I don't
» [music]
» I love
[music]
a la. [music]
» [music]
[music]
>> Fire.
Hey. Hey. [music]
Heat. Heat.
[music]
Heat. Heat. [music]
[music]
Heat. Heat. [music]
[music]
Heat.
[music]
Heat.
» [music]
[music]
» Okay,
good afternoon everybody. Thank you for
being here. We're going to go ahead and
get started.
Um, now, as you'll find, this is very
echoey in here, so just try to keep that
in mind um, as we make our way through
the program. I'm Chris Wharton. I am the
chair of the Salt Lake City Council and
I have the distinct honor of calling
this very special meeting of the council
to order.
Um we are going to begin with the
presentation of colors by the Salt Lake
City Police Department Motor Squad
followed by the national anthem which
will be performed by the West High
Choir. Would everyone please stand?
detail.
Thank you.
All right. Would everyone please join me
in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge
allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic
for which it stands, one nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
Okay. Um, go ahead.
>> Oh, sorry. The national anthem, please.
» [singing]
>> was so proud
» was so proud
we
[singing]
for the
» [singing]
» And the rock
single.
[singing]
stand
[music]
for the land
of [singing] the free
and the
earth.
[music]
» [applause]
» detail
detail.
Thank you to our Salt Lake City Police
Department Motor Squad and the West High
Choir for being part of this ceremony.
And I just have to uh do a quick plug
because West High is located in my city
council district this March. They're
actually going to be singing at Carnegie
Hall in New York. So we're very excited
for them. Yes.
So we're lucky to have just a little
taste of their performance. Again,
I want to welcome you to this special
meeting of the Salt Lake City Council
where uh we're going to be um swearing
in our reelected and elected, newly
elected members um into their offices. A
warm welcome to the families and guests
of council members and council member
elect, as well as to the elected
officials, community leaders, residents,
and city employees joining us today.
Thank you for being here to support
those who will serve the people of Salt
Lake City. Today we recognize four
elected officials who will take the oath
of office. As part of our ceremony, we
are privileged to welcome Ute Elder
Forest Kush, a member of the Uenta band
of the Ute Indian tribe, who will now
offer a prayer for our newly elected
council members.
[applause]
Thank you. It's been a while since I
stood before a uh government podium
since I retired uh 14 years ago from the
uh position of director of internet
affairs for the state of Utah. So, it's
been a while.
Um,
the indigenous people of this valley are
the Ute, Shosonyi, and Ute.
Although all of these tribes shared this
valley from time to time, I'm told that
the Ute occupied the City Creek Canyon
numerous times because of the presence
of fresh water, wild game, and other
food sources.
and its lofty height provided the
outlook and protection from enemy
tribes.
At the base of the valley was a sacred
hot mineral spring. In 1884, the measles
began spreading among the people and
they went to the hot springs, but it did
not cure them.
36 youth people died at the springs that
day and Mormon pioneers buried them
along with their dogs.
This spring is sacred for this reason.
It is now referred to as Wasatch Warm
Spring.
Originally, there were six bands of
youth living in Utah. As with the
Tempenogus band, which was exterminated
in the Fort Utah War of 1850,
all other bands were eventually
exterminated.
to today there is only one band left the
uenta
of which I'm am proud to be a member of.
It is therefore fitting for me to
address you today as a representative of
this band. It is also fitting for me to
pray for healing for all our people
because of the great amount of suffering
that occurred here and in order to
completely heal the truth must be told.
I serve on the board of the Wasach Warm
Springs Alliance and our greatest goal
is to preserve this site and use it for
educational, cultural healing,
cultural sharing and healing for all
people of the state of Utah.
Let us pray.
Dear Lord in heaven,
we ask that you be with us today,
Father, this special occasion and that
you bless these new leaders who are
being installed. Father,
we ask that you bless their families,
all their relatives,
and extend that blessing out to all the
citizens of the state of this of Utah
and the city of this great state.
Salt Lake City. We ask that you extend
this blessing throughout the state and
throughout the entire country of the
United States and extend the blessing
out to all the world as is reflected in
the medicine wheel.
And we ask that you carry out all of the
powers of healing to all nations,
especially during difficult times like
this, Father. So be with us today and I
say this and ask this in the name of
your son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thank you.
