On Monday, June 25, 2019, Jerome Wyche began his tenure as the City of Madison’s newest City Manager. Wyche gracefully served the Madison County region as the Madison County Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator from 2006 until the time he assumed his current position as City Manager.
Wyche is a well-known figure in the Madison community, more recently known for his part in the “Clean Up Madison” initiative that covered miles upon miles of Madison County roads. Born and raised in Madison, Wyche attended Madison County Training School and graduated in 1966. Shortly thereafter, Wyche joined the United States Air Force (USAF) and spent 21 proud years serving the US, both overseas and stateside. Wyche honorably discharged in 1987 as a Senior Master Sergeant.
Living out west for more than a decade, Wyche became a high school teacher, teaching Advanced Law Enforcement to juniors and seniors in Phoenix, Az., such experience coming from serving as a part of the security police force in the USAF. Wyche became a school administrator five years before moving back to Madison in 2000.
Since his first day, Wyche has met with City department heads, looking forward to city improvement while striving to become service-oriented and transparent. Within the city employment realm, Wyche hopes to help establish trust in each other throughout the City. “That’s what it’s going to take for us to turn the corner,” said Wyche.
“The goal is to let go of ‘turf wars’ (departments allowing themselves to isolate) to concentrate on providing services to the citizens, but most of all [for supervisors] to be sensitive to their employees.” Wyche stated in reference to building a great workforce with his employees. “Cultural ennrichment will always be an area that we need to make sure we are aware of. We have a diverse city, we have a diverse number of employees and people have to recognize that. You have to work together.” Wyche also made the comment, “If you take care of your people, they will take care of you.”
As for his personal vision for the City of Madison, Wyche stated that in five years, he hopes to see the City of Madison having grown in population, benefiting from some increase in revenue. “I would like to believe we’re going to be able to attract some business, which will have an impact on jobs,” said Wyche.
In the local community, Wyche attends Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, where he teaches the adult Sunday School class. He also serves as the Vice-Chair for the Madison County Chamber of Commerce of Tourism and is President-Elect of the Madison Kiwanis Club. Wyche is also the Chair/Executive Director of the Madison County Democratic Party, “as long as it does not interfere with any of my primary duties,” said Wyche. He is married to Cora Wyche and they have four children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren between them.