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Mayor Greer wins ‘Exemplary Public Servant of Year’

“Marshalltown will return stronger and better,” is a statement heard often from Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer.

A positive attitude in the face of challenges confronting Marshalltown in the wake of July 19’s EF-3 tornado is but one reason why he won the Exemplary Public Servant of the Year award earlier this week from American City and County Magazine.

Greer was nominated by Dex Walker, executive assistant to the commandant at the Iowa Veterans Home.

“Thousands without power, house after house destroyed, major sectors of business infrastructure reduced to rubble,” Walker wrote in the application. “Our downtown district nearly totally lost – tears of frustration and a sense of helplessness was felt everywhere. But the response following in the coming days, weeks and months is what makes Marshalltown the wonderful community it is, and why we will be stronger than we have ever been.”

Greer and the city’s team of department heads reacted quickly in setting up a temporary command post at the fire station since City Hall suffered extensive damage.

They were joined by thousands of local volunteers and others from Central Iowa to begin the mammoth job of clean-up.

“As the elected chief executive of the city and long-time community volunteer, Greer knew that in those very first moments all attention must be given to the people in need of immediate emergency care and in support of the first respondents about to undertake a huge mission. His team initiated the community emergency plan,” Walker wrote.

Within a few days, long-time business icons Emerson, JBS and Lennox Industries, joined by the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Mid-Iowa Community Action and more sprung into action.

The community is five months down the road to recovery, with another four and one-half years more expected, according to communities who have dealt with post-tornado issues.

“As a servant leader he understood that he could not do it alone nor did he have all the answers himself, so he surrounded himself with outside experts and consulted with leaders from other communities who had been through similar natural disaster experiences,” Walker wrote. “He engaged the voices of those directly working through the problems, whether material or strategic, and he advocated on behalf of the whole community to ensure that from day one we moved together in the direction of unity.”

Greer said he was flattered Walker had nominated him, and humbled he won.

“I am grateful someone like Dex would go to the trouble of doing that (making the application) … and shocked I was fortunate enough to beat out what I understand were many worthy candidates from throughout the country,” Greer said Friday. “Because I think it will help promote Marshalltown … and we need all the help we can get right now, I will gladly accept this award.”

Greer, 65, is a Spencer native.

He is managing partner at the local Cartwright, Druker and Ryden law firm. Joining him as law firm partner is wife Sharon Soorholtz-Greer, of Melbourne. The couple has two adult daughters.

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