» Thank you Elder Kosh for that meaningful
prayer. We'll now proceed with the
administration of the oath of office.
Uh each council member um as you're
sworn in will take the oath and be given
a key to the city pin. You'll then sign
your oath of office uh certificate right
here at the podium. And following that
um each council member will have an
opportunity to share brief remarks. We
will begin with district 1 council
member Victoria Petro. Her oath of
office will be administered by city
recorder Keith Reynolds. Accompanying
Victoria are Augustus Echler, Juliana
Echler, Lucian Ashler, and Kelsey
Randall. Would you please join me at the
podium?
raise my hand.
I, Victoria Alisa Petro
>> I, Victoria Alisa Petro
» I, Victoria Alisa Petro
>> do solemnly affirm
» do solemnly affirm
>> do solemnly affirm
» do solemnly affirm
>> that I will support, obey, and defend
» that I will support, obey, and defend
>> that I will support, obey, and defend
» that I will support, obey, and defend
>> the Constitution of the United States
» the Constitution of the United States
>> the Constitution of the United States
» the Constitution of the United States
>> and the Constitution of the State of
» and the Constitution of the State of
Utah
>> and the Constitution of the State of
» and the Constitution of the State of
Utah
>> and that I will discharge the duties of
» and that I will discharge the duties of
my office with fidelity. and that I will
discharge the duties of my office with
fidelity.
>> Congratulations.
[applause]
Okay,
just sign.
Perfect. Congratulations.
To have had the honor to stand here once
was exciting.
Now to repeat the honor
and to particularly repeat it at this
moment in history. It's not just an
honor, but it's humbling in a way I
couldn't have seen last time.
I started last time with gratitude and
it seems that once again that is the
only place for me to start. I want to
start in an unlikely place and I want to
thank my opponent Steven Otterstrom.
You see, I represent an area of the city
where people have a more difficult time
believing that their voice is important
and should be heard.
And the things that we've collectively
witnessed and allowed to happen to them
recently only exacerbate that.
And I have an opponent who knocked on
doors, who showed up, who didn't phone
it in, and who made sure that the West
Side and indeed everyone who has chosen
to pursue the American dream is worth
time, investment, and energy.
And so, wherever he is, and I'll see him
tonight, I want to thank Stephen. I want
to thank Tom Desireent because he's the
only reason I get anything done in a
campaign. I want to thank the unions who
stood arm-in- arm with me as I commit. I
will now continue to stand arm-in- arm
with you, reinforcing my commitment to
working families and to my neighbors. I
want to thank those who chose to support
me. Hi, Ko. You're the only Westsider
who's not related to me that I see here.
But [laughter]
thank Oh, and Representative Romero.
Thank you to all of my supporters and
people who even though it was difficult
for me to show up at your doorsteps this
time because you know homelessness
campus campuses and ICE raids and SNAP
benefits may have kept me from it. You
still Oh, sorry former council member
Christensen. He's also a Westsider. Um,
hi Mr. Wilson. Oh, look, they're popping
up all over the place. Thank you all. I
appreciate you. I appreciate the grace
you extended when I had to prioritize
other things. and I appreciate that
you've entrusted me with the advocacy
for our beloved home for the next four
years. Uh, I want to thank my work
family at the Utah Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce. For me to take on that role
while doing a campaign was daunting.
Thank you. I want to thank my friends
who unrelentingly show up with love for
me. Hi guys.
Um, I want to thank my friends who act
as family because outside of the ones I
gave birth to, I don't have any family
here. Your love and support means more
to me than I can ever communicate. And I
want to thank my family who hopefully
got the YouTube link to work and are
watching me from various places around
the country. I love you, Mom and Dad.
And I stand here only because of the
sacrifices of Robert John Petro, Senior.
But this time, I need to move beyond
gratitude to commitment.
I commit to the dignity of all of my
neighbors.
No matter what mandates come down asking
me to see you as a statistic or a
document or an other,
I commit to you that your dignity is my
guiding principle.
that we the people isn't a cute little
slogan that you pop on a truck in some
cool calligraphy, but it is a call for
how we treat each other. There is no
them, there is no us, there is we.
And that is my commitment.
I commit myself to you in that I will
pursue substance over symbols. While I
love a good flag,
I am going to substantively
work for the betterment of this city.
