August 5, 1998 Voters: Yes to new city ? Marriott-Slaterville easily passes resolution to form an incorporated city By RICH SASKAL_ Standard-Examiner staff MARRIOTT-SLATERVILLE - The residents of this area west of Ogden voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to form a city. They favored incorporation by a more than a four-to-one margin, with 346 voting yes and 69 against. "We do feel real good about it U and we're real happy with the way the population turned out," said Keith Bishop of the Committee for Marriott/Slaterville City. Opponent Gerald Bischoff was philosophical. "I put myself in front of this train and I knew I was going to get wiped out so I don't really feel bad," he said. "I can also feel some sympathy for the victors who put themselves right on the railroad track where they're going to get splattered by this train called growth." Bischoff contends that incorporation will lead to tax in- creases. Supporters disagree - saying the new city's budget needs will be minimal, because it can contract with Weber County for public safety and animal control, while fire protection and water will, as before, be provided by special districts. "City" is something of a misnomer for this lightly populated area of about 1,500 people that is still predominantly open space. Keeping it that way was the reason residents wanted to incorpo- rate, Bishop said. "We're in a precarious situation here because we're completely surrounded by cities and we're prime real estate for annexation, especially with DDO closing," he said. Ogden is slated to take over Defense Depot Ogden, which borders Marriott-Slaterville on the east, and develop an industrial park there. The drive to unite the two communities in one city began after the Utah Legislature passed a law in 1997 stripping unincorporated townships of local autonomy in planning and zoning. "This is really the only hope we had of keeping our identity as Marriott-Slaterville," Bishop said. Of 733 registered voters, 417, or 57 percent, voted, said Weber County Clerk/Auditor Linda Lunceford. Voters Tuesday also chose a form of government with a city council and a separately elected mayor. The council will be elected from districts, rather than at large. Voting will be on a nonpartisan basis. The next step in the process, before the end of August, is a public hearing at which the size of the city council and the length of terms will be determined. The city's first election will be in November. If primary elections are needed, a final vote will take place in February. If no primary is needed, the first city government can take office in January. The two communities, separate since pioneer days, must now start to work together. "I kind of feel like we're a young couple starting out," Bishop said. "You got her side and our side, and yet we can embrace and be a city together." Marriott-Slaterville INCORPORATION: For: 346 (83 percent) Against: 69 (17 percent) FORM OF GOVERNMENT Council-Mayor: 240 (58 percent) City Council: 147 (36 percent) Council-Manager: 24 (6 percent) CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS: By district: 223 (55 percent) At large: 184 (45 percent) Population 1,508 7.3 square miles Cum. di Marriott-Slaterville City pc Precincts Counted 1 re Registered Voters 733 ba Ballots Cast 419 tx Incorporation Question ca Yes, For Incorporation 348 ca No, Against Incorporation 69 tx Form of Government ca Council-Mayor form 242 ca City Council form 147 ca Council-Manager form 24 tx Election of City Council ca Elected by Council District 224 ca Elected by City-at-Large 185 154