ALAN CHOATE - Daily Herald | Posted: Monday, January 2, 2006 11:00 pm
Solemnity mixed with levity Monday in American Fork as a new mayor and three City Council members took their oaths of office, officially beginning the terms they won in November's elections.
New and returning city leaders across Utah County will be doing the same thing in the coming days. In American Fork, the occasion allowed departing and incoming city leaders to reflect on their public service and praise the peaceful workings of the local democratic system.
Heber Thompson was sworn in as mayor, and Heidi Rodeback and Dale Gunther took the oath as new council members. Councilman Jimmie Cates was re-elected.
Thompson replaces Ted Barratt. Rodeback and Gunther replace Juel Belmont and Keith Blake on the council.
The oath of office is concise. The four promised to "support, obey and defend" the U.S. and Utah constitutions, and to "discharge the duties of my office with fidelity."
Gunther said the ceremony reminded him of his National Guard service, when he would join fellow troops in saying the Pledge of Allegiance and singing the national anthem.
"There was an elation in doing that, a pride," Gunther said. "It's a great feeling of responsibility. I feel grateful for the opportunity to make a difference."
Rodeback noted that having people willing to fill local offices is one of the cornerstones of a healthy democracy.
"This is what it means to be an American," she said. "I have watched people in our neighborhood fight for freedom overseas, and I wondered what I can do here. ... They defend freedom over there, I defend freedom here."
Thompson outlined his vision for a kind of contract that exists between elected officials and the public. The mayor and council, he said, are responsible for vision and planning, providing sound stewardship of tax dollars, finding balance for city activities and land use, studying issues and acting in a timely manner and ensuring adequate opportunities for public participation in government.
Citizens, he continued, must participate in all aspects of the community, share expertise, be willing to resolve differences in a friendly manner, take pride in their community and support local businesses.
Though it was a serious and sometimes moving demonstration of civics -- Barratt even became choked up when he passed a city lapel pin on to Thompson -- it wasn't without its lighter moments.
"You now are the face of American Fork," Barratt said to Thompson. "The public has spoken -- they want a thinner man with hair."
Barratt also joked that Thompson shouldn't expect universal popularity.
"From now on," he said, "it's being sworn at, not sworn in."
This is a partial list of upcoming swearing-in ceremonies, based on information available Monday:
Today
Noon Orem
Provo
Mapleton
6 p.m. Cedar Hills
7 p.m. Pleasant Grove
Lindon
7:30 p.m. Highland
Wednesday
7 p.m. Lehi
Jan. 10
7 p.m. Saratoga Springs
Jan. 12
7 p.m. Fairfield
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A10.