| Mike Pirtle: Lyons’ performance, promise earned city manager job |
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By: MIKE PIRTLE, Post Publisher
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Posted: Sunday, May 31, 2009 7:18 am
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Rob Lyons got his job the old-fashioned way – he earned it.
Murfreesboro City Council earlier this month named Lyons to replace longtime City Manager Roger Haley upon his retirement in August.
The move came after the council, declaring the job Lyons to lose, decided to conduct a national search for the soon-to-be-open position.
The thinking was that Lyons was a superb candidate who had paid his dues with 13 years as deputy city manager, a great understanding of city operations and history and a well established recognition of this community, what makes it unique and what is important to its citizens.
But, since city manager positions in Murfreesboro come open about every two decades the council rightfully thought it would be good to measure Lyons against all comers nationally, generally expecting him to stand taller in the end.
Then tragedy struck out community with the Good Friday Tornado.
Huge destruction, two tragic deaths and numerous injuries resulted from a twister that carved a line not only right through out city but almost right through our county.
Unlike floods, fires and some other disasters, not much can be done to mitigate a tornado’s destruction. You can warn people to take shelter and certainly reduce death and injury, as happened here but still did not prevent the deaths of a young mother and her baby.
Beyond telling people to find a safe place, the only response to a tornado comes afterward.
With the massive extent of the damage inflicted here, the response was simply phenomenal. Emergency services personnel were all over the damaged area, seeking victims, treating and transporting the injured, securing the area and handling traffic and communications.
The response drew a positive reaction from virtually the entire community
Hundreds of people pulled that off. The police, the firefighters, the ambulance personnel and emergency management folks did their jobs and did them well.
Contributing hugely to their ability to perform so magnificently was a disaster plan Lyons had helped produced some years ago and his presence at the center as it was implemented to make sure it went off and to respond to the unexpected.
This community has seen more than its share of tornadoes strikes in the past 15 or so years. The response this time was the best ever as various agencies learned and prepared from the past.
And, Lyons had caused a coordinated plan to be prepared, using resources at their fullest.
Knowing Lyons had the expertise and temperament to run the city, its many functions, recognized the expectations of always moving forward, improving and more often than not leading the way for other cities, had the advantage of years of learning from Haley’s excellent oversight of city finances, the disaster response correctly prompted the council to keep a winner.
The city leaders recognized they had a good thing and moved to make sure they kept it.
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Let’s see something like 3 percent of our state’s population has a concealed carry handgun permit.
So, how come 95 percent of our legislature’s time this session has been spent on letting permit holders carry a weapon just about everywhere – well, except for the legislative offices where lawmakers don’t want guns around them.
Although I have questions about allowing guns in areas where alcohol is served and will start frequenting places that are posted against such, not being inclined to be the innocent bystander if some gun-toter decides to defend himself and cannot account for the eventual whereabouts of each and every bullet fired, a majority of our state reps feel a gun in every pocket everywhere is a good thing.
OK, we get it.
But, a lot of citizens are wondering if the legislature could maybe do something for the 97 percent of us not directly impacted.
A lot more people than 3 percent want to be able to buy wine in grocery stores. But, the liquor lobby is obviously even stronger than the gun lobby.
And, maybe our legislature isn’t aware that economic times are kinda tough and it would be helpful is our elected folks would at least spend some times seeing if they can’t do something to help us.
Then, again, maybe it’s better if we are just left to our own devices. The legislature would probably make everybody buy a gun to stimulate the economy.
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Wow, lots of things to do and enjoy this June. Well, if it doesn’t rain all month. |
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