A familiar face has returned to the Draper City Council. Recently retired councilmember Marsha Vawdrey was selected from among 40 individuals to fill the vacancy created by Cal Roberts’ election to the Utah House of Representatives. Roberts ran unopposed and resigned from the council Nov. 12.

State code dictated the procedure to follow and mandated the position had to be filled within 30 days of Roberts’ resignation. According to code, the city advertised the vacancy and received 51 applications. Councilmembers conferred and decided to give each applicant two minutes to state their case as to why each was the best candidate for the job. Applicant attrition occurred (some withdrew or didn’t show up for the interview) and 40 individuals interviewed at the Nov. 19 council meeting. Following the final presentation, the council briefly recessed and returned to vote. 

Mayor Troy Walker thanked the applicants for their interest and noted this kind of civic interest is rare. “Another city recently had only two applicants. You’re an impressive bunch of members of our community,” Walker said. Knowing only one could be chosen, Walker encouraged all who applied to look for other city involvement opportunities. 

The four councilmembers explained their reasons for choosing Vawdrey. “There’s no learning curve with Marsha…she understands what we’re trying to do with smart growth and regulatory constraints…I think it will be the right decision for this short period of time and then we’ll let the community decide going forward,” Councilmember Mike Green said. 

“We know she had been elected by residents in the past, so I knew Draper residents would approve,” Councilmember Bryn Heather Johnson said. Councilmember Tasha Lowery commended all the applicants for keeping their interviews positive in a time of political discord. “Every one of us are here because we love Draper…by supporting Marsha, we’re bringing back someone who has the knowledge and competency to do this for a short period of time. Then you can put your names in and run. That way, no one has a running start over everyone else,” she said. 

Fred Lowry was the only councilmember to vote against selecting Vawdrey. “This is by no means disrespect to Marsha. However, I have a differing opinion on this. When we have 40 applicants…I have a feeling we should consider some others,” he said. 

Vawdrey was sworn in immediately after being selected. The position will end Jan. 5, 2026. Vawdrey initially joined the council in 2013 in a similar fashion. Then-councilmember Walker was elected mayor, leaving a vacancy for the remaining two years of his term. Vawdrey was chosen from approximately 18 applicants.  She started on the council in 2014 and was re-elected twice.

Vawdrey said she’s enjoyed her retirement, including a cruise to the Panama Canal, but she and her husband recently sold their small business, leaving them with more free time. “I feel like I was in a unique position to fill in during a short vacancy. I know the job and the responsibilities and can step in and help to keep things moving along,” she said. 

Vawdrey has encouraged women to get involved after being encouraged by others to initially interview for the council. She feels women offer a unique perspective. She will join fellow female councilmembers Tasha Lowery and Bryn Heather Johnson behind the dais, though this is not the first time there have been three women on the council. Vawdrey, Lowery and Michele Weeks all overlapped for a period of time. 

In a moment of lightness during the interviews, applicant Angie Quinlan said Vawdrey is akin to Taylor Swift in Draper, well-known for her community service. “I laughed but also felt honored by her words,” Vawdrey said. 

The November 2025 municipal election will have two four-year seats on the council, one two-year position to fill the remainder of Roberts’ term, and a mayoral election. Having just returned to the council starting with the Dec. 3 meeting, Vawdrey is not ready to say if she will or will not run in that election. 

“When I put my name in for consideration, I intended to return for this one-year opening, but I have not committed to anything beyond that,” she said. λ