Dave Lyons named Dewey Beach Volunteer of the Year

Everyone deserves a voice, said Dave Lyons, Dewey Beach 2024 Volunteer of the Year. 

“They’re coming to us with real-world problems,” Lyons said of the residents and business owners who appear with requests before town committees. “It’s a balancing act.”

Town commissioners voted unanimously April 12 to honor Lyons for his service as chair of the charter and code committee and member of the planning and zoning commission. He will be recognized at the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce installation and awards luncheon Wednesday, May 8.

The self-described tree-hugging nature lover said the amount of growth and change occurring in Sussex County is unprecedented, unmanaged and frightening. In Dewey, the size of homes being built grew, he said, while the code didn’t address how building styles had changed.

It’s important to preserve what’s unique and beautiful about Dewey, he said, nodding to the town’s recent passage of a strengthened tree ordinance.

“It’s a way of life,” he smiled, alluding to the town’s unofficial tagline. “We were worried about the pace in which trees were being taken down.”

Educating residents and business owners is very important, Lyons said. The town participates in FEMA’s national flood insurance program, he said, and must track every change made on a property through building permits.

“It’s painful but necessary to get the discount,” he said.

The rules are geared to help homes survive a flood if it happens, he said, noting at least two-thirds of the town is in a flood zone. Right now, committee members are debating whether they can loosen some requirements and still be in compliance with the discount program. 

Documenting changes through building permits also provides a level of safety for the property owner, Lyons said. The town is working to make the process quicker and more reasonable for business owners and residents to maintain their properties while complying with regulations, he said. 

Originally from Philadelphia, Lyons vacationed at the Jersey Shore in his youth and returned to Delaware County after college, working in technology for the Franklin Mint and QVC. With a background in warehouse and distribution, Lyons served as a business analyst who translated business requests into system solutions.

Later, he moved into government contracting in Washington D.C., where he learned about the Delaware beaches through friends.

“I was surprised about all the trees here. It’s very pretty,” he said, noting the beach landscape in New Jersey is much different.

Now retired from full-time work, Lyons is a consultant for several clients and likes to help start-up businesses or friends when needed. 

“It’s a way to keep the brain moving and teach new clients,” he said.

A Dewey resident since 2000, Lyons said he appreciates its small-town vibes.

“Everyone knows each other and cares about each other,” he said. 

Lyons also sat on the town manager search committee and as an alternate on the police chief recruitment committee, and said the town made great selections in Town Manager Bill Zolper and Police Chief Constance Speake. 

“We’re making good progress in the town,” Lyons said. “There’s a good harmony in the leadership of the town and a lot of focus on the climate – the bays and ocean – and balancing all of that.”