Whether that means making sure you feel
confident as you're riding down a road,
both in the integrity of the road or the
response of the people who you might
need as you travel down that road, or
whether that means you're trying to
build something really special in this
city, and need to know where the city
stands consistently so you can conduct
your business. I will substantively show
up for this city.
I'm going to make sure that we move
beyond conversations like affordable
housing to actual affordability. And
that means I'm going to ask the people
who come in and do work here and profit
off of our infrastructure, our educated
populace, and our environment that they
invest in our workforce with equal
measure.
I commit true responsiveness over simply
hearing you. Doesn't mean I'm going to
conform to everything you ask me to do.
There's plenty of people in this room
who will tell you that they've got an
axe to grind with me. It means I did the
four first four first four years right.
But I will be responsive.
I promise to you that discomfort is
something I'm very comfortable with and
I'm intending to get a lot more
uncomfortable as the times call for it.
If we don't get a little snow, we're all
going to be uncomfortable. So, we better
get real comfortable with advocating for
some environmental interventions that
are substantive.
And I promise you that I will commit
myself to policy over politics. I have
this radical notion that while politics
have torn us apart,
there is no good thing that can't be
accomplished through good policy. So,
anything I'm advocating for, whether
it's the dignity of my neighbors who are
nervous that they're going to be stopped
because the color of their skin or how
they speak,
I can make the policy argument to you,
and I will always come back to policy. I
will not be looking for, neither will I
be responding to trite social media
answers that fit into 30 second reels
that act like there are simple answers.
There are no simple answers. This is a
complex moment in history. The paradigm
is shifting. The century has shifted.
I commit to rising to the occasion, not
trying to simplify the problems and
making someone else the issue. I commit
myself to creative pathways on dynamic
issues. Whether it's how tall we go with
a building or how we engage with our
police force to make sure that we're
retaining the best talent and
cultivating the culture we want. I
promise to bring creativity that the
issue demands.
These are 21st century problems that we
are facing. You cannot expect easy
answers. I will not expect an easy
workload. There will be no shying away.
There will be difficult conversations.
There will be healthy conflict.
But there will also be the building of
consensus.
Whether you're talking to me about the
bar in my district that you're nervous
about or whether we're talking about the
council pay ordinances
or come what may because I certainly
didn't see a hockey team coming last
time I sat here. So, who knows what
comes in these four years.
But the ultimate commitment is that the
community,
Salt Lakers, anyone who chooses to call
this place a home and to respect its
rules and its inhabitants
are my guiding principle, my true north,
they are to whom I commit myself and
they will be centered.
So to my neighbors, I continue to offer
myself when I can't make it to a
community council meeting. A
disproportionate number of you have my
phone number and you're welcome to
continue using it and I will show up in
as many places as I can. To the larger
city outside of my district, last time I
didn't recognize fully my commitment to
you,
but I offer to you a deliberative
partner that cares, that will offer you
the same responsiveness. Whether we're
talking about hotels on the border of
Sugar House Park or trails up in the
foothills or whatever else it is that I
need to learn about, we are building a
city and I commit to you that I will
care about it all and work with you to
find the solutions required. Our shared
home will remain my priority.
So, in closing, I get to do something I
didn't do last time. I get to thank a
partner. Adam, thank you for offering me
a partnership that liberates me to do
this job even better.
And to my children, not just the ones
who I gave birth to, cuz Auggie, Gigi,
and Luca, you're the greatest ideas I
never had, but also to the one who found
her way to me later by someone else, to
Kelsey, who's here, and her husband
Tyler, who found me by marriage, and now
Kylie, who we're grafting in because my
family just keeps growing.
I want to thank you all for liberating
me from the impulse to use this position
as a means of building my legacy.
The work I do here is too important to
build just my legacy. You all are my
legacy. You are the best thing I will
ever do with my life. So instead of the
pressure to make this my legacy,
this now is just an opportunity I have
to pass on to you all something better
than the way I found it.
Thank you to my co- counselors and to
the mayor who allow me to say hard
things, who receive me with grace
and who share so many of the same
priorities.
This this uh holiday, I was sitting down
with my Gen Z son-in-law.
