For Kate Murray, serving as Hempstead town clerk is the latest chapter in a career in public service that has taken her from Albany to Town Hall — and back to the clerk’s office, where she first served more than two decades ago.
Murray, 64, a Republican and a Levittown native, began her political career in 1998, when she was elected to the Assembly. Three years later she was elected town clerk, the first woman to hold the position.
“The reality is, the three elective offices that I’ve occupied, I was the first woman. And I love it,” Murray said. “I’m always surprised by the applause. I just think, ‘Just do the job.’ I don’t think about the implications.”
A year into her job as clerk, Murray became town supervisor when Richard Guardino resigned, and she served for 13 years. Then, from 2016 to 2019, she was a vice president at Nassau Community College. She returned to the town clerk’s office after winning election in 2019, beginning her second tenure in January 2020.
The clerk’s office, Murray said, stands apart from her other government positions because of its focus on providing services directly to residents. “The bottom line is, and what sort of carries me through, is just how do we make it easier for people?” she said. “That’s the great thing about the town clerk’s position. It’s about pure service — it’s very nonpartisan”
During the pandemic, she recalled, her office established a drive-through system for marriage licenses and conducted outdoor weddings. When the state temporarily permitted remote marriage ceremonies, she also officiated weddings virtually. The office never shut down, Murray said, and sought ways to continue providing services while adhering to restrictions.
“A lot of people who had received a lot of no’s at other government offices got a yes from us,” she said.
Murray established the town’s passport program in 2002, during her first tenure as clerk. The office takes photos, reviews applications and mails completed paperwork, an approach she described as “one-stop shopping.”
The clerk’s office also offers identification cards for seniors and children. More recently, Murray said, it developed an ID card for people with special needs. She consulted Town Councilwoman Melissa Miller, who raised children with complex medical challenges, while developing the program. One feature identifies when the cardholder is nonverbal, information that can assist first responders during an emergency.
“[Miller] suggested that — I never even thought of it,” Murray said. “It just gives [first responders] another tool to help this person in need.”
Murray frequently walks through the office and talks with residents, conversations, she said, that can lead to ideas for improving services. She described the clerk as one of the town’s least-understood elected positions — until a resident needs her help.
“It’s like the most anonymous office until you need a really important document in your life,” Murray said. “And then I’m your best friend.”
Her approach to government, she said, traces back to her childhood. One of seven children, she recalled her parents being active in schools, church and athletics and teaching their children the importance of giving back. By age 12, Murray said, she knew she wanted a career in public service.
“I could not think of what else I would want to do,” she said.
