Holladay's government slated for sea change

HOLLADAY — The form of Holladay's city government will change in January, and the mix of elected officials running that new government could look very different as well — depending on the outcome of the Nov. 4 election.

Mayor Dennis Larkin will be replaced by either Dennis Webb or Bob Neslen. As few as two of the five current City Council members may be back. And once all that is decided, another new name will surface when the city hires its first full-time city manager early next year.

But change is good, or so Holladay voters implied with their Aug. 5 vote to change Holladay's form of city government from the council-mayor form to the council-manager form. The result of that special election cut Larkin's four-year term in half. And after the mayor's challenge to the Utah Supreme Court failed, he chose to ride off into the sunset rather than run for re-election.

Besides, being mayor of Holladay isn't what it used to be. Thanks to the special election, Holladay's mayoral position has been changed from a full-time post in charge of the city's administration to a part-time role. The new mayor, who will serve just two years before having to run for reelection, will serve as a voting member on the new six-member council. Essentially, the mayor of Holladay is now a council member elected at-large. But the two candidates vying to succeed Larkin don't see it that way. They take the title of mayor very seriously, and see the opportunity as one to transform a city government that has been bitterly divided into a more civil and efficient unit. Both Webb, who won the October primary election by a healthy margin, and Neslen, who helped lead the charge for governmental reform, believe they are just the fresh face the city needs to lead it into its new political era.

The District 2 City Council seat, without an incumbent in the race, will have a new council member come January — either Lynn Pace, who won the primary, or Dennis Ickes, who survived the primary by just four votes.

In Districts 4 and 5, respectively, incumbents Steve Peterson and Hugo Diederich hope to return. They were on opposite sides of the change-in-government debate, with Peterson voting to hold the election and Diederich — a supporter of Larkin — opposing it. But neither incumbent was seriously challenged in the primary.

Council chairwoman Sandy Thackeray, who favored the change-of-government vote, and Councilman Grant Orton, generally a Larkin supporter along with Diederich, are not up for re-election and will serve at least two more years.