November 2025 | Vol. 25 Iss. 11
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Sandy
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5,000 wishes
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Potential school closures
Parents worry about possible changes coming to schools Page 10
Sandy City opens new Fire Station 31 By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com Sandy celebrated the grand opening of the new Fire Department Headquarters with a pancake breakfast, followed by a ribbon-cutting, a flag-raising, and the ringing of the historic fire bell.
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he Sandy City community celebrated the grand opening of the new Sandy Fire Department Headquarters - Fire Station 31, located at 9295 S. 255 West, on Oct. 11. Sandy City firefighters served up 3,000 pancakes and 1,000 sizzling sausages to those in attendance. The complimentary breakfast was a thank-you to residents who supported the bond to fund the essential public safety facility. Those attending the half-day celebration included elected officials and staff, Sandy City firefighters and community members. “This grand opening celebrates both our community’s legacy and our shared commitment to safety and progress,” said Mayor Monica Zoltanski. “We’re proud of this investment in public safety and grateful to our residents for making it possible with their overwhelming support.” In November 2023, voters approved a $21 million bond to build the new fire station and to replace the deteriorating department headquarters at 9010 S. 150 East, which sustained structural damage during the 2020 earthquake. The bond received 67% voter support to fund the project from planning and design through to construction. The new 31,000-square-foot facility is designed with Sandy’s future needs in mind. Among its many unique features, the station prioritizes firefighter cancer prevention by incorporating modern technology, such as positive-pressure airflow in living spaces, decontamination showers, an airlock between bays and living spaces. These elements help to reduce firefighter exposure to carcinogens and diesel exhaust. Additionally, the facility is intended to serve as a hub for emergency response and community fire education. “We definitely outgrew the fire station headquarters on 9000 South decades ago,” Zoltanski said. “We can say goodbye to leaky roofs, decaying infrastructure, a broken foundation, and a complicated floor arrangement. The new Fire Station 31 rises on a plot of ground visible from I-15 at 9295 S. 255 West in the heart of the city’s downtown Cairn’s District. It is conveniently located near America First Field, the Mountain America Convention Center, and many high-occu-
Sandy City Councilmembers, Fire Chief Bruce Cline (retired,) Fire Chief Ryan McConaghie, Mayor Monica Zoltanski, cut the hose on the new fire department headquarters. (Collette Hayes/City Journals)
pancy businesses and housing complexes.” Zoltanski further explained, “In the coming years, there will be significantly more housing in this area, new restaurants, new businesses — all the things that shape a modern urban center. This area is the heart of our city’s future growth, and we need a fire station that can support that growth. We are ready for it. Fire Station 31 is designed not just for today’s needs in Sandy City, but for the future needs of Sandy City.” According to Zolanski, in 2022, the city was losing firefighters at a record rate. Many of those leaving were seasoned professionals — mid to upper-level career individuals who were very familiar with every neighborhood in Sandy.
One of the primary reasons for the decline in staff was insufficient resources. However, the new fire station has raised safety standards to national levels. As a result, the city can now maintain a long-term force of community firefighters, who are essential to public safety. “Our firefighters risk their lives daily,” Zoltanski said. “They rush in when others rush out. As Mayor and your city leader, my promise is our firefighters now have all the tools needed to return safely to their families after every shift.” Sandy City Fire Chief Ryan McConaghie was officially appointed to his position in July 2024. He has a long history with the Sandy City Fire Department, having served in various roles for more than 20 years. As fire chief, he underContinued page 22