Tyler is 29th Muncie mayor

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN - Mayor Dennis Tyler was anxious, eager and confident as he became Muncie's 29th mayor in front of  more than 300 people on New Year's Day.

 "We will be a people's administration," said Tyler, standing besides his wife, Vickie.

 The inauguration of the first Democratic mayor in 20 years and since the new Muncie City Hall was built marked a change in direction from the past administration that was all about money. In her final days, Sharon McShurley was waving around a $6,000 accountant's report showing the city had a $5 million cash balance. And then she drove off in a new BMV 650i coup that sells for around $80,000.

 Tyler thanked McShurley for her service, explaining how being an elected official was one of the toughest and thankless jobs in the world. Looking out at the diversity of the crowd, the new mayor  promised he would move the community forward amid a stubborn economy that still leaves too many people unemployed, underemployed or facing home foreclosures.

 "We need to be in the people business," said Tyler, and let the people now the administration was there to work for them.

 It's no surprise that Tyler said his first priority was jobs and addressing  continued high unemployment and also promote pre-school education initiatives he and other community leaders viewed during a recent trip to Cincinnati. He also plans to address some inner city neighborhood needs with help from new Community Development Director Terri Whitt Bailey whose smile can make anything happen.

 Tyler smiled when Delaware Circuit Court 1 Judge Marianne Vorhees handed the new mayor the keys to his office after swearing him in. Her father, Francis Lafferty, was Tyler's campaign manager and longtime party supporter.

 With $5 million out of the gate to run city government, Tyler promised not to put any undue burdens on Muncie taxpayers. And he expected bumps in the road, not the kind that his new street commissioner Duke Campbell could fix. "I don't expect to hit any home runs," said Tyler.

 There's definitely nothing to stop Tyler from carrying out an agenda of more jobs, better education, and a rebuilt inner city given Democrats control city and county governments, while some Muncie Community School leaders also supported his campaign.

  The sign of the new administration revealed itself Sunday as Tyler and his family looked out the window of the mayor's office that faces Tuhey Pool and White River. The sun peaked out and skies clearly by the end of the day.

 The more than 300 people that crowded into city hall auditorium represented many of Tyler's supporters and other Democratic Party leaders and loyalists. Some just wanted to mark history of a Democrat being back in the mayor's office since the late Mayor James P. Carey who served only a handful of days in the new city hall he built in 1991.

 His widow, Marilyn Carey, was in the audience,  and said, "I think it is the beginning of a new era." That means making people the priority and opening the doors of city hall.

 Former State Sen. Sue Errington  predicted unity with Tyler's administration since Democrats also have a 7-2 majority on Muncie City Council that reorganizes on Monday with new members Doug Marshall and Nora Powell. Tyler was a former state representative who worked with Errington at the Legislature.  "I think that will make a big difference in what hey can achieve," said Errington.

 She also predicted Tyler would do everything he could to bring money and resources to make the economy go. Errington plans to run again for the Statehouse, this time for Tyler's seat in District 34. She will face party favorite Mike White who was elected last week by Democratic precinct committeemen to fill that vacancy.

 Dan Allen, former chief of the Muncie Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, believed Tyler would make "an outstanding mayor" with a history at the Statehouse of working across both sides of the aisle.. 

 And Allen said Tyler worked on every economic development project during the last four years despite what McShurley and others said, and had the experience to promote development initiatives.

 Tyler expects to have some more details of his agenda in a few weeks, as the first day at city hall begins on Tuesday. Besides swearing in council members and City Clerk Phyllis Reagon, members of Tyler's administration also were sworn in and include new Police Chief Steve Stewart and Fire Chief Eddie Bell besides City Controller Audrey Jones, who was Yorktown deputy clerk.

 Tyler was a career Muncie firefighter, holding a captain's rank when he retired. And he served as state representative for five years, besides being a former local Democratic Party chairman.