Ryan Wallace, the City Manager of Crescent and an ex officio member of the Guthrie-Edmond Regional Airport (GERA) Board, resigned from the board last week following what he called a series of political pressures that left him unable to serve in the role as he intended.
“I would like to thank you all for the time that I’ve been able to spend with you here on this board,” Wallace said while addressing the airport board on Jan. 13. “I’ve served as the ex-officio seat for about a year now, maybe a little longer, and it’s been an honor to work with each of you.”
“At this time, I’m going to resign my position here on the board,” Wallace continued. “I’m very proud of what has been happening here. I think the board has made great decisions and has furthered a wonderful agenda for the airport. There are some things going on behind the scenes that I’m not going to elaborate on, but they’re incompatible with my ability to serve on this board at this time.”
Wallace left the boardroom immediately following his remarks. Board Chairman Richard Geib responded by calling Wallace’s departure a significant loss.
“That’s a real loss for this board. It really is,” Geib said to the remaining board members. “That is a quality individual who has made significant contributions to this airport.”
Following the meeting, Wallace spoke with Guthrie News Page and provided additional context surrounding his decision to resign.
Wallace said he received a phone call earlier in the day from Guthrie City Council member and fellow airport board member Grant Aguirre. The conversation centered on the upcoming election for board chairperson, a routine process, in the past, in which the chair alternated between Guthrie and Edmond representatives.
According to Wallace, Aguirre told him he had become aware of a “coup” by Edmond board members to nominate Wallace as chair. Wallace said he was willing to serve and had ideas for the board, including developing a long-term strategic vision and allowing Executive Director Caden Young greater autonomy over routine operational decisions.
However, Wallace said Aguirre framed the situation differently, emphasizing his own political influence and relationships with the Guthrie City Council and the mayor.
“The only reason we get support from the City of Guthrie is because of my relationship with the council,” Wallace quoted Aguirre as saying. “Furthermore, I have the relationship with the mayor, and that’s why the mayor has been so involved with this board.”
Wallace said he viewed those comments as politicizing the board and conflicting with his belief that airport operations should remain nonpartisan.
“Grant, that sounds like you’re focused on your ego,” Wallace said in the GNP interview. “You politicizing this seat does not help us to build consensus with Edmond, and it’s not in the best interest of the board. I think it’s wrong to do that.”
Wallace said that, feeling pressured and wanting to protect colleagues from potential consequences, he decided just minutes before the meeting to resign his seat.
Reflecting on the decision afterward, Wallace said he has had some remorse and wished he could have confronted the political maneuvering more directly.
Wallace’s remarks come against the backdrop of previous political friction involving Aguirre on the Guthrie City Council. Last year, multiple council meetings focused on the appointment of the city’s vice mayor. In a narrow 4-3 vote, Councilman Jeff Taylor was selected as vice mayor, defeating the renomination of then-Vice Mayor Grant Aguirre. The debate highlighted differing views among council members regarding leadership roles and expectations. Related article: Jeff Taylor named Guthrie’s vice mayor following 4-3 vote
Guthrie News Page spoke with Aguirre on Monday regarding Wallace’s resignation and the events leading up to it.
Aguirre, who says aviation and flying are an “obsession” for him since he was eight years old, confirmed that he contacted Wallace before the meeting and said the conversation was centered on the upcoming chair election.
“I did call Ryan, and I said, ‘Hey, it’s coming up. I’m vice chair; I was chair before. What are you thinking about this?’” Aguirre said. “And we talked about that.”
Aguirre said he expressed interest in serving as chair again after hearing rumors that Wallace might be nominated.
“I said, ‘I would really kind of appreciate it if you would allow me to be chair,’” Aguirre said.
According to Aguirre, Wallace responded by expressing concern that the situation had become political and that the airport board should remain nonpolitical, a characterization Aguirre said he strongly disagreed with.
“I sort of became apoplectic at that because the only way you get benefits for the airport is by being political,” Aguirre said. “You get money from your congresswoman because you’re political. You point out to her that this airport is a joint product of two communities in her district.”
Aguirre said securing resources for the airport requires advocacy beyond routine governance and that political engagement plays a role in that process.
“If you want the airport to have these things, it’s not just about making regulations,” he said. “It’s about securing resources for that entity.”
Aguirre said he believes the situation with Wallace may have stemmed from a misunderstanding and said he regrets any hurt feelings.
“I think it’s unfortunate,” Aguirre said. “I think it’s a misunderstanding. But that’s the reason I was interested in the position at all — because I think this is important.”
Aguirre also noted that he believes leadership of the airport board should include the ability to articulate a broader vision for the airport’s impact on the community.
“I think it’s important that you be able to articulate a vision that goes beyond just the entity itself,” Aguirre said. “And since I have a PhD in marketing, I think I’m pretty good at doing that.”
The board ultimately voted Gieb as the chairman for the upcoming year and Aguirre as vice chairman.
The open ex officio position on the airport board will now need to be filled.
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