When Jeff Martin talks about Murray, he doesn’t speak as an outsider stepping into a new assignment. He speaks as someone who grew up in the system he now leads.

“Murray has been my home for nearly 30 years — I literally dove into public service as a lifeguard in high school,” Martin said. “I’ve immersed myself in nearly every aspect of parks and recreation operations over 23 years. Leading the entire Parks & Recreation Department feels like all that effort coming full circle.”

Martin was appointed director of Murray City’s Parks & Recreation Department in November 2025, stepping into a role that oversees everything from recreation programs and aquatics to facility maintenance, historic buildings and public spaces. His path to the position traces directly through many of the department’s most visible services.

“I started as a lifeguard at the old Murray High School pool and kept that job through college as one of the first lifeguards at the newly opened Park Center,” he said.

After time working out of state, Martin returned to Murray in 2010 as aquatics manager, supervising both the Park Center and the outdoor pool. In 2014, he transitioned to facility maintenance manager at the Park Center, a role he described as hands-on and operationally focused.

Mayor Brett Hales nominates Jeff Martin for Parks & Recreation Director approval to the City Council. (Photo courtesy of Murray City)

“The turning point came in 2017 when Murray created a new Facilities Division and I became manager,” Martin said. “Starting from scratch, I built a team to help maintain all city buildings.”

That work later expanded to include involvement in the design and construction of Murray’s new City Hall and renovations of several historic properties, including the Murray Armory, the Murray Theater and the Murray Museum housed in the John P. Cahoon Mansion.

With more than two decades of experience — including 15 years full-time — Martin said he has seen firsthand how much work goes into services residents may take for granted.

“Most residents only see the end result: beautiful parks, clean facilities and fun programs,” he said. “What they may miss is the enormous amount of work behind the scenes.”

Martin pointed to the technical and logistical efforts required to keep operations running daily.

“When families swim at our pools, they may not think about the 24/7 circulation systems keeping water safe, the training our lifeguards require,” he said. “They may not notice how often greens need mowing, fields prepped for programs, or the work needed to make our cemetery look beautiful.”

He added that recreation programming also involves extensive preparation. “They don’t realize the effort put into registrations, compiling rosters, ordering T-shirts, scheduling referees,” Martin said. “They don’t see the meal prep for seniors’ lunches or setups between classes and celebrations.”

As he begins his tenure as director, Martin said one of his primary goals is increasing use of recently renovated historic facilities.

“My top priorities are making the Armory, Mansion and Theater utilized and profitable,” he said. “It’s critical we build awareness that these facilities are open and show the community the value we all invested in saving them.”

Murray Parks & Recreation Director Jeff Martin. (Photo courtesy of Murray City)

At the same time, Martin acknowledged financial challenges ahead. He noted that Murray’s 0.2% local option sales tax, first implemented in 2016, has supported reinvestment in facilities, parks and staffing, but is scheduled to expire in 2030.

“With Murray’s continued population growth, increased demands will strain our systems while working with less budget,” Martin said. “We’ll need to be innovative on how we operate with limited resources.”

Staffing is another concern. “Reducing budgets makes it tricky to hire and retain staff at competitive wages, especially seasonal part-time employees,” he said.

Balancing visible community programming with long-term maintenance is a constant part of the job, Martin said, but he views those priorities as connected rather than competing.

“The key is recognizing these aren’t competing priorities, they’re all interconnected,” he said. “For me, the maintenance and long-term planning are every bit as fun to work on as planning events and programming.”

On the recreation side, Martin said some programs are already seeing strong demand. “Golf is back,” he said, noting that rounds played at the city course have reached a 20-year high. He also described observing heavy use at the Park Center. “It’s Friday night, and the building is packed!”

For Martin, the impact of those spaces goes beyond finances. “All of our facilities provide camaraderie, enhance physical and mental health, and build Murray’s strong community spirit,” he said.

Now leading the department he joined as a teenager, Martin said the work remains personal.

“What I love most about working in Murray are the people I serve and work with,” he said. “I genuinely love the people of this community, which makes this work incredibly rewarding.”