Feb. 2022 | Vol. 02 Iss. 02
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Bountiful/West Bountiful
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NEW BOUNTIFUL MAYOR ACHIEVING A LIFELONG DREAM By Tom Haraldsen | tom.h@davisjournal.com BOUNTIFUL–It started in a fourth grade classroom at Meadowbrook Elementary. Kendalyn Keyes Harris was elected mayor of her class, and it started her thinking that “I want to run for mayor in real life.” That sparked a little something within her, and last November, she was elected Mayor of Bountiful, the first woman to ever hold the office and one of only nine women elected to city council positions in the community’s histroy. It was more than just a dream for her–it was her destiny. “Growing up, I was involved a lot in student government,” the 1993 graduate of Viewmont High said while sitting in her new office at Bountiful City Hall. “I studied political science and communications at the ‘U,’ and I’ve always been interested in leadership.” When her future husband James proposed, she told him, “Yes, I’ll marry you, but you should know that I want to run for public office—I just wanted to warn you, and he said, ‘Great.’ He’s been so supportive ever since.” Harris said she’s always had a desire to “represent my neighbors. During my eight years on the city council, the people I ran into at the grocery store or anywhere else in town, I want-
ed them to feel they had a seat at the table when discussions or decisions were being made about the community. It’s been great to see changes that we’ve made on behalf of our neighbors.” She credits one of her high school teachers, Darrell Bailey, who taught a class called “current issues.” He taught about the three branches of government, and Harris said “I felt enthralled listening to his lessons. I said, yes, this is what I want to do.” At age 18, she ran for and was elected as a county and state delegate for the Utah Republican Party, getting involved in local issues and meeting political leaders. Active in the PTA and other community organizations as her children grew, she continued her journey towards seeking public office, inspired by other women who had served in Bountiful. “(Former city councilmember) Beth Holbrook is my neighbor, and I looked up to her work on the council as well as Barbara Holt Continued page 5 Harris is the first woman mayor elected in the city, and her photo will soon join the wall in city hall with photos of the 29 men who preceded her. Courtesy photo
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