Riverdale, Farr West, Huntsville getting new reps to replace mayors
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The new slate of officials in Huntsville formally took office on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. They are, from left, Town Council member Sandy Hunter, Mayor RIchard Sorensen, and Town Council members Kevin Anderson, Bruce Ahlstrom and Artie Powell.FARR WEST — Farr West and Huntsville leaders have picked new council members following the installation of new mayors in the locales who had served in the legislative body.
Riverdale officials will be tabbing a new City Council member there for the same reason.
New mayors were sworn in this week in Farr West, Huntsville and Riverdale — Ken Phippen, Richard Sorensen and Braden Mitchell, respectively — each of them coming from the ranks of the city council or, in the case of Huntsville, the Town Council. That led to the search for replacements in each locale to fill the unexpired council terms of the newly minted mayors.
In Huntsville, the Town Council on Tuesday picked Bruce Ahlstrom to fill out Sorensen’s Town Council term and swore him in at the meeting. He was one of three hopefuls.
In Farr West, the City Council on Thursday picked Janele Leatham to fill out Phippen’s City Council term. She beat out six other hopefuls and is to be sworn in at the council’s Jan. 20 meeting.
In her application for the council spot, Leatham, a software engineer, said she can identify with the concerns of both new and longtime Farr West residents. “I can hear both sides of an issue and address it objectively,” she said, also saying women should be involved in government.
In Riverdale, applications will be accepted until Jan. 13 for candidates to fill Mitchell’s unexpired term. The hopefuls will be interviewed by the mayor and City Council at the Jan. 18 Riverdale City Council meeting, when officials are expected to make a selection.
The new council members in each locale will serve through the end of 2023, when the seats come up for reelection.
Phippen, Sorensen and Mitchell were picked in elections last November. Rob Vanderwood in West Haven is another new Weber County mayor who took office this week, but his council spot was up for election and his replacement was picked by voters last November.
Many other new city council members in locales across Weber County were picked by voters last November and also took office this week.