Incoming Council Chair Malena Stevens says she’s honored to serve at the helm with Tonja Hanson.
“I'm really excited to be able to serve with Tonja. She's an exceptional asset to the council and I think will do a fantastic job in this capacity," Stevens said.
It’s the first time two women have held both positions since the county council was created in 2008. Summit County voters elected to switch from a 3-seat county commission by a 2% margin in 2006.
Outgoing chair Roger Armstrong thanked Stevens, who served as vice chair in 2023.
“The vice chair of this council is a critical position, and there weren't enough hours in the day to do everything that needed to be done,” he said.
Council chairs and vice chairs keep regular meetings with the county manager and set schedules and agendas. They also may be tapped to negotiate important projects.
Stevens said one of the most important projects this year will be working with the Utah Department of Transportation to fix Kimball Junction gridlock. UDOT has drafted three potential plans and aims to choose one in 2024.
“Additionally, looking at different land use applications; what this county is going to look like into the future; how we can continue regional collaboration,” she said. “We've got some big development on our borders.”
The council will also negotiate with developer Dakota Pacific Real Estate to resolve a pending lawsuit over development in Kimball Junction.
Dakota Pacific had asked to rezone 50 undeveloped acres for denser commercial and residential units when the Utah Legislature passed a law pushing the development through regardless.
Summit County sued to stop development, and now the lawsuit is on pause at the behest of the legislature to see if the developer and councilmembers can settle outside court.