Royce Lyles died last week. His name may not be familiar to everyone, but he played an significant part in the city’s history during the past 50 years.
I first met Lyles in 1968 when I wrote a newspaper story about the former Navy officer being named treasurer for the new consolidated city of Jacksonville. He quickly moved up to become finance director for Mayor Hans Tanzler.
People today may not understand how difficult it was to form an entirely new government. New laws, new procedures and new policies had to be written and all of it needed to be budgeted. Lyles, using primitive computers, fashioned a budget for the city, working long hours seven days a week, recalls Bob Johnson, former City Council auditor.
Lyles carefully managed the city’s fiscal affairs as the new government began a streak of reducing property tax rates for its first ten years.
In the early 1970s the Jacksonville Electric Authority got caught with long-term oil contracts when the oil cartel tripled the cost of oil. Because it relied entirely on oil to produce electricity, local rates soared.
People blamed the utility and several managers were fired. Lyles became managing director of the electric authority under Mayor Jake Godbold.
He helped get the authority under control, diversified its fuel supply and helped lower electricity bills. Within a few years Jacksonville’s bills were the lowest in the state.
Under his leadership, for example, the utility built the St. Johns River Power Park, which produced relatively low-cost electricity for some 30 years.
“His calm, steady let’s-get-to-work demeanor and style helped keep things stable,” said Walt Bussells, who was chief financial officer under Lyles and followed him as managing director.
“A man of few words and a lot of deeds.”
Lyles had been in poor health for the past few years. He is survived by his widow, Ruth, two sons and a daughter.
