Though Paul Fotheringham did not feel quite ready to take on the charge of District 3 council rep four years ago when he was initially approached about running for council, he felt felt now was a better time than any to serve the community he loves. 

“Having an opportunity to join this great group of community leaders is both humbling and an honor,” Fotheringham said. 

Fotheringham cited two reasons for waiting. First, he wanted more time with his children before they mostly “aged out” of needing more attentive “dad time,” and second, he wanted to make sure he would be able to make a valuable contribution. 

“Paul has a great family life, and I admire that he puts them first,” said current District 3 rep Patricia Pignanelli.

Three years ago, Fotheringham decided to serve as Holladay’s representative on Salt Lake County’s Community and Economic Development Advisory Council (CEDAC), which he feels served as a steppingstone in his decision to run for council. 

“Being involved on this volunteer committee helped me decide to run for council. CEDAC was a great experience,” Fotheringham said. 

In addition to his time serving on CEDAC, Fotheringham also volunteered on the successful bids for political friends. His time campaigning for others not only instilled a sense of civic responsibility, but Fotheringham also discovered how much he enjoyed being part of the community. 

“Participating in the democratic process awakened me to my responsibility to take a turn,” he said. 

Fotheringham’s District 3 running mate, Dennis Roach, also felt inspired to represent his district upon hearing that Councilwoman Pignanelli would not be seeking re-election. 

Roach has served on the Holladay Tree Committee for seven years, and is not ruling anything out when it comes to participating in other forms of Holladay government. 

“Looking ahead, I’m not ruling anything out. I’ve briefly discussed the possibility of a citizen/city staff road planning committee with our city manger,” Roach said. 

Though Roach and Fotheringham have not had a chance to speak since the election results were announced, Roach feels Fotheringham will do well on council. 

“I look forward to his involvement on improving our district’s needs moving forward,” Roach stated. 

During the election process Fotheringham made it a priority to attend city councils, planning commission meetings, as well as going door to door to get a pulse on the main concerns of the constituents he planned to serve. 

Through his talks with residents, Fotheringham was made aware of two locations where residents fear for the safety of their children who walk to school. 

“One is at Woodcrest Drive and 5600 South. The other is on Mateo Drive. I plan to harp on these (two safety concerns) every council meeting,” Fotheringham said. 

He further said he would not be addressing the main concerns of constituents if he did not pursue improving the safety of these two zones.  

Fotheringham and his wife, Lisa, have lived in Holladay with their three children for 20 years and have been thrilled with the opportunities the public schools in their neighborhood have afforded their children. 

“My kids have all had an excellent education at our local schools: Spring Lane, Bonneville Jr. and Cottonwood,” Fotheringham said. 

In addition to taking pride in his district’s three local schools, Fotheringham is also grateful for the caretakers and staff of Turn Community Services, where he takes his son Jason, a disabled adult on the autism spectrum, every weekday for their Adult Day Program. 

“Starting my day at Turn, with my son, even if only for 5 to 10 minutes, is usually the highlight of my entire day,” Fotheringham said. 

All in all, Fotheringham looks forward to serving his community. “Participating in the part of local government where the rubber meets the road, with a great group of neighbors who care about their town, is a privilege,” he said.

When Pignanelli was asked if she had any advice for the future council rep, she replied, “Listen, listen, listen… and enjoy the adventure.”