As you might imagine, he's not as in
love with our institutions as a Gen Xer
is. He hasn't had the benefit of them
protecting as many people as I did. And
as he told me, it sounded like a trit
comment when I told him all boats rise
on a tide and we got to stay in this. We
had a really deep and t difficult
conversation. He said that just sounds
like a like a saying,
but I'm telling you, I'm convinced the
only way through this is together.
And so my commitment to you is to stay
here with you together and to pull us
through to something better. Thank you
for sending me back.
» [applause]
» Okay. Um, thank you, Council Member
Petro. Um, with the first oath of office
complete, um, I now turn the time over
to, uh, the second most senior council
member, Dan Dugan, um, to chair this
portion of the meeting.
Happy new year.
District 3 council member Chris Wharton
is next to take the oath of office
administered by the city recorder Keith
Reynolds. Accompany him will be Chris
Jensen,
Ella,
Cindy Nelson, and Janet Lynn.
They're coming.
You want syrup.
[laughter]
» Thank you. Thanks for your patience.
while we get situated.
» I, Chris Wharton,
>> I, Chris Wharton,
» I, Chris Wharton,
>> do solemnly affirm
» do solemnly affirm
>> do solemnly affirm
» do solemnly affirm
>> that I will support, obey, and defend
» that I will support, obey, and defend
>> that I will support, obey, and defend
» that I will support, obey, and defend
>> the Constitution of the United States
» the Constitution of the United States
>> the Constitution of the United States
» the Constitution of the United States
>> and the Constitution of the State of
» and the Constitution of the State of
Utah
>> and the Constitution of the State of
» and the Constitution of the State of
Utah.
>> And that I will discharge the duties of
» And that I will discharge the duties of
my office with fidelity.
>> and that I will discharge the duties of
» and that I will discharge the duties of
my office with fidelity.
Congratulations. Thank you. [applause]
Thank you. Thank you, baby.
That's okay.
It's fitting that we hold our oath of
office ceremony here at the main
library. Libraries have always been an
important part of Salt Lake City's
history. The city library system started
in 1898 just across the street from here
in the city and county building on the
top floor. The main library moved to the
state street location in 1905 and then
back here to the civic center in 1960
with the old library building and then
to this beautiful building in 2003.
128 years ago, the city library had
nearly 12,000 books. Today, this
building alone holds half a million
books, periodicals, and media materials.
Our libraries are symbols of progress.
From their architecture to their
everchanging and expanding collections,
they tell the story of the city's past,
and they provide a place for us to
imagine its future.
As the longest serving member of the
council, I've um and having just come
off the campaign trail for my third run,
I've given a few of these speeches
before.
But as some of you uh may know, over a
year ago, I became a father. And like
many parents, I can't help but see the
world through a lens that focuses on her
future.
Ella, my daughter, is the seventh
generation in our family to call Salt
Lake City home. So today, while she was
sitting in the audience,
while she runs through the halls,
um
I want to do something a little
different and um share a letter that
I've written to Ella about my hopes for
her future and the future of all Salt
Lakers.
Dear Ella,
by the time you're old enough to read
this, you'll have heard me talk many
times about being a sixth generation
Salt Laker and you being the seventh
generation in our family to call this
place home.
I was excited to have your dad and four
of those generations of our family stand
with me today as I took the oath of
office for my third term, including you,
your grandma Cindy, and your great
grandma Janet or Gigi.
I hope you always feel safe here. And
I'm not just talking about physical
safety. I hope you always feel safe to
be who you are and to live the life that
you want to live.
As you get older, you're going to hear a
lot about what life was like in 2026.
It's not a time when everyone feels safe
in our community or in our country
because of hate, fear, and greed.
But there are so many of us that are
working hard every day to make sure that
truth, equality, and justice prevail and
that love conquers all.
I hope the work that we're doing, sorry,
to address climate change means that you
won't have to worry about red air days.
I hope you see the Great Salt Lake
restored to its natural levels and that
exploring its ecosystems teaches you the
importance of caring for our planet.
I hope you learn to drive on our streets
and that you always, always go the speed
limit.
But I hope that when you go meet up with
friends or go shopping at 9th and 9th,
probably with grandma,
um
that it's just as easy to take public
transit or a bike instead of driving.
Thank you.
I hope you love our parks.
