Mayor Scott Sneddon and longtime City Council member Robert DeBoer bid tearful farewells to colleagues and constituents during their final weekend in office.
"I feel no remorse whatsoever. I look back with much satisfaction and much pride," DeBoer said during a dinner attended by city officials, council members and friends."Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me serve," said DeBoer, who lost his bid for re-election Nov. 5 after serving 14 years.
Sneddon, who served one term as mayor and eight years as a council member, said he also leaves office with only positive memories.
"I grew up in a family that moved away from Ogden, but I stayed and one of the reasons I stayed is because I love this city," said Sneddon, who withdrew from Ogden's mayoral race.
Sneddon said that while running for office often becomes a game, "the work you do is terribly serious. You sacrifice time away from your job and family, but you do it because you want to make a difference."
On Friday, Sneddon also revealed the reason he opted not to seek a second term as mayor - to devote more time to his family.
"I'm stepping out of a full-time mayor job to a full-time dad again and full-time husband," he said.
The evening was also an emotional one for their colleagues, all of whom said the two men have made substantial contributions to Ogden.
"It's been my privilege to know them over these years. I can't say enough about what these two have done," said Assistant Mayor Darrell Saunders.