Her fellow councilmembers thanked her by unanimously passing a proclamation in her honor Dec. 11, their penultimate Wednesday meeting of 2024.
“Whereas, as she leaves the county council, Malena's colleagues and Summit County staff will remember her as a calming voice in the midst of conflict and controversy, a fierce advocate for families and the workforce, and someone who always thanked and recognized county staff for their hard work and accomplishments,” Council Vice Chair Tonja Hanson read aloud.
The tone was cordial all around, and Stevens quietly smiled as each of the other councilmembers, and a few staff, shared their congratulations.
The Pinebrook resident took her seat on the council in 2021, after prevailing in the Democratic primary over fellow Snyderville Basin Planning Commissioner Canice Harte. He joined her on the council in 2023.
“I think I'm still in denial,” Harte said Dec. 11. “I just don't believe you're actually done yet. I think you're going to surprise us with some incredible service after this.”
Stevens, who is also an agent with Windermere Real Estate, has made a career out of public service.
She earned a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Utah after completing an undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University.
Stevens went on to work in disabilities services and as a victim advocate for Park City Municipal, and then as the Park City police chief’s executive assistant.
“I have learned from being your colleague, and I have greatly relied upon your friendship,” Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson told Stevens at the meeting.
Stevens served two terms on the planning commission, including as chair, and one on council. She was council vice chair in 2023 and chair in 2024.
The Summit County Council hasn’t chosen next year’s chair or vice chair yet. Whomever is elected will run weekly meetings and make decisions about items on the agenda.
Stevens said she’s grateful for the current council, and said it was a place of civility even during disagreements.
“Having a council that just agrees on everything, I think, is just as dangerous as having a council that can't agree on anything, because we have constituents that believe very differently and that have different varying opinions,” she said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour.”
This year involved granular, and at times tense, discussions about a Salt Lake City developer’s controversial housing proposal for Kimball Junction. Stevens was involved in parallel conversations with the Utah Department of Transportation about redesigning Kimball Junction’s traffic flow.
In addition to her council work, Stevens was a founding member of Summit County’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, created at the end of 2022 to comply with state law asking counties to produce a plan to address crime.
Stevens also served as a board member for High Valley Transit and represented Summit County in Utah’s delegation to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Stepping to Stevens’ seat on the council in January is Mountainlands Community Housing Trust housing advocate and former Park City High School teacher Megan McKenna. It will be McKenna’s first time on the council.
