As the Murray City Council primary elections draw near, residents of Murray City are gearing up to cast their votes and choose their representatives for the City Council. With candidates vying for positions in three districts, the election presents an opportunity for residents to shape the future of their city. Districts 1, 3 and 5 have diverse candidates, each bringing unique qualifications, visions and plans for the respective districts. 

Murray residents in Districts 1 and 3 will vote in the special primary election on Sept. 5 and the municipal and special general elections on Nov. 21. The last day to register to vote online for the primary election is Aug. 25.

The Utah State Legislature changed election dates to accommodate a special election to replace Rep. Chris Stewart in Congress this year. The solution that state lawmakers have landed on is to push back this year’s municipal election dates for the primary and general elections. However, Stewart’s Congressional district is outside Murray, and residents won’t be voting in that race.

District 1

City Councilor Phil Markham has nixed any re-election effort to his interim role with the council since January. Markham was appointed to fill the position of Kat Martinez, who moved before her term was through. District 1, which covers the city’s northwest corner, will eliminate one of the following candidates in the special primary election. 

At the July 11, City Council Committee of the Whole meeting it was announced that Markham would take over Community and Economic Development after its Director Jared Hall was fired. Markham had previously served as a member of the Planning Commission.

Paul Pickett, who declares himself a long-term resident of Murray, is currently a manager at BYU-Pathway. He taught secondary school for 22 years, including four years in Murray. Pickett attended the U.S. Air Force Academy and served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. He graduated from the University of Utah and holds a master’s degree from Washington State University.

David Rodgers has experience in municipal governments at both the city and county levels. Rodgers received his bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Southern Utah University and recently completed his master’s of Public Administration from Southern Utah University. Rodgers serves as a Transportation Planner for Salt Lake County. 

Aaron Thompson, according to his candidate biography, claims two decades of corporate risk management. Thompson has worked with the Utah Attorney General’s Office in Consumer Protection and Commercial Enforcement, Headwaters Incorporated, KSL TV Broadcast Group, and Vivint Solar. Thompson has served on the West Jordan General Planning and Parks and Open Lands Sub Committees.

District 3

Who won’t be running in District 3 City Council election? District 3’s City Council race in Murray has attracted considerable attention, with five candidates vying to challenge Rosalba Dominguez, who currently holds the seat. District 3 covers the northern part of Murray, including the evolving downtown area. In the special primary election, District 3 voters will be able to narrow down the field by eliminating four candidates.

Jim Brass seeks to reclaim his old council seat. Ten votes defeated Brass in the last primary election, in which Dominguez was eventually elected. He was Murray’s longest-serving city councilor, with four terms on the council. After leaving the council, he helped organize the Murray Children’s Pantry.

Clark Bullen is no stranger to Murray politics either. In the last municipal election, he challenged Brett Hales for Murray’s mayor office. Bullen served on the Murray Arts board and is the Director of Implementation at CUI Benefits; and has a degree from the University of Utah.

Rosalba Dominguez currently serves as the City Council Member for District 3 starting in 2020. Dominguez has been involved in the community through her work with the State of Utah Hispanic Advisory Council, serving as Vice Chair of the Salt Lake County Hispanic Democratic Council and is a member of the I.J. & Jeanné Wagner Jewish Community Center.

Scott Goodman is a 30-year Army veteran who currently holds the Command Sergeant Major (CSM) rank and leads an Army Reserve unit of 1,200 soldiers in Ohio. Additionally, he is employed at G.E. HealthCare and serves on the Murray City Public Safety Advisory Board. 

Leann Parker-Reed has a degree from Weber State University. With a background in Early Childhood Education and Paralegal Studies, Parker-Reed has also been involved in various community initiatives, including serving as a U.S. Census Enumerator. Her community involvement includes participation in organizations such as the Murray Children’s Pantry and Spartan Closet. 

Janice Strobell, a Murray resident for over 30 years, is a frequent commentator in city meetings, particularly on Murray’s downtown and historical preservation issues. Strobell founded Preserve Murray, a historical preservation group.

District 5

With only two candidates, voters in southern Murray’s District 5 will wait to decide between the two candidates in the special general election. Both candidates faced off when the city council voted for one of them to fill a council vacancy.

Adam Hock, a 10-year resident of Murray, teaches at Murray High and Hillcrest Junior High. He holds a master’s in American History from the University of Utah. He has chaired Hillcrest Junior High and Longview Elementary community councils and coached basketball and baseball for Murray Rec youth sports programs.

Garry Hrechkosy, the current incumbent, was appointed to fill the vacancy of Brett Hales when he was elected to the Mayor’s office in 2022. He is seeking his first full term as an elected official. Hrechkosy is the Vice President of Accounting and Controller for MX Technologies and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Hrechkosy holds an honors bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Utah.

Voters can view candidate profiles and links to campaign websites at www.murray.utah.gov/1904/2023-Candidate-Profiles. To learn more about voter registration and the special election, visit the Salt Lake County Clerk’s website, slco.vote.λ