I imagine you taking turns on the slide
at Warm Springs Park, sharing at the
splash pad at Liberty Park, and taking
uh and making new friends as you climb
on the Sand Hill Crane at Glendel Park.
I hope you learn to ride a bike down the
Jordan River Trail. And I hope you never
tire of God,
this was so much easier in rehearsal.
Um, [laughter]
and that you never tire of the views
from hiking in our foothills.
Um,
I hope you think that our parks I think
that our parks and our public lands are
some of the city's most important and
incredible assets.
and I'm working hard to make sure that
we care and take good care of them today
[snorts]
so that you and future generations down
the road can enjoy them as much as I
have.
I hope your summers are filled with
drone shows and parades through
downtown.
I hope the lights at Temple Square
always make you feel the Christmas
spirit.
I hope you know that these and other
traditions are part of what makes Salt
Lake City special.
that they're part of keeping communities
together.
I hope you'll be enriched by worldclass
art, culture, and entertainment right
here in your hometown.
I see you spending days with your dad at
the art museum,
sitting on the edge of your seat at the
Eckles Theater, and cheering your heart
out at the Delta Center. [laughter]
That was actually the least emotional
location for me. I don't know why.
[laughter]
Um,
I hope you're inspired by the 2023
Olympics
and that welcoming people from different
places and with different abilities
always comes naturally to you.
You already love amling through rows of
books at the Marmalade Library. Your
eyes darting from one volume to another.
And I hope that curiosity and wonder
never goes away for you.
I hope you'll have the pick of your
career
um in whatever you want to pursue and
that you'll never have to worry about
whether you can afford to live in Salt
Lake City
and that the work that me and my friends
are doing
on the council and in the mayor's office
uh makes you want to choose to make your
home here rather than having the market
make that decision for you.
Naturally, I hope you'll stay here
forever um after you've grown up, except
of course for the eight years that
you'll serve in the White House as
president.
But after or wherever you choose to
live, I hope you'll always be proud to
be from Salt Lake City, a place that
defies expectations and punches above
its weight. A place that welcomes people
of different cultures, nationalities,
and faith traditions.
a place that's always been a little
different.
A place that elected a majority queer,
majority minority, and as of today, a
majority woman city council to lead us
through this um one of the most crucial
times in our history.
On Tuesday nights, when I'm away from
you and dad, know that I'm working hard
to make these hopes and wishes a reality
for you, for our family, and for Salt,
all Salt Lakers. I love you, baby girl,
with [snorts] all my heart. Daddy,
thank you to my husband, Chris, for
supporting me [laughter] through through
all this work and through three election
cycles.
[snorts]
Thank you to the amazing campaign team
at Elevate and Lit to Seo and Landslide.
I really wanted to name all of you, but
I'm already over on time. Thank you to
my family, friends, and supporters.
Thank you very sincerely to the
residents of District 3 for trusting me
to be your voice in city hall.
[applause]
District 5 Council Member Elect
Erica Carlson is next to take the oath
of office. Administered by city recorder
Keith Reynolds. [snorts] Accompanying
Erica is Mariah Panetta and Stella
Perea. Would you please come to the
podium?
Chris is taller than me.
» Right hand
be on this side.
That'll work. I, Erica Carlson,
>> I, Erica Carlson,
» I, Erica Carlson,
>> do solemnly affirm
» do solemnly affirm
>> do solemnly affirm
» do solemnly affirm
>> to support def to support, obey, and
» to support def to support, obey, and
defend
>> to support, obey, and defend
» to support, obey, and defend
>> the Constitution of the United States
» the Constitution of the United States
>> the Constitution of the United States
» the Constitution of the United States
>> and the Constitution of the State of
» and the Constitution of the State of
Utah
>> and the Constitution of the State of
» and the Constitution of the State of
Utah
>> and to discharge the duties of my office
» and to discharge the duties of my office
with fidelity.
>> and to discharge the duties of my office
» and to discharge the duties of my office
with fidelity. Thank you.
>> [applause]
» Thank you. Thank you.
That right there.
Thank you all so much for being here
today. It truly means so much.
I thought that I could get through this
without tearing up, but Council Member
Wharton [laughter]
already got us all in tears.
I want to begin by saying graciasto
immigrantes
sutra
familia.
