What is the Council’s role
in City government?
Salt Lake City Corporation operates under a
mayor-council form of government. The mayor-council form of
government separates executive and legislative branches as equal
branches of municipal government. The City Council is the
legislative branch and sets the overall policy direction for
Salt Lake City. This is accomplished by adopting ordinances that
become City laws, adopting the annual City budget which
determines what services are to be provided and providing
oversight of the executive branch. Council Members exercise
their legislative powers when acting as a member of the City
Council in Council meetings. The executive (or administrative)
branch is comprised of the mayor and the following departments:
airport, attorney, community and economic development, fire,
management services, police, public services and public
utilities.
Who is elected in Salt Lake
City’s government?
The Mayor and seven Council Members. The Mayor
is a full-time position; Council Members are part-time elected
officials. All elected officials in Salt Lake City serve
nonpartisan posts.
How long is the term of
office for elected officials in Salt Lake City?
The seven Council Members are elected to
four-year terms from individual geographic districts. Based on
2000 Census figures, each Council district has approximately
26,000 residents. The Mayor also serves a four-year term, but
the election runs citywide. All municipal elections in Utah are
held during odd-numbered years. Every two years, approximately
half of the City Council seats are up for election. The
elections in Council districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 are held
simultaneously (2005, 2009, etc.); followed two years later by
elections for Mayor and Council districts 2, 4 and 6 (2003,
2007, 2011, etc.).
Who are the Council
Members?
District One, Carlton Christensen, Council Chair
District Two, Van Turner
District Three, Eric Jergensen
District Four, Luke Garrott
District Five, Jill Remington Love, Council Chair
District Six, JT Martin, Council Vice Chair
District Seven, Søren D. Simonsen
What is my Council district?
Your Council district is determined by where you reside in Salt
Lake City. General neighborhood boundaries are outlined
here, or you can call
the Council Office at 535-7600.
How can I get a message to my Council Member?
You can send an email message from the contact
page on each council member's site, or write your Council Member at 451
South State, Room 304, PO Box
145476, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5476. You may call
the Council Office at 535-7600, fax comments to 535-7651, or
leave comments on 535-7654.
Who are the Council Chair and Vice Chair?
The Council Chair for 2009 is Council Member
Carlton Christensen. The
Vice Chair is Council Member JT Martin. Council
Members serve as Chair and Vice Chair for a one-year term based
on a calendar year. The Council Members elect a new Chair and
Vice Chair in January of each year.
When does the Council meet?
The Council meets three Tuesdays per month, except during June,
July, August and December when the Council meets two Tuesdays
per month. Briefing sessions which allow Council Members to
receive information and discuss pending issues begin at 3:00 p.m. at 451 South
State Street in Room 326; followed by a regular Council meeting
(formal action is taken) which begins at 7:00
p.m. in the Council Chambers at 451 South State Street, Room
315. Council meetings are conducted by one of the Council
Members; this responsibility is shared by the Council Members
and scheduled in order of Council district number. The Council
Chair, however, conducts the meetings in January and December.
For actual meeting dates, please
click here to see the Council’s
agendas or call the Council Office at 535-7600.
Meetings are open to the public, except for any executive
sessions. A sound system for the hearing impaired is available
and headphones can be obtained for all public meetings upon four
hours advance notice. Arrangements can be made for sign language
interpreters; please allow 72 hours advance notice. TDD Number
535-6021. Assisted listening devices are available on Channel I.
Large type and #2 Braille agendas are available upon 72 hours
advance notice. After 5:00 p.m., please enter the City & County
Building through the east entrance. Accessible route is located
on the east side of the building.
Council Members also serve as the board of directors of the Salt
Lake City Redevelopment Agency. The RDA board meets once a
month, commonly on the second Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. in Room 326,
prior to a Council meeting.
The RDA Chair for 2007 is Council Member Carlton Christensen.
The Vice Chair is Council Member Eric Jergensen.
What is the difference between a Council meeting and a Work
Session meeting?
Council Members exercise their legislative powers in Council
meetings by voting on ordinances, resolutions or motions and
conducting public hearings. Work Session meetings are designed
to provide information to the Council Members on issues that may
be presented at a future Council meeting; these meetings can be
considered as "briefing" sessions. Council Members may not enact
legislation during Work Session meetings.
Can I address the Council Members during a Council meeting?
Yes. Audience members may make comments to the Council and Mayor
during the Comment portion of the agenda or during public
hearings by filling out a comment card provided by Council
staff. Audience members will be called by name to the podium
when it is their turn to speak. The Council requests comments be
limited to two minutes. There is no comment period at Work
Session meetings, although the public is welcome to attend.
How can I find out what items are on the Council agenda?
In accordance with Utah’s Open and Public Meetings Act, all
Council, Work Session, and Redevelopment Agency meeting agendas
are posted 24 hours in advance of the meeting. Agendas are
posted in the City Recorder’s Office, 451 South State Street,
Room 415. Click here to view Council agendas or call the Council
Office at 535-7600 for more information.
