With a resume seemingly covering all angles, Patrick Dunlavy had the opportunity to leave his small hometown for a big city long ago. But the lifelong Tooele resident has always known where he belongs.

“This is my home,” Dunlavy said. “It’s where my family is. It’s where my heart is.”

Many know Dunlavy as the mayor of Tooele, or recognize him from a lifetime of public service, but few understand the long journey he’s made to get to City Hall. It’s a story worth telling as Dunlavy is named the Tooele Transcript-Bulletin’s first Tooele County Person of the Year.

Dunlavy, a Tooele High grad, father of four and grandfather of four, entered public service in 1967. He started as an emergency dispatcher before becoming a Tooele City police officer.

“I wasn’t really planning on going into law enforcement, but that opportunity presented itself,” he said. “Once I gained experience and expertise, which led to other opportunities, public service just got in my blood.”

After 11 years with the police department, the then lieutenant over investigations, changed gears, becoming parks director for the city’s parks and recreation department, where he was responsible for the maintenance of the cemetery, swimming pool, golf course, and parks.

Two years later, when the city was facing difficult times financially and some departments were forced to consolidate, Dunlavy changed hats again, moving into the finance department for a couple of years, where he worked to set up a centralized purchasing program.

Then Dunlavy left the city to take a job offer in the private sector.

“I thought that it would be a good time to go out and see what else was going on,” Dunlavy said.

But 10 months later he was back. Mayor Oren Probert had recently passed away and interim Mayor John Cluff, formerly a city councilman, called on Dunlavy to serve as city recorder. There Dunlavy stayed for 23 years until his election to head up the city three years ago.

“I could have retired or I could have stayed where I was, but I spent a lot of time watching the way things worked,” Dunlavy said. “I worked for 10 different mayors during that time. I learned from their mistakes and I learned from their strengths. I just thought, ‘What better way to finish out my career than to be mayor.’”

The nearly 40 years of experience he gained prior to the 2005 election, helped Dunlavy hit the ground running.

“It’s been a huge advantage for me now that I’m mayor to have that experience,” Dunlavy said. “There is really nothing, in terms of city operations, that I don’t know about.”

That experience makes work much easier for city employees, said Tooele City Parks and Recreation Director Kathy Bell, who has worked with and for Dunlavy for over 30 years.

“It’s been nice to work for a mayor who gets it,” Bell said. “He has worked for the city so long that he understands the needs of the public and the employees, and he has balanced those so well that he takes care of everyone. It doesn’t matter who you are or who you represent, when you step into his office, he makes you feel welcome.”

Respect is key to running a successful city, Dunlavy said.

“You have to have respect,” Dunlavy said. “I honestly believe that my staff respects me because I respect them and they know that. When we are talking about decisions, they know that they are encouraged to speak up and give me their opinions. I understand that I have the ultimate decision to make, but I value their opinions.”

Tooele City Attorney Roger Baker said Dunlavy has given the city a more professional demeanor.

“The times I have seen the mayor most frustrated are when he received reports that a city resident or business was treated discourteously or given the run-around by city staff,” Baker said. “He does not tolerate unprofessional conduct at City Hall. The dress standards he implemented reflect on the surface the professional image and conduct he is striving for in city employees.”

Employees say they are impressed with Dunlavy’s interest in them even after the work day is over.

“He’s very interested in employees and very concerned if he hears of an employee who has problems — perhaps a sick spouse or child,” said Tooele City Police Chief Ron Kirby, who has worked with Dunlavy for just over 10 years. “He isn’t just concerned about them at work but concerned about them as individuals.”

This is evident, Tooele City Human Resources Director Kami Perkins said, in the emphasis Dunlavy places on families.

“As a working mother, Mayor Dunlavy has provided me with the opportunity to balance my career and my family. It is not unusual for him to ask me what he can do to make it possible for me to attend a school function or be home with a sick kid,” Perkins said. “He once said to me, ‘Kami, I’m going to teach you something early in your career. Tooele City could replace you in less than 30 days. Your family can’t. Your family needs the best of you and would never be able to replace you. I will never ask you to put your career above your family.’ What I found is that Mayor Dunlavy believes in balance. If you give to your job, he’ll demand that you also give to your family.”

Baker said Dunlavy is well-known for his mantra: “Challenges make us stronger.”

“The mayor has shown he is not afraid to face any challenge or address any problem,” Baker said. “Notwithstanding, he realizes that he can’t solve all of the city’s problems all at once. He takes a measured, thoughtful approach in light of priorities, needs and budgets.”

The ability to overcome challenges was something Dunlavy learned at an early age.

“I got polio when I was three years old,” Dunlavy said. “It hit quite a few people in Tooele County — some of them very close friends of mine — but I had wonderful parents who taught me that it should never be something that set me back.”

Doctors told Dunlavy’s parents he would never walk again. He proved them wrong and even went on to play baseball and basketball competitively.

Although his left arm remains 95 percent impaired, Dunlavy said the challenge has been something that has mostly propelled him forward and upward.

“I just learned early on that you just don’t say can’t,” Dunlavy said.

This means when Dunlavy is faced with a tough decision he doesn’t back away.

“Most of the decisions in city government are dictated by law, so the decision is already made — I just have to stay within that framework,” Dunlavy said. “The ones that I do have to make I always ask ‘What is the effect of my decision on the community?’ If there is anything in there that is a negative then we have to look at it and wonder why that is.”

Tooele City Recorder Sharon Dawson said the mayor is a very moral decision maker.

“His philosophy is just do the right thing, even if it is difficult,” Dawson said. “The city faces difficult decisions every day. He is never rash in his decision making.”

To a person, Dunlavy’s department heads praise not only his managerial style but also his personal motivations.

“I do not believe [Dunlavy] ran for the office of mayor for glory or praise. He ran for office because he has worked for the city for decades and knew he could make a meaningful contribution,” Baker said. “It would have been much easier for him to retire comfortably and respectably from his former position as city recorder, but he chose the more difficult path of shouldering the burdens of the city’s top executive, and he’s shown that he is quite able to carry them.”

It’s a path that Dunlavy hopes to remain on for at least five more years, provided he wins re-election in November.

“I love the work and I love the city, plus there are some things that need to be finished and others that need to be started,” Dunlavy said.

Jamie Belnap: jamieb@tooeletranscript.com