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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's capital city has a new city council member.
Members of the Salt Lake City Council voted Thursday evening to appoint Sarah Young, the chief of staff to the state superintendent at the Utah State Board of Education, as the new representative of the council's seventh district. She was sworn in a few moments later, making her first motion in office to adjourn the meeting.
District 7 covers Salt Lake City's Sugar House neighborhood, which is one of the city's fastest-growing parts.
Young will represent the district through the end of the year. Amy Fowler had represented the district since 2018; however, she stepped down from her position earlier this month following a DUI arrest in Springville in May. That case is ongoing in Springville Justice Court.
Residents will decide on who fills the final two years of Fowler's term during the November election.
Thursday's final vote came after 15 candidates who had applied for the job were interviewed by the council Thursday afternoon. The council held an initial round of voting, where members whittled the field down to three candidates based on the three they all agreed with.
The council ultimately voted 4-2 for Young over former Summit County sustainability manager Lisa Yoder in a third and final round of voting.
Young has worked as Utah Superintendent Sydnee Dickson's chief of staff since December 2021 and for the Utah State Board of Education since 2012, according to her bio. She's also worked as a science, technology, engineering and mathematics specialist; digital teaching and learning coordinator; and director of strategic initiatives for the board.
She also served as an Albert Einstein Fellow with the National Science Foundation prior to working for the state. She explained to the council Thursday that she decided to get into public service a decade ago because of the "disparities" in public systems. She said she was inspired by the challenges she overcame in elementary school after her family moved from Florida to Colorado.
In this case, she said she wants to help remove "barriers and inequity" for new and current residents in Salt Lake City, adding that she finds many similarities between running schools and running a city.
She also said that she views infrastructure and transportation as a "key challenge" for District 7, especially within the area of 2100 South and 1100 East that residents and businesses face.
"I'm committed to policy and budget decisions that improve the infrastructure, enhance transportation systems and alleviate traffic congestion that is brought on by growth and increased density and housing by prioritizing sustainable and efficient transportation options, advocating for necessary infrastructure upgrades and exploring innovative solutions that balance pedestrian needs and automobile traffic," she told the council. "I will aim to enhance the overall quality of life for our residents and make commuting more convenient and environmentally-friendly."
