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Slayton native Carolyn McDonald recently assumed the duties of Murray County Administrator, a job that is bringing her joy and peace. “I really feel like I am right where I belong,” she stated.
Ms. McDonald graduated from Slayton High School and attended cosmetology school. She and a business partner operated the “Hair Connection” on Broadway Avenue in Slayton until 1995. “I lived in Currie for a while, then in Slayton,” she remarked. “I raised my children here and they all attended Murray County Central school.” In 1998 she was single again, and began work on her bachelor’s degree at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. Upon completion, she immediately began graduate school, finishing with a Master of Business Administration degree in 2008. Ms. McDonald credits the library staff for some of her success. “I worked in the SMSU library and everyone there was so supportive of my education and goals.” For the past ten years Ms. McDonald has been the Human Resources Director for Lyon County, a job she loved. “The position was new so I was allowed to be really creative,” she explained. “I updated policies, started a wellness initiative and set up a self insured platform. In fact, a few years ago Murray County joined our self insured program so when I came here that was one area where I was quite familiar.” Carolyn commented that she likes to be at work and is busy building relationships with the county department administrators, commissioners and community members. “I feel my job is to be ‘present’ for the county. Murray County has a variety of services and our employees work very hard. My job is to address the day-to-day issues so the commissioners can focus on policies and work with the boards. I’m also involved in the big projects like the highway department building and the new building on the fairgrounds.”
Ms. McDonald enjoys her home in the country where she stays busy with yard work, projects and caring for horses. She loves Buttermaker baseball games, but especially delights in time with family and friends.