Thank you to my family. My theati, the
epi, Gabby, Bill, Jav, my mom,
Kevin, my brother, dad, and Dean.
Your love truly gave me wings to fly.
Thank you to Rosa, my best friend, my
refuge, my partner.
I'm deeply grateful to Seth, my campaign
manager, trusted advisor, and friend,
and to Delaney, Jackie, Gabby, Tia, the
Benz,
and every volunteer who knocked on
doors, made a donation, and showed up
with heart.
Thank you to my neighbors and friends,
Frasier, Ray, Jordan, Missy, Gina, Bill,
and so many others for your support.
And please join me in thanking Council
Member Mono for his steadfast service to
our city.
[applause]
Most importantly,
thank you to the voters of district 5.
Thank you for placing your trust and
your faith in me.
I accept this role with humility
and with a deep sense of responsibility
and accountability to you.
Now, many of you know that I'm a deeply
spiritual person and that I find a lot
of soloulless in Buddhism as a
tradition.
There's a story from Buddhism that I
return to often.
There once was a forest filled with
plants and animals and rivers.
One day a great forest fire broke out
and frightened the animals of the forest
all ran for their lives. All except one
small parrot.
This small parrot sprang into action.
She swooped into a nearby river, soaked
her feathers, and then she flew above
the fire, and she shook her body to drop
what little water she could on the fire.
And then she did this again and again.
Her feet burned, the smoke filled her
lungs, and still she returned.
Now in this world there are many gods
and one of them watching from above saw
this tiny parrot and wanted to
understand what was going on. So he
transformed himself into a large eagle
and he flew alongside the exhausted
parrot
and he said to her,
"My God,
what are you doing?
you'll never make a difference.
And the exhausted little parrot
replied,
"That's not the point. The point is that
I try."
Moved by the tiny parrots determination
and compassion, the god became a great
rainstorm and put the fire out.
I share this story because here in
District 5 and across Salt Lake City,
we're facing fires of our own. The
rising cost of living, [snorts] home
ownership that feels further and further
out of reach. Aging infrastructure,
homelessness,
water scarcity and saving the Great Salt
Lake, small businesses that are
struggling to stay open. the east west
divide
and whether you rent or own whether
you've lived here for generations like
Ella now seventh generation
or you just arrived whether you walk
your neighborhood every morning or you
own a small business on 9 south on any
of these challenges it's so easy to
think
I'm just one person
what difference can I make
the point
is that we try
and I believe
deeply that together we can make a
difference. One small act leads to
another. Home ownership programs that
support family and neighborhood
stability. Seeds planted along the green
loop grow into shade and beauty. Adults
who help create safe neighborhoods where
young people feel loved and accepted and
less likely to fall through the cracks
and end up on our streets.
A coffee shop that becomes a third space
of belonging and connection. and city
employees
who ensure our local government remains
responsive and worthy of the public's
trust.
As I begin these next four years of
service,
I've been thinking a lot about legacy.
I mentioned my grandparents earlier. My
Abuela is 90 years old.
She is my elder,
my ancestor,
the one who came before.
And here's the truth.
Every person seated here today will be
an ancestor someday, too.
So the question before all of us is
simple.
What does it mean to be a good ancestor
to Salt Lake City?
To be a good ancestor to this land that
we share, to the neighborhoods of
District 5, to those
who will come after us.
Now, I pledge to do my part,
to work steadfastly on your behalf,
to run towards our fires,
and to lead with long-term vision,
determination,
love, and accountability.
But I can't do it alone.
I truly believe this work belongs to all
of us, the people who have had the
privilege and the responsibility of
living at this moment in time.
And my hope is that 100 years from now,
those who call Salt Lake City home will
say,
"I'm so grateful
they lived when they did." and that they
made the hard choices that allowed
people and place to flourish.
The decisions of the next four years are
a small bridge from one generation to
the next.
As your council member, I pledge to make
thoughtful decisions grounded in
community voices.
those here today and those still to
come.
And I know that my service will will be
measured not by words, but by budgets
passed, tradeoffs based honestly, and
decisions made with care, even when
they're difficult.
Thank you for the trust you've placed in
me.
I'm ready to get to work.
>> [applause]
[applause]
» Sorry.
