August 10, 1998 OUR VIEW Weber Co. welcomes Marriott-Slaterville New 'city' created when 83 percent of voters approved incorporation; 57 percent of registered voters came to polls Anyone who's lived in a small town and enjoyed the easy rhythms such a lifestyle affords can understand why the residents of Marriott and Slaterville voted Tuesday to incorporate: Preserving a small-town atmosphere nowadays along the Wasatch Front is next to impossible, yet here is a community - brand-spanking new, yet able to chart its history back to pioneer times - that aims to do just that. The respective residents of the two communities thought they had the power to control planning and zoning, but the Legislature took that power away in 1997. Supporters of the incorporation termed the balloting the only chance they had left to fend off looming annexation. Marriott-Slaterville abuts the decommissioned Defense Depot Ogden, which is slated to become a commercial-industrial park operated by the city of Ogden. Most of the 1,508 residents of Marriott-Slaterville didn't need a crystal ball to see what the future would bring: more develop-ment, farms gobbled up for businesses and housing, a loss of the communities' traditional way of life. With the issue of incorporation settled, now comes the hard part: electing a mayor and city council, and providing services without raising taxes, as supporters promised. It will be interesting to watch the city government take shape and mature. The voters have made their wishes be known, our democratic process continues to function and the people can take heart in their ability to determine their own future. 155