Holladay welcomed new and incumbent councilmembers during the Oath of Office ceremony on Jan. 4.

Three Holladay councilmembers were sworn into office in the Holladay City Council Chambers by Holladay Justice Court Judge Augustus G. Chin. 

New Councilmember Emily Gray ran uncontested in District 5 and will replace departing Dan Gibbons. Gray sees her primary focus in her new position as an opportunity to represent the views of neighbors, friends and the community. 

“We are a government by the people,” Gray said. “That works best when we know what the people want. Not just a few vocal voices on the fringes but everyone. When people become informed, reach out to their elected officials, and vote, we are truly functioning the way we should.”

One of Gray’s upcoming priorities while in office is to preserve the character of Holladay by managing some of the expected growth coming to Salt Lake County without losing what makes Holladay a special place to be and to live. 

“Specifically, I am excited to work on plans for the old Spring Lane Elementary property to keep it an open space that can benefit the community,” Gray said. “I’m truly looking forward to serving the people of Holladay.”

Incumbent Councilmember Matt Durham’s council seat was uncontested, and he will serve a second term in District 2. Durham grew up in Holladay and feels fortunate to be a Holladay resident. Having the opportunity to serve on the council, he began to see impressive things about the city of Holladay. 

“I’ve worked with the tree committee, which is a passionate group of people committed to maintaining the livability of our community by protecting our tree canopy,” Durham said. “We recently started up a Health Coalition of people in the community who have no other interest other than helping the community to be healthier in terms of mental health, physical health and substance abuse. I want to thank my neighbors and friends who have put trust in me, and I look forward to serving in the next four years.” 

Receiving 72% of the vote, incumbent Councilmember Drew Quinn will serve a second term in District 4. Public engagement is vital to Quinn’s decision-making. Whether it’s a requested change of zoning or where to place flashing speed limit signs, hearing what the affected residents think definitely factors into her final decisions.

“My biggest priority is on the city budget and spending our available funds in the best ways while addressing the citizens’ concerns,” Quinn said. “Right now, we are facing infrastructure needs like roads, stormwater upgrades, and making City Hall safer in the event of an earthquake. I like to balance those needs with what gives Holladay a sense of community, like maintaining our parks and green spaces and the summer concerts. One issue I have continued to be involved with is trying to reduce the short-term rentals in our neighborhoods. I’m grateful for the trust given to me by the citizens of District 4, and I pledge to work hard for them and everyone in Holladay.”

Mayor Rob Dahle introduced guest speaker Lynn Pace, a lifelong Holladay resident who served as Holladay City Council District 2 representative for 14 years. Pace is the longest-tenured elected official who has served in Holladay. He is an attorney by trade and has a long, distinguished political career. Currently, he serves in Sandy as City Attorney.

One of the local leaders’ challenges is building with a vision for the future. During his remarks, Pace mentioned lessons he had learned while serving in office. 

“We are building the Holladay we want for our children,” Pace said. “Let’s make sure it’s what we want for them. When you serve as a councilmember, it’s not about you. It’s a team effort. Your neighbors and friends trust you to make decisions for them. In order to get anything done in Holladay, you have to have four votes, which is a supermajority. Holladay runs on a supermajority because a three-three tie is not good enough. In Holladay, we want broad consensus.” λ