Edward “Bubby” Lyons spent his first two days behind the mayor’s desk at Mandeville City Hall acclimating himself to the workings of the city and educating himself about the its financial state.

When asked why an 80-year-old retiree would want to take on a city, especially a city that is currently being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for corruption, Lyons said he felt it was his duty.

“I would be remiss in my duties with the qualifications I have to not have submitted my application,” Lyons said. “Even at my age, this is something I felt I knew and that I could do.”

Edward "Bubby" Lyons

Lyons brings with him a wealth of experience in local government.

He served as mayor of Houma from 1978 to 1984 and then served as president of Terrebonne Parish for four years. Prior to that he served for eight years on the Terrebonne Parish Police Jury.

“I get great satisfaction out of public service,” he said. “I know local government, and I never aspired to anything higher than local government. That’s where you are the closest to the people and can do the most good.”

Lyons is also no stranger to the Northshore. He started coming to Mandeville in 1965 as a weekend visitor, and in 1973 he and his wife, Joan, purchased a vacation home in Mandeville. In 1996 they moved to Mandeville permanently to be closer to their children, many of who had already relocated to the Mandeville area with their families.

In 2000, the Mandeville City Council first sought out Lyons’ experience when it asked him to fill outgoing Councilman Jack McGuire’s seat for five months until an election could be held for that seat.

When Eddie Price resigned and City Council member Adelaide Boettner once again asked him to come out of retirement to help the city and submit his application to be considered to fill the seat of interim mayor, Lyons said he was not surprised.

“I am probably the most qualified person to fill this seat,” he said, adding he has no intention of just filling a seat.

“I’m not going to just sit in this chair,” he said. “I am going to do the things that I feel need to be done.”

With only five to seven months, depending on if there is a run off in the spring election, Lyons acknowledges he has little time to have much of an impact on the big picture when it comes to Mandeville. By law, Lyons cannot run for mayor next year.

However, he also makes note that he is coming in at a pivotal time for the city, but said from what he learned talking to members of the staff Monday, the city is “in excellent shape.”

Lyons has decided one of his first tasks as interim mayor will be fill the vacant police chief’s position.

“I will fill it,” he said.

“It is time for the police force to know who their boss is going to be,” he said. “It is unfair to them to go on for another five to seven months without one.”

Capt. Ron Ruple has been serving as interim police chief since former chief Tom Buell stepped down last year.

Lyons said he has met with the city’s human resources department and does not see why the administration cannot handle accepting applications and assessing qualification as it has done with other positions.

He does not see the need to do a nationwide search, adding that he has hired police chiefs for city’s before, and has immediately initiated the process to find one for Mandeville.