By Aspen Perry  |  [email protected]
 
 
After 27 years of serving in the Unified Fire Authority (UFA), almost a decade of that spent in Holladay, Chief Marty Slack retired on April 16 from UFA.
 
On May 4 the Holladay City Council showed their appreciation for his role as the UFA liaison between the City of Holladay and UFA.
 
Mayor Robert Dahle thanked Slack for his service. “I personally have appreciated working with you. You leave us much better than how you found us and we’re very appreciative of that service, Chief.”
 
Minutes into the council recognizing Slack for his service, the sound of fire engines passing by brought smiles to those in council chambers, as the sirens provided their own unplanned send-off.
 
Councilmember Sabrina Petersen worked closely with Slack and former Holladay Mayor Dennis Webb in the design of the new fire station, and expressed her gratitude for Slack during that time.
 
“Marty knew the bones and we knew the caricature. I don’t know that the firemen realize how lucky they were to have you represent them,” Petersen said.
 
Petersen was also given the honor of reading the resolution for Slack on behalf of the council members, at which time they recognized and thanked Slack for his service.
 
“The council recognizes that Chief Slack’s individual talents will be greatly missed by Holladay residents, city officials, his co-workers, and countless other organizations and individuals,” Petersen said during the address of the resolution. 
 
Following Petersen’s reading of the resolution, Councilmember Lynn Pace presented Slack with his own street sign, to show the mark Slack left on the City of Holladay.
 
“We’ve come a long way from when we had firefighters sleeping in the storage pods behind the fire station, and I’m grateful in that time he didn’t abandon us. We really appreciate those, like Marty, who had the vision of what Holladay could become,” Pace said.
 
Chief Don Hutson then presented Slack with a fire helmet filled with tokens of appreciation, including a Doug Barney coin as a reminder of the service both UFA and Unified Police Department commit to.
 
“It’s our love for the citizens of Holladay, and citizens of this valley, that we got into the profession that we did. As a fellow public safety servant, I appreciate it. I hope to follow your model and your mentoring, and I appreciate your friendship,” Hutson said when he presented Slack with the UPD’s token of appreciation.
 
District 3 Council member Patricia Pignanelli took a moment to thank Slack for assisting her with the issue of public safety. This was followed by former City Manager Randy Fitts expressing his gratitude for both Slack’s dedication to Holladay as well as his friendship.
 
“Most importantly, you’re a great friend. We’ve had some really good times together, and because of your attitude and feeling for the city, it’s a much better place,” Fitts said.
 
Slack then addressed the crowd in the council chambers, consisting mostly of his family.
 
“We couldn’t succeed at anything in life without our family, and the people around us that keep us going,” Slack said.
 
Slack said that though he enjoyed his time in other cities in the valley, he had always wanted to work in Holladay.
 
In 1989, Slack served an assignment in the old Holladay fire station for a few years before being moved to several other posts. After the 2002 Olympics, Slack returned to Holladay where he served as captain for five years before being promoted to serve in other cities.
 
“I’ve always cared about this community, and have always had a great love for it,” Slack said.
 
Given Slack’s love of Holladay, his return to serve as liaison and being able to retire in the community he holds dear is quite fitting.
 
“(Holladay) just feels like home to me, and it always has,” Slack said.