Longtime trustee to step aside after over 30 years

Longtime Brandon School Division trustee Jim Murray has decided not to seek re-election in this October’s municipal election, after decades on the board of trustees.

Murray said it was simply the right time to step away after more than 30 years of public service.

“I never intended for it to become a career,” Murray told the Sun.

“I’ve enjoyed every single minute of it, but we sold our business recently, and I’m now officially fully retired, sitting here with my wife. I think it’s time to move on. It’s time for a new group of people to take over at the board table.”

Murray expressed confidence that the current board is well-positioned to continue serving the division without him.

“Initially, maybe, I’ll be missed, but there are really, really good people sitting at that board table now,” he said. “I am very, very confident that they can carry on quite well without my experience there.”

Throughout his tenure, Murray witnessed significant changes in the Brandon School Division, from evolving educational programs to shifting student demographics and changing financial pressures.

He said one of the board’s consistent priorities was balancing quality education with responsible spending.

“Trustees have always attempted to strike a balance between being able to offer our children a high level of education without overly burdening our local taxpayers,” he said in an interview.

Among the accomplishments he is most proud of are improvements in student achievement and equity.

Murray said he has seen the division introduce numerous programs that continue to benefit students, while making meaningful progress in narrowing achievement gaps.

“I’ve seen the gap closed between male and female learners in math and science marks, and I’ve seen the gap closed between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students,” he said. “We’re not there yet. There’s still work to be done, but I think we’ve done amazing things in that area.”

He also credited the collaborative work of trustees and successive superintendents for helping move the division forward over the years.

“I think the policies and things that we’ve put in place, working with the past superintendents, have benefited the students of Brandon,” Murray said. “I’m very proud of the work that’s taken place with many different boards over the past 30 years, and I think we’ve moved this division consistently forward.”

Reflecting on his years around the board table, Murray said the relationships he built with fellow trustees and administrators are among the aspects he will treasure most.

“I have been very, very privileged over the past 30 years to be able to associate myself with a very high calibre of people who were all focused on doing better for the students in Brandon School Division,” he said. “That has been an honour that I will carry with me forever. Working with these people and being able to associate myself with people of this calibre has been very fulfilling for me.”

Murray’s departure marks the end of one of the long-serving tenures on the Brandon School Division board. His decision not to seek another term will leave the next board without one of its most experienced voices as voters head to the polls in October.

» aodutola@brandonsun.com

» X: @AbiolaOdutola