Candidates file, make campaigns official

Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan's bid for a fifth term in office was among the campaigns made official Wednesday as the two-week filing period for municipal elections got under way.

Dolan started his career as a medical salesman but has spent the past 16 years as Sandy's top elected official. So far, he is the only candidate to file in the Sandy race.

Dolan won by just 6 percent of the vote four years ago despite outspending his opposition by thousands of dollars. Since then, a gravel pit on the city's east side has been made into a Wal-Mart, and a field near City Hall has been transformed into a world-class soccer stadium. Both projects elicited controversy over the proper use of taxpayer funds.

Dolan also pushed hard for the region's first Broadway-style theater, which was to be built near the new stadium. However, that privately-funded project has stalled due to funding woes.

Dolan cites low property taxes and a strong crime-fighting record as reasons to keep him in office. He's also proud of open-space conservation efforts.

Elsewhere in Salt Lake County, Holladay Mayor Dennis Webb, Midvale Mayor JoAnn Seghini and Taylorsville Mayor Russ Wall are seeking re-election.

Webb points to unfinished projects such as a planned city park, the Cottonwood Mall and the Holladay Village Center as examples of ongoing success.

"Over the past few years, we have accomplished a great deal," he said. "We can be proud of how far we've come as a city. But we also realize that much is yet to be accomplished."

Webb, a software developer and engineer, helped found Franklin Covey. He took office in 2003, when the city disposed of its strong-mayor form of government.

The Holladay City Council seats of Grant Orton and Patricia Pignanelli will also be up for election this fall. Both plan to run again.

Seghini, Midvale's mayor since 1994, has a long history of advocacy for the poor and minorities. She has recently overseen a complete redraft of city ordinance involving taco-vending carts.

Seghini has also spent significant time and effort on redevelopment of property once poisoned by a smelter operation. The land has been cleaned up and is in the process of becoming a mixed-use transit, housing and retail development known as Bingham Junction.

Wall served four years on the Taylorsville City Council before being elected in November 2005 to lead the west-side municipality. If re-elected, he pledges to keep an eye out for small businesses and to seek regional, state and federal money to expand mass transit in Taylorsville.

Wall would also continue with code-enforcement efforts and seek to redevelop blighted areas around town, he said.