Thank you, Council Member Carlson,
um, for those inspiring words and for
giving me a chance to recover.
[laughter]
really needed that break. Um, District 7
council member Sarah Young is next to
take the oath of office. Administered by
city recorder Keith Reynolds.
Accompanying Sarah are Mike Roberts and
Jake Young. Would you please step up to
the podium?
Sorry, let me just
» District 7 lives in the party. So, we
also have both of my sisters, Elizabeth
Craig and Rachel Reeves, along with my
dad, Will Reeves.
I, Sarah Young
>> I, Sarah Young,
» I, Sarah Young,
>> do solemnly affirm
» do solemnly affirm
>> do solemnly affirm
» do solemnly affirm
>> to support, obey, and defend
» to support, obey, and defend
>> to support, obey, and defend
» to support, obey, and defend
>> the Constitution of the United States
» the Constitution of the United States
>> the Constitution of the United States
» the Constitution of the United States
>> and the Constitution of the State of
» and the Constitution of the State of
Utah
>> and the Constitution of the State of
» and the Constitution of the State of
Utah.
>> And to discharge the duties of my office
» And to discharge the duties of my office
with fidelity.
>> And to discharge the duties of my office
» And to discharge the duties of my office
with fidelity.
>> Congratulations.
» Congratulations.
>> Thank you. [applause]
Oh man.
Right.
This is Ella's
I so appreciate it.
» All right. I know I'm batting cleanup,
but you're in luck. I am the fastest
talking council member, so I am going to
keep us moving.
So, thank you. I too want the
opportunity to start with gratitude um
for so many individuals. Um, I really
want to start off by thanking the
residents of District 7 for the
opportunity to serve and represent our
neighborhood um, for Sugar House and to
represent that voice as part of the
Greater Salt Lake City Council. To my
team of campaign experts who helped my
reelection by pushing me to build skills
I didn't think I had, um, while also
being willing to honor my lens and voice
as a part of the process. Young Sugar
House for Life.
Um to my husband Mike and my son Jake
for taking the journey with me. You
don't serve alone when you serve in
these roles and I'm proud to have both
of you by my side.
Also, these two happen to be the most
honest District 7 residents who take
full advantage of the dining room table
to make sure that they're advocating
whether it's about safety in our parks
or a pothole that needs to be fixed. I'm
going to take this opportunity to remind
them and the rest of you my SLC app. You
don't have to sit at the table. you too
can participate in making sure the city
has the right information to meet the
needs. So, thank you to those of you who
run the MySLC app. I hope to see more
engagement from my household alone.
Finally, to my family, my amazing
sisters who are here today and my little
brother. Growing up, team Reeves made me
the person I am today. No heated debate
in chamber or public comment period will
ever compete with having my underwear
hung in the window as an elementary
schooler for everyone to see on the walk
home from school or spending hours at
the family table waiting for every
single person to eat their vegetables.
I'm fortunate to have my best friends
show up at every family function. Team
Ridge will always be interesting.
And to my dad and mom who raised the
crew of us, not only to care for each
other, but also to care for the
community that we belong to. I carry
that expectation into my role of serving
for district 7 here for Salt Lake City.
So, last time I was up here, I had the
opportunity to highlight that even
though there are so many major events
that are happening in the world around
us on the horizon for Salt Lake City,
that for me, it's truly the little
things that make this city great. And
today will be no different. And it
involves Salt Lake Fire. So, we're on
brand team.
I'd like to introduce um a couple of
individuals. One who is here with me
today um but a family that is from Sugar
House that means the world to me, George
and Tina.
So,
in case you haven't met these wonderful
and amazing Salt Lakers, I could spend
my entire speech talking just about
George, a veteran of the Vietnam War, a
retired public safety servant here in
Utah and a star of NPR's Moth Radio.
He is truly an incredible member of our
community and represents the different
individuals that we have that are truly
treasures here in Salt Lake. George, I'm
so glad you're here today. But today is
actually about Tina. So, I'm going to
ask you to make sure that this message
gets back to her so that she can be a
part of a celebration that has been
years in the making.
Tina has cared about her community for
her whole life, studying at Westminster
in district 7, a former prek8 at Kern
St. Ans and VP of the program um at the
League of Women Voters in Utah, and
finally a former senior human resource
consultant right here in Salt Lake City.
