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Murray City Government Working Hard to Maintain
Strong Local Economy

by Aaron W. Hughey

The City of Murray is on the move.

“Murray has been named a Number One Retirement Area by Rand McNally,” observes Freed M. Curd, current Murray Mayor. “This is based on food and health care costs, housing, property tax rates, climate, personal safety, services, and leisure activities.”

Murray is governed by the Mayor and 12 elected city council members. Many departments within the city either organize or participate in various programs to offer the best quality of services at the least possible cost.

One of the key people responsible for making this happen is Don Elias, who has been the Murray City Administrator for the past six years.

“According to the last census, the population in Murray experienced a three percent increase from 1990-2000,” noted Elias. “At the same time, Calloway County saw an eleven percent population increase.”

“So even though the growth in the county has outpaced growth in the city, everyone has benefitted,” Elias adds. “We work very well with the county.”

Elias says that a good example of how the city and county partner to provide services to residents is how the water system is managed.

“The city has extended its water distribution system into the county,” Elias. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.”
Elias indicates that he, Mayor Curd, and other officials charged with providing services to the local community learned a lot from observing how Glasgow, Kentucky, managed its utilities.

“Glasgow sort of has a reputation as being excellent in this area,” Elias adds.

As far as the economic strength of the area, Elias sees this as resulting from a combination of factors.

“The strong growth in this area can really be attributed to three reasons,” notes Don Elias, city administrator. “First, Murray State University has experienced considerable growth in enrollment over the last five years. M.S.U. went from 8,000 to over 9,500 students during this time period.”

During the last few years, Murray State has added several new facilities and implemented a beautification program aimed at attracting more students. These improvements have had a very positive impact on Murray’s economy.

“Second, there has been a significant increase in the retail trade in Murray,” Elias explains. “For example, we’ve added a Lowes’s and a Cracker Barrel, among other major establishments.”

“Finally, recent changes in the law which permit alcohol to be sold locally have also had an impact on the economy,” Elias continues. “Over 10 restaurants now have licenses to sell alcoholic beverages.”

“We are very fortunate in that we do not have many empty buildings in Murray,” Elias observes. “In many communities, when Walmart decides to upgrade to a superstore, they leave behind an empty building that is often difficult to find new stores to occupy.”

“When Walmart upgraded in Murray, however, the building was renovated as a new shopping center,” Elias notes. “And the stores that went into the old facility are doing quite well.”

As City Administrator, Elias helps to oversee about 170 employees.

“We have about 30 policemen and 30 firefighters,” Elias notes. “We also have a significant number of employees who work with the water system, sanitation system, and the natural gas system.”

“All of these departments work together very well,” Elias reflects. “The services we provide to Murray are highly integrated and coordinated.”

“We are constantly looking at city/county issues in a never-ending effort to provide better services,” Elias says.

One of the initiatives that Elias and others in local government are excited about is Calloway 2020. Calloway 2020 - Prosperity by Design - is a citizen-driven initiative to develop a strategic plan for Calloway County through the year 2020. The purpose of the project is to protect and preserve the unique quality of life in the region while managing inevitable changes.

“One of the most important improvements I see is the development of a four-lane highway through the area,” Elias says. “This will have a very good impact on the local economy and help to spur further growth.”

“Our city is growing and we welcome new industry and businesses,” Curd concludes. “Our resources are prepared and we will be happy to help you become a member of our community.”