John Coffelt, Editor

Manchester Mayor Marilyn Howard announced Saturday, Feb. 10 that she will not seek re-election. 

“I feel this is my time to pass the torch to someone else,” Howard told the Times, citing time with family as impacting the decision.

The August 1 General Election will include Manchester municipal elections for  mayor, a four year term, and three aldermen seats also for four year terms.  

Howard officially took office as mayor in  2020, after an appointment by the Board of Mayor and Alderman on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020 during a special call meeting, following the death of Mayor Lonnie Norman on Oct. 12, 2020. 

Howard secured the position again in 2022 after she ran unopposed for mayor. 

The deadline to return candidate qualifying petitions for the August 1 general election is noon on Thursday, April 4 to appear on the ballot.   

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.