Salt Lake City Council chooses leadership

The Salt Lake City Council chose its 2007 leadership Tuesday, and the new chairman and vice chairwoman will take the lead with unanimous support.

The council chose Councilman Van Turner as its chairman and Councilwoman Jill Remington Love as vice chairwoman. The nominations were made in a work-session meeting by anonymous straw polling, and Turner received the nomination of all six council members present.

Love was nominated by five of the council members, with outgoing Chairman Dave Buhler receiving one nomination.

But in the council's formal meeting, Turner and Love were both elected by unanimous "yes" votes.

Turner is in his second term representing the city's southwest neighborhoods. He was vice chairman of the council during 2006 and during 2002 and 2003 was vice chairman of the Redevelopment Agency's board of directors, which is made up of the council's seven members.

Love is also in her second term on the council, representing the neighborhoods south, east and west of Liberty Park. She was vice chairwoman of the RDA board in 2006 and was chairwoman of the council in 2004 and vice chairwoman in 2003.

Tuesday's vote means neither of the two council members seeking election as mayor this year — Buhler and Councilwoman Nancy Saxton — will have the podium or prominence of the chair.

The council chairman conducts meetings and plays a key role in setting the council's agenda.

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