As a boy, Chris Robinson would attend City Council meetings with his father in Salt Lake City. He also watched as his dad managed U.S. Senate campaigns for Wallace F. Bennett and Marriner Eccles.
“I used to go to these meetings. He knew all the mayors and council people and governors,” Robinson said.
Now he is one of those elected officials. Robinson, a Democrat, was among nine Summit County elected officials who were sworn into office on Monday. Newly elected county officials and those who returned to office were sworn in by Justice Court Judge Shauna Kerr in a ceremony at the Summit County Justice Center. The officials included Assessor Steve Martin, Attorney David Brickey, Auditor Blake Frazier, Clerk Kent Jones, Robinson, Councilman David Ure, Recorder Alan Spriggs, Sheriff Dave Edmunds and Treasurer Corrie Kirklen.
“Like most things, you have a season and then your season is over,” Robinson said about serving in public office. “It’s not a lifetime endeavor so you make the best of the time you have there.”
Robinson began serving his second term this week.
“During the election, I felt I got beat up a lot undeservedly for being a poor financial steward. I consider myself the opposite,” Robinson said.
He pledged to curb unnecessary spending in the County Courthouse in the next four years.
“The economy is going to grow again but I still believe there have been some fundamental shifts,” Robinson said. “We’re seeing saving re-enthroned as a virtue and we’re seeing a little less exuberance for rampant consumerism and more of a shift to the fundamental necessities.”
Meanwhile, Ure, a Republican, also took his oath on Monday having already served one term on the Summit County Council. Despite being a no show on the campaign trail, Ure’s opponent, Democrat KayCee Simpson, received more than 40 percent of the votes in the November election.
Ure said he would like to know why.
“I do want to know more about those people. Did they vote against me specifically or did they vote straight-party ticket?” Ure said. “Why was it that 4,400 people voted against me and didn’t even know my opponent’s name?”
He explained that managing the county’s finances is his top priority in 2011.
“This county has become very fiscally aware of the money that is being spent in Summit County and they want accountability for it,” Ure said. “We can’t just keep passing more laws in Summit County and not realize that it takes money to enforce the laws. It takes money to bring it to court. It takes money to do all these things.”
The oaths of office were given to all nine elected officials at the same time in the courtroom at the Summit County Justice Court.
“Every election gives me greater respect for the process and the swearing-in part might be the climax of the election,” Ure said. “The words of the swearing in are to defend and support and uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this state. I know that I have a job and it’s to represent the people of Summit County.”
Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds was sworn into office Monday following the most contentious campaign of his political career. Edmunds, a Republican, defeated Francis Democrat Dax Shane in November.
“This is a huge honor and none of that ever gets lost on me, not withstanding the contentious nature of elections and not withstanding some of the vitriolic comments,” Edmunds said in an interview following the ceremony. “A lot of the wounds that are opened during the election: that is just part of the job.”
The treasurer campaign was another hard fought political contest. Kirklen, a Democrat, edged out Snyderville Basin Republican Henry Glasheen.
“It was an honor to swear an oath regarding the Constitution,” Kirklen said about Monday’s ceremony. “It was an honor to just be able to make that pledge.”
The employees in the treasurer office have been supportive, she said.
“We’re starting out very well,” Kirklen said.
Martin, a political newcomer, said the walls of his new office were bare this week. He replaced former Summit County Assessor Barbara Kresser, who retired last year.
“There are no paintings, decorations or ornaments, and I need to do something about that,” Martin said.
He said he appreciated being sworn into office for the first time this week.
“It definitely gave me the feeling that this is the switching point from employee to employer,” he said. “I actually have a sign outside the office door saying ‘Under New Management.'”