Nashville’s Go-To Guy Set To Retire After 45 Years

There aren’t many photos floating around the Internet of Billy Lynch. Here’s an old one provided by the Nashville Fire Department.

One of Metro Nashville’s longest-serving administrators is retiring after 45 years. Billy Lynch was director of Human Resources and Public Works. He’s also been chief deputy sheriff and interim fire chief – twice.

At his retirement announcement, Lynch showed why he’s survived under six different mayors. He pointed out familiar faces in the room, calling them by name, and – off-the-cuff – recalling projects they worked on decades ago.

He said the biggest accomplishment came in 2010, recovering from the flood. The mayor’s office made him responsible for cleaning up debris scattered across the city.

“They just say, ‘make sure you get the job done.’ And the people at Public Works and the rest of Metropolitan Government did it.”

Lynch says serving the citizens of Nashville has been his “life’s work.” It’s also been his brother’s. Tommy Lynch is director of Metro Parks.