Good Friday Tornado proves Rob Lyons’ worth on The Murfreesboro Post

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Good Friday Tornado proves Rob Lyons’ worth

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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer

Posted: Sunday, May 31, 2009 7:18 am

Good Friday Tornado proves Rob Lyons’ worth | City, Rob Lyons, Roger Haley, David Edwards

Rob Lyons, who will become Murfreesboro’s city manager in August, poses at home with his family. From left are Matthew, 14, Rob, Lilly Grace, 4, Susan and Sean, 9. TMP/ Michelle Willard

When Murfreesboro City Manager Roger Haley announced his retirement in March, the city council agreed it was Rob Lyons’ job to lose.

And Lyons stepped up to the challenge during the Good Friday Tornado, taking control of the city departments and making sure everything ran smoothly with Haley out of town.

“I would say he was extremely qualified before the events of Good Friday 2009,” Councilman David Edwards said. “What the disaster did was quantified what an exceptional person we have in our midst.”

Lyons down plays his role in the aftermath of the EF-4 tornado that destroyed countless homes as it ripped a 23.5-mile path through Rutherford County, saying it was really the efforts of all the city’s departments that eased the recovery efforts.

“I am so proud of the job our employees did in response to the tornado,” he said. “It was incredible to see how volunteers, contractors, Smyrna and Nashville all rushed to provide assistance immediately.”

But that quick response couldn’t have happened without Lyons.

He said the city was prepared over time, starting when he wrote its first emergency management plan, which set up an emergency operations center at the Murfreesboro Police Department and had equipment at the ready in case of such a devastating event.

Edwards said the community flooded him with praise for how Lyons and the city handled the tornado.

“I got e-mails. I got phone calls. I was stopped on the street and at church with the same message,” Edwards said. “Murfreesboro has taken care of it right and Rutherford County did it right. That was Rob’s leadership.”

And it was Lyons’ leadership that got him the job. He did such a good job, the city council decided to forego a national search and appoint Lyons as the next city manager earlier this month. Lyons starts his new role in August when Haley officially retires.

“The world needs people who are passionate about their callings,” Edwards said. “Rob is apparently a civil servant as his calling. He’s found a place where he can express his calling in Murfreesboro.”

Lyons said he became so passionate about civil service because of his grandfather, John Dancak, with whom his family lived when he was young.

Dancak owned a small ice cream parlor and was a volunteer firefighter in New Jersey, Lyons said.

“He had a heart of service for others,” he said, adding his grandfather lived two doors down from the volunteer fire department and Lyons spent time there every day.

This experience in his youth led Lyons to study criminal justice in college with an eye to be a police officer, but he later decided to go into city management and received a master’s in public administration.

It ended up being a good decision for Lyons and for the city of Murfreesboro.

In 1996 when the city was looking to add an assistant city manager, Lyons applied for the job because he was “looking for a medium-sized city that was growing, near a major metropolitan area with a university.”

Lyons said he saw the importance of a university to the fabric of a town when he worked in Blacksburg, Va., home to Virginia Tech.

He and his wife, Susan, were looking for the amenities of a big city with small town life.

And he found it.

He also found Murfreesboro is a progressive city and an innovative organization, he said.

“I quickly learned they were on the leading edge of providing programs and services,” Lyons said. “And quality of service is something I will seek to continue in my new role.”

He also learned that Murfreesboro is a great place to raise a family, as cited by Business Week magazine.

“We know what a gem we have as a community, but others outside have recognized it that’s why I’m excited to be city manager,” he said.

Lyons likes it here so much, he’s raising his family – sons Matthew, 14, and Sean, 9, and adopted daughter Lilly Grace, 4 – here. And he’s talked five family members to move here from Florida.

“We’re indicative of lots of families,” he said. Once you get here you realize how special it is.”

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.

Tagged under City, David Edwards, Rob Lyons, Roger Haley

Member Opinions:

By: barrettbear on 5/31/09
Mr. Lyons led the city in the cleanup efforts after the tornado. This is a moment to praise him for a job well done and shows his ability to lead. In any business, we fail to commend those who work under the direction of the captain of the ship. Without the department heads and the employees of every department, it would be impossible to achieve what Mr. Lyons has accomplished. So hail to Mr. Lyons, the department heads and the employees of every department. Working together you all performed an outstanding job in the cleanup efforts of the tornado.

By: dawoodard on 5/31/09
This town and all the residents need a clap on the back. Right after the tornado hit people were out trying to help their neighbors. When we were out about an hour after it hit people were asking us if we needed a bottled water or food. This town is so special I never once heard about looting,Or saw us on national news in a negative manner. The police and all crews did a great job. Not to mention the families had electricity the next day. Thanks Rob and all the people who were out there helping trying to bring hope to so many who lost it all. God has blessed this town and we now know it. God Bless all the angels who were there.