McKinney Parks and Recreation Director Lemuel Randolph tries to instill commitment of service and integrity to 75 staff members

by Minnie Payne

MCKINNEY — McKinney’s 42-year-old Parks and Recreation Director Lemuel Randolph supervises 39 parks, possibly 42 by the end of 2008.

Randolph said that his first experience in parks and recreation was on the recreation side during summer vacations in high school and college when he worked with at-risk youth, developing programs for them.

“Currently, McKinney has three pools, one indoor, and an awesome five-year-old senior center,” he said. “There are over 5,000 registered seniors.”

In addition to the many youth programs, he said that there are also sports teams for adults such as swimming, softball, Frisbees, cricket, and adult soccer. There is also a golf course.

Randolph grew up in Suitland, Md. and graduated from private St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. in 1983, because his dad wanted him to get a good education. Randolph attended school with the likes of Walter Mondale's son, Jesse Jackson’s son and Ted Kennedy’s son.

“My dad had a big influence on me, because he always stressed the importance of education not only through words, but through action,” Randolph said. “He earned his Ph.D. after he had four children.

“Dad was always there and very supportive of all our activities.”

Randolph earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Hampton University, Hampton, Va. in 1987, and a master’s in public administration from Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas in 1998.

According to Randolph, he was hired as McKinney Parks and Recreation Director in 2007, and prior to that he served as parks and recreation director in Sugar Land, Texas from 1997 to 2001 and for the city of San Bernardino, Calif. from 2001 to 2007.

“I feel that my biggest professional accomplishment is the building of Oyster Creek Park in Sugar Land; I’m very proud of that because there was a lot of controversy about building a passive park,” he said. “Today it’s the most popular park in the city in that there are a lot of concerts and special events held there.”

There are 75 parks and recreation staff members and the department is currently operating on a $7.9 million annual budget, he said.

“Primarily, I try to instill in my staff members a commitment of service and integrity,” Randolph said. “That’s how I try to live and that’s what I look at when I hire.”

Roy Wilson, director of Metro Parks, Nashville, Tenn. has worked with Randolph for many years.

"I think Lemuel's knowledge and ability in public service makes him an excellent resource person, and his ability to work with staff and the public would be of great benefit to any operation," Wilson said. "If there were a national award given each year for a 'Mr. Parks and Recreation', Lemuel would definitely receive it."

Randolph has been married to his wife, Mia, for 13 years, and they have two sons, Preston, 10, Evan, 8, and a daughter, Michal, 5.

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