SHEFFIELD — The former manager of the Tennessee Valley Authority fossil fuel plant has become interim general manager of Sheffield Utilities.

Steve Hargrove recently retired as the manager of 14 TVA fossil fuel plants. He was offered the position of interim general manager in Sheffield after Allen Hughes was abruptly demoted from the post Monday.

Utilities Board member Ann Marks said Hargrove accepted the position Tuesday.

Board Vice Chairman John Adams said Hughes was reassigned to the civil engineering manager’s position, which he held before being named general manager.

“Allen has done a very good job in his position as general manager at Sheffield Utilities,” Adams said.

As part of the reorganization, Tommy Barnes, who held the civil manager’s position, will manage water and wastewater engineering.

“The (Utilities Department), over the past 24 months, has moved some people around and given them different responsibilities for the betterment of the company,” Adams said. “For the past several months, the board has felt we needed to go in a different direction as far as management.”

Adams said Hughes’ salary won’t be affected by the reassignment.

Hughes, who held the position for about eight years, said he had no comment about the change.

Efforts to reach Hargrove on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

Utilities Board Chairman David Johnson stated in a news release that Hargrove’s experience in management and public power will be a tremendous asset to Sheffield Utilities as it moves toward a full-time director. Hargrove has more than 30 years of experience with TVA in various roles, including manager of the Colbert Fossil Plant.

“He has a wealth of experience in management and has much to offer Sheffield Utilities,” Adams said.

Hargrove is a Sheffield native, a graduate of Sheffield High School, the University of North Alabama and the Vanderbilt University-Owen Graduate School of Management. He also is chairman of the Sheffield Board of Education.

Johnson said the city will continue to benefit from Hughes’ 18 years with the department and his knowledge of the city’s infrastructure.

Johnson said in the release that Hughes’ services as a civil engineer will be made available to the mayor and City Council.

“This community is unbelievably fortunate to have the caliber of engineering and management expertise in one department,” Johnson stated in the release. “We are very appreciative of Allen and Tommy for their cooperation. We are very pleased that Steve was willing to come out of retirement to join us in this capacity as we determine the best way to move forward.“

Adams said there were no hard feelings about the changes involving Hughes and Barnes.

“We anticipate a very smooth transition in all this,” he said. “Everybody is on the same page.”

Marks said the utility department will post the general manager’s position and accept applications for the job.

Russ Corey can be reached at 256-740-5738 or russ.corey@TimesDaily.com.