After little more than a year on the job, Bowling Green Municipal Utilities General Manager Brian Skelton resigned abruptly Monday morning after a closed BGMU board meeting.

No reason was given for his sudden departure in the three-sentence press release announcing the move, and BGMU officials were tight-lipped.

&#8220We’re referring all questions to Miles McDaniel,” board member Mark Alcott said.

McDaniel, BGMU manager of business development and marketing, said he was unable to comment on the reasons or motivation for Skelton’s departure, which will be effective Jan. 10.

&#8220He turned in his resignation, the board accepted that,” McDaniel said. &#8220Bill Borders is the interim general manager, and a search will begin immediately.”

Borders is electrical systems manager. He plans no changes to the utility’s operation, he said.

&#8220Everything’s just going to be business as usual,” Borders said. &#8220We’ll just continue doing our jobs.”

Skelton could not be reached for comment in his office or at home this morning.

Larry Miller, manager of BGMU since 1999, announced his retirement in January 2004. After a broad search, Skelton was hired June 9, 2004, from his job as director of Opelika (Ala.) Light & Power.

He was scheduled to start work by Sept. 1, 2004, paid $115,000 a year to manage BGMU’s 22,600 electric customers, 15,000 water customers and 165 employees.

According to Skelton’s resume, the Bells, Tenn., native holds an electrical engineering degree from the University of Tennessee, and a master’s degree in engineering management from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn. He had a succession of engineering and management positions with Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division from 1985 to 2000, and was director of Opelika Light & Power from October 2000 until hired by BGMU.