DECEMBER 2022
MAYOR’S MESSAGE Holladay’s First Holiday Last night I joined my colleagues on the City Council for a dinner of Chinese takeout before attending our regular City Council meeting. Afterward, I walked through our beautiful, wood-paneled City Hall, decorated for the holidays, past the food drive bins filled to overflowing with donations. Outside, the air was cold, and the lights were all ablaze in the trees lining the sidewalk and in the Village Center. As I drove home, I thought of the lines from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” – “It is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices.” We often have a sweet nostalgia for those times in our lives when “Want was keenly felt.” Some of my most memorable holidays were spent in tiny student apartments with my wife and young daughters with very few presents under the tree. I also hold special memories of Holladay’s first holiday in 1999, when, as a newly elected member of the original City Council, I joined Mayor Liane Stillman and the other members of the Council in trying to create a new city government out of, literally, nothing. In stark contrast to the Abundance that Holladay City now enjoys—with experienced staff, outstanding police and fire, city parks, a City Hall, a working budget and prudent reserves—it was a time when “Want was keenly felt.” The mayor and five council members were sworn in at the State Capitol on Tuesday, November 30, 1999, in the ornate reception room next to the Governor’s office. We then filed our Articles of Incorporation, and the city was officially formed. Afterward, the six of us drove to the old, abandoned bank building at 4707 South Holladay Blvd., for our first City Council meeting. In contrast to the splendor of the Capitol, our first “home” was a gutted structure, little more than a construction site, with no heat and no furniture. We had brought our own lawn chairs from home to sit in and someone had provided a space heater to take the chill out of the air. We sat down and faced the daunting task of building a government structure from the ground up. We literally had nothing on that cold night—no money, no ordinances, no employees, and no city hall. The agenda that evening—and on many subsequent evenings in December 1999—was impossibly long. As a notary public, I first swore in our first appointed officials—City Recorder, City Treasurer and City Attorney. We then passed a model city code, a temporary zoning ordinance, approved “bridge” financing with Zion’s Bank to tide us over until the first revenues came in during 2000, and created the structure for a Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment. After meeting for several hours, we turned off the space heater, locked the door, and walked through the cold air next door to the Chinese restaurant for dinner. By Council Member Dan Gibbons, District 5
Be Safe This Holiday Season! By Chief Justin Hoyal, UPD Holladay Precinct As we approach the holiday season, we have found that there are those who put extra effort into spoiling your holiday season. We want to share a few tips with you to prevent people from taking your packages, breaking into your car, or defrauding you at this time of year. Many of us have packages delivered to our homes and even more so during the holiday season. Take time to track the packages and get them off your porch as soon as they are delivered. Suspects will spend a lot of time driving neighborhoods looking for unattended packages. If you are not home, talk to your neighbors about picking up the packages for you. You can also have the packages shipped to an alternate address. Lastly, many of the companies have a ship-to-the-store option if you are not going to be home, or are not able to pick up your package for an extended time. Check with your shipping company to see what other options may be available to protect your shipment. As you are out shopping, keep items and valuables out of plain view in your car. If you have to leave items in your car, make sure that they are out of view. Either lock your items in the trunk or put them somewhere that is not easily seen. Often suspects are looking for something they can grab quickly and be gone before anyone notices them. This also includes ensuring that your car is locked. An unlocked vehicle is the easiest way for someone to get in and out of a car quickly.
T hank You! It was a Christmas tree miracle this year, all because of the incredible team at Jackson & LeRoy! This year’s beautiful tree was donated by the Jackson & LeRoy company and was craned in by Diamond Tree experts and Larsen Crane. Without the generosity and time, our tree lighting event would not be possible, from all of us at the City of Holladay. THANK YOU!
Lastly, we do not want you to have to worry about being a victim of fraud or a scam. If you get a phone call, voice mail, e-mail or text message that is suspicious, do some research to see if it is real. Do not give out account information, personal information, credit card information or gift card information to those who reach out asking for it. It is most likely a scam. You can always call the police department, financial institution or business to see if they were actually calling you before you give out that information. Also, look up the number yourself for that institution and don’t call the phone number a scammer may give you. Please watch for suspicious cars in your neighborhood and those that may be following delivery drivers. As you are out shopping, watch for suspicious people that are looking into cars. Lastly, when it comes to scams, ask questions and be very careful when asked for personal information or account information. Remember the phrase, “If you see something, say something.” You can always call our non-emergency number, 801-840-4000 to report suspicious behavior. In an emergency, call 911. We want to continue to make the City of Holladay a great and safe city to live in, work in and recreate. We appreciate your support and help when you watch out for your neighbors and report suspicious activities. We at the UPD’s Holladay Precinct are wishing you have a safe and happy holiday season!
DECEMBER 2022
CITY INFORMATION
Holladay Library Happenings Gift Wrap and Hot Chocolate
Wednesday, Dec 7 & 14 • 6:30-8:30 pm
FEATURED TREE OF THE MONTH
NORTHERN RED OAK Quercus rubra
Drop in from 6:30 - 8:30 PM on two Wednesdays in December (7th and 14th) and make gift bags out of old book pages and wrapping paper with paint and stencils while you have some hot chocolate.