Now, among the many things that Tina
contributed to, she was involved in the
city's 2018 effort to update our city
policies to make sure that we were
recruiting more diverse candidates into
the city workforce and that workforce
included Salt Lake City Fire. Now, we
had previously had women and diverse
candidates serving our great city, but
this was a small change in policy and an
effort to set a goal to make sure that
it wasn't just happen stance that these
individuals were a part of the city
workforce community, but that it was
intentional and we wanted to make sure
that our city represented the great
tapestry that we call Salt Lake.
Although this action alone deserved
great accolades and like so many things
here in the city, it was noted in a few
articles and then we moved on to the
next great need or thing happening
across the state of Utah. Now, fast
forward to the summer of 2025 and I have
found myself at the Salt Lake City
Public Safety Building getting ready for
my ride along with our chat team. These
are our Salt Lake City Fire emergency
medical response team that includes a
social worker to be able to meet the
various needs and safety responses that
we need to be able to address here
across our city. After a pretty intense
first call that landed me in a mandatory
coffee meeting with Chief Leeb to make
sure that everything was okay, we were
off and about to our next call in
District 7. And this was right off of
Douglas Street and 2100 South. We
arrived to find a resident with special
needs who had fallen in her bathroom and
she was declining help from the male
first responders who were first on the
scene.
Because of the amazing women of Chat,
she was able to receive help and protect
her dignity
through the kindness and expertise of
Holly, Sophie, Lauren, Natasha, and the
other members of the first responder
team. They were able to calm her down
and give her the assistance to get back
in her room where she felt safe.
They were the right people to help.
And when the resident expressed concern
about paying for the service,
they quickly responded.
There's no charge.
This is what we do for Salt Lake City.
The women of chat for SLC Fire are here
today. If you guys could stand so we
could all thank you for this small act
of kindness and the great work you do on
behalf of the city.
>> [applause]
» Now, I want you to stay standing for
just a moment
because George, it is important to me
that Tina has the chance to see these
women
and to know that they are a part of the
countless individuals
who help to address the needs across the
city, whether in public safety, public
lands, the work we do in public
utilities or elsewhere.
She helped pave the way for our
workforce.
And although there is no monument or
plaque, I wanted to take this day to
honor Tina as a representative of all of
not just the big acts, but those that
are small that really contribute to our
city. If you can help me send it to the
universe to thank Tina for her example
of leading in small's ways for Salt Lake
City that happen every day across this
great city in every department with the
thousands of people who work for our
amazing Salt Lake City. I'd appreciate
it.
[applause]
Thank you.
So, as we look forward to our future,
[sighs]
although I'm just as excited as everyone
for the big actions like exploring a new
city campus, a new and improved Fairmont
Park, the ballpark next project, and the
future
Salt Lake City Olympic Games.
One more time, the Salt Lake City
Olympic Games that are coming.
[cheering and applause]
» It's the little things that are going to
make the bigger difference.
We won't get affordable housing with one
big act. It takes steps on a daily basis
by the team here in Salt Lake City, not
just your elected officials, but those
who work here every day that will help
to address one of the greatest needs our
city faces.
It is not me as an elected official who
is going to save the Great Salt Lake,
but the small acts that take place
across the entire city, valley, county,
and state of Utah that are really going
to make the difference.
I'm really excited to be a part of that
future.
And so I thank each and everyone of my
fellow council members, the amazing
staff and council office, the mayor and
her team of the of team Salt Lake, and
all of the citizens of Sugar House. The
best is yet to come.
[applause]
Thank you, Council Member Young. This
concludes the administration of the oath
of office of our newly elected and
reelected officials. As we begin the new
year, the council looks forward to
working together in service to the
residents of Salt Lake City. We welcome
the dedication and leadership of new and
returning members uh and everything that
to look forward to in the year ahead.
Thank you again to all family members,
colleagues, community leaders, and
residents for joining us and being a
part of this location. And if you
enjoyed this uh season opener of the
Salt Lake City Council meetings, I hope
you will continue to join us. We meet
most Tuesday nights right across the
street and you can tune in online as
well. Um please join us across the
street um after this for a reception on
the third floor. This concludes our
meeting at the oath of office ceremony.
We will stand adjourned. Thank you.
» [applause]