Commission for more than three decades. 

“There were some things that needed attention before we hired somebody, like completing the new fueling system,” said Roberts. “We didn’t want to hire someone new and say ‘here, you figure this out.’ We didn’t want to do that. We wanted to get everything in order so we can hire the new person and they can hit the ground running.”

It is unknown when the process to find a replacement will begin.

“I can’t speak for the Airport Commission,” said Roberts. “At some point that process will begin. They will post it. They will interview. They’ll determine the benefit package. Warren County government sets the budget, so the benefit package must fall within the approved budget. When they will do it would be a guess on my part.”

Roberts expressed a desire to return to the Airport Commission when he’s no longer needed as interim director, but he has zero interest in leaving retirement to return to active work life as a permanent airport manager.

“I was happily retired. I’m anxious to get back to my retired life. I hope it won’t take too long for them to get to the point where they are ready to interview.”

Crawford was named airport manager in late 2011. He could not be reached for comment.