Winter Music Celebration with Harvest Home Thursday, Dec 8 • 7 pm
Bring your family and friends for an evening of excellent family, holiday and winter music. Light refreshments will be served. As always, for a full list of library events they can go to https://events.slcolibrary.org/events
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS: Rob Dahle, Mayor rdahle@cityofholladay.com 801-580-3056 Ty Brewer, District 1 tbrewer@cityofholladay.com 801-550-8747 Matt Durham, District 2 mdurham@cityofholladay.com 801-999-0781 Paul Fotheringham, District 3 pfotheringham@cityofholladay.com 801-424-3058 Drew Quinn, District 4 dquinn@cityofholladay.com 801-272-6526 Dan Gibbons, District 5 dgibbons@cityofholladay.com 385-215-0622 Gina Chamness, City Manager gchamness@cityofholladay.com
PUBLIC MEETINGS: A fast-growing shade tree, the Northern Red Oak was deemed by naturalist Joseph Illich (19482016) to be one of the “handsomest, cleanest, and stateliest trees in North America.” According to the National Arbor Day Foundation, it is considered a “national treasure.” Thriving in full sun, a Northern Red Oak typically grows to 50’-80’ tall with a 50’-75’ spread, and can live up to 400 years. Turning russet-red to bright red in autumn, its deciduous yellowish-green leaves are 4”-8” long and have 7-11 spine-tipped lobes. One of 60 varieties of native U.S. oak trees, it begins producing saucer-like capped acorns around the 25-year mark. Both the Native Americans and wildlife such as blue jays, squirrels, deer, raccoons, and black bear found oak acorns to be an appealing food source. Sometimes called a Champion Oak, it is a valuable hardwood attracting both lumbermen and landscapers since Colonial times. Its wood has been used to make fence posts, railroad ties, furniture, flooring, cabinets, and paneling. Indispensable is its ability to be a natural pollution-fighter. My backyard champion is a once homeless, containerized---but “mighty oak,” gifted to me following the Holladay Tree Committee’s 2020 Tree Give-away. Growing 4’ in two years, it heroically reaches up to fill a void left in my heart after a 40’ Spruce unpredictably fell during the historic windstorm of September, 2020. Long live the Northern Red Oak!
City Council – first and third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. Planning Commission – first and third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.
CITY OFFICES: Mon-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • 801-272-9450 4580 South 2300 East • Holladay, UT 84117 Community Development Finance Justice Court Code Enforcement
NUMBERS TO KNOW:
801-527-3890 801-527-2455 801-273-9731 801-527-3890
Emergency 911 UPD Dispatch (Police) 801-840-4000 UFA Dispatch (Fire) 801-840-4000 Animal Control 385-468-7387 Garbage/Sanitation 385-468-6325 Holladay Library 801-944-7627 Holladay Lions Club 385-468-1700 Mt. Olympus Sr. Center 385-468-3130 Holladay Post Office 801-278-9942 Cottonwood Post Office 801-453-1991 Holliday Water 801-277-2893 Watermaster - Big Cottonwood Tanner Ditch system - Art Quayle 801 867-1247
A New Years’ Resolution for Your Pet As humans, many of us set a resolution for ourselves for the new year. Since our pets can improve our physical and mental health, let’s improve the lives of our cats and dogs this year as well. 1. Update Their Tags & Microchips: If your contact information has changed, get your pet a new tag and update the info that’s attached to their microchip. Also, make sure the info on their tag is still readable, often it rubs off. 2. Bring Out the Brush: Not only does brushing improve their coats, it helps you connect. 3. Declutter! Throw away those dirty, germy, broken toys. Get them something new to play with. 4. Make Time to Play: Whether it’s swimming, hiking, or learning new tricks; your pet needs time to play and bond with you because they love you unconditionally. 5. Measure Their Food: It’s easy to overfeed a pet who acts like there’s never enough food in the bowl. Throw a measuring cup in their food containers and use it every day. Food is often a way we say, “I Love You.” Love your pet with other things like attention, play dates, or more car rides. 6. Take Them to the Vet: Just like humans, pets should see their veterinarian for an annual check-up. They need to have their yearly vaccinations to keep them healthy and happy. Often when pets get sick, there is something going on with them that we can’t see. Don’t forget to license your pets! For more information visit AdoptUtahPets.org or come by Salt Lake County Animal Services, 511 W 3900 S, in Salt Lake City.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
Top 10 Holiday Safety Tips 1. Inspect electrical decorations for damage before use. Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire. 2. Do not overload electrical outlets. Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wires are a common cause of holiday fires. Avoid overloading outlets and plug only one high-wattage appliance into each outlet at a time. 3. Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights. More than three strands may not only blow a fuse, but can also cause a fire. 4. Keep tree fresh by watering daily. Dry trees are a serious fire hazard. 5. Use battery-operated candles. Candles start almost half of home decoration fires (NFPA).
+
-
6. Keep combustibles at least three feet from heat sources. A heat source that was too close to the decoration was a factor in half of home fires that began with decorations. (NFPA).
7. Protect cords from damage. To avoid shock or fire hazards, cords should never be pinched by furniture, forced into small spaces such as doors or windows, placed under rugs, located near heat sources, or attached by nails or staples. 8. Check decorations for certification label. Decorations not bearing a label from an Independent testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Intertek (ETL) have not been tested for safety and could be hazardous. 9. Stay in the kitchen when something is cooking. Unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of home cooking fires (NFPA). 10. Turn off, unplug, and extinguish all decorations when going to sleep or leaving the house. Unattended candles are the cause of one in five home candle fires. Half of home fire deaths occur between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (NFPA).
4