City Manager Mike Barker welcomed the public to Draper’s oath of office ceremony Jan. 5. “I’m excited because this is happening all across the state today… the orderly transition of power. The people have spoken and elected their representatives,” Barker said. 

After raising their right hands to individually take the oath, Draper’s election winners returned to the podium to deliver remarks. Reelected Councilmember Mike Green was not present for the ceremony because he’s currently deployed with the U.S. Army. Barker said Green was sworn-in remotely the same day as the others.

Kathryn Dahlin, the newest member of the council, admitted to being nervous about her speech. “But now that I’m an elected official, I can go on and on,” she joked. Dahlin said she considered all the reasons her family loves living in Draper including hiking in Corner Canyon and other opportunities for walking and running as well as rec sports which her children have participated in for 25 seasons. Dahlin mentioned local bakeries and Draper’s eight ice cream stores. “Ten if you include Harmons and Macey’s, which we do,” she said. Dahlin said knocking doors while campaigning helped her better understand the city and residents’ concerns about crosswalks, schools, trees, traffic, growth, garbage and taxes. She said people shared stories of wonderful Draper neighbors and helpful city employees. 

Dahlin expressed three goals she has for her two-year term on the council. First, she plans to be accessible to residents and act as a resource for sharing city information, and she commits to work to make informed decisions. Secondly, Dahlin said she wants to respect people’s tax dollars. “My family lives on a budget. We don’t have the luxury of spending more money than we have. I’ll make sure we’re fully funding our public safety and give Draper’s taxpayers amazing service for their tax dollars,” she said. Third, she hopes to preserve the livability of the community including helping strike that balance with the growth at The Point. “I will work to ensure our city residents aren’t footing the bill for someone else’s project,” she said. 

Incumbent Tasha Lowery is embarking on her third four-year term on the council. Lowery recalled her first job decades ago as a kindergarten teacher in an inner-city school. “I taught children who lived in cars, children who came to school hungry and tired and already angry at the world. Remarkably, they still showed up every day, most often with a smile, except for Sam,” Lowery said. She explained that Sam didn’t want to be in kindergarten and was sick to his stomach as a result of his emotions every day for two months. She likened Sam’s anxiety over kindergarten to when she first became a member of the council. “When I started, meetings were tense and people were angry. But just like Sam, if you can make it through the door and take a seat, you’ll make friends, you learn and grow and find ways to thrive, and you can slowly begin to make a difference. It took Sam two months, it took me more like two years,” she said. 

Lowery said even on the hard days when there are controversial subjects to address, she still feels lucky to be a member of the council. She hopes to make wise decisions for the community’s shared future. “I am grateful for all of you for carrying me through. It takes strength and resilience to keep showing up and it takes a village. Thank you for being my village,” she said.  

Troy Walker originally took the oath of office as a councilmember 18 years ago. Now he’s beginning his fourth four-year term as mayor. He began by thanking his wife Stefani and their children as well as area mayors and other political representatives who came to the ceremony to show their support.

“Politics as of late has been unique to say the least. As we go forward as leaders, we have a lot to deal with. In a local capacity, we do things that matter, things we see every day that often don’t seem exciting or important, unless you’re calling for a paramedic, the fire department or police. Government has a narrow lane…we can’t do everything, but the things we do we can do well,” he said.

Walker reflected on how various people help their community. “I see people who serve in different ways. Some in your church, neighborhood, school, government, and some of you serve quietly. That’s what makes the difference in our lives and community,” he said. 

Walker said the job of elected officials is to look to the future and determine where to go. “You sent me here because you trust my judgement and ability to figure out a problem, and you expect me to make the best decision…though you may not agree with my decision. I’m grateful to all of you who have supported me through the years, and I’m even grateful to some of you who’ve disagreed with me,” he said.

Walker said the council aims to work as a team despite their differences. “Potholes don’t care what party you’re from. It’s all about service and doing the work. We don’t have the same political views, but we’re still able to work together.” 

Green is gone for a maximum of 270 days after departing in early October. According to Barker, it has yet to be determined if he’ll be able to participate by calling into council meetings while he’s deployed. Walker read remarks Green had prepared about his reelection to the council and starting this term while on military leave. Green said he began in the military at age 19 and served in the Gulf War. He is now a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer in the Army, meaning he’s a licensed lawyer, and is deployed in that capacity. Green’s words drew parallels between his military service and his service as a councilmember. He said he felt an obligation to give the Army the same care and commitment he got when he started his military service in an effort to support the young people currently serving the country. “We should be proud of our sons and daughters doing difficult work far from home,” Green said. He asked the community to keep all service members in their prayers and said he looks forward to advancing a shared vision for the Draper community.

“We are off on another term. There are a lot of exciting things happening in our community, including The Point. The future is bright for Draper. We have our challenges…but we can shape it in a way that’s meaningful,” Walker said. “It’s a wonderful place to live.”