By William Smith
Most everyone knows Lynda Graham-Murray as a cheerleader for Burlington.
During her four years on the city council, Graham-Murray has stressed “outreach” for the city of Burlington as though it were her middle name. Her goal is to always publicize the best of Burlington.
She thinks under-utilizing Snake Alley and the Mississippi River as tourist attractions is a mistake that can be rectified. They just need to be wrapped in the publicity that defines a rolling river city.
“We just have a bad self image here,” she said, noting that extends to all of Iowa – not just Burlington. “I don’t know what it stems from. We’re the best kept secret.”
Outside of council life, the mayor pro tem wields a diverse set of skills. She’s a registered dietician and a syndicated columnist, best known for her “Dietitian Magician” column.
Graham-Murray moved to Texas for a while after graduating college in Iowa, but it was just too hot. It just wasn’t the same.
“I missed home. I missed Iowa,” she said, “I love the change of seasons. I love the Mississippi River. I really think we have a lot on tap for local recreational potential.”
Graham-Murray eventually fell for and married Matt Murray, a past city councilman himself. They have two children; one plays basketball for Luther College in Decorah, where current Burlington city manager Chad Bird worked previously.
Graham-Murray loved what she saw in Decorah, and she wants the same for Burlington.
“He used Americorps to fix up bike trails and recreation,” she said. “If you package recreational activities right, people will go there for a hotel stay.”
The repackaging of downtown Burlington and the riverfront is part of the transformation.
Burlington is becoming a hot river town that attracts outsiders, and the physical change is just catching up to the downtown vibe.
“I went downtown and ordered some takeout from Pookie’s, and I looked around and said ‘What’s going on?’ I felt like I was in Chicago. The sidewalks are swarming with people. People can’t find any parking. I said, ‘You’re getting it, Burlington!’ We’re connecting the dots,” Graham-Murray said excitedly.
Of course, she said, you have to restore the parts of Burlington that aren’t working to complete the package. That circles around to the closed Cascade Bridge. It’s on the council’s five year plan, and Graham-Murray believes it will be reopened.
Much like her fellow incumbents running for re-election, she would like to help make it happen.
“Bridges that don’t work, roads that aren’t open, tell us we’re a dying community. And we’re not. We’re a vibrant community,” she said.
Editor’s note: This is the last installment of a six-part series profiling the city council candidates. There are six candidates vying for three open seats. In Burlington, all city council seats are at-large, meaning anyone from anywhere in the city may run for a seat on city council. The council election is Nov. 2.