Riverton's fiery mayor says politicians have to be willing to serve the people who elect them, care about the people they serve and have the courage and commitment it takes to back issues not all of the people are going to like at any given time.
Sandra Lloyd, speaking to the Women in Leadership group in Provo Tuesday, said it has been hard for her to get behind controversial issues because ideally she'd like to please everybody.But when she's defending a piece of history or pushing for an annexation she believes is best for the town's future generations, she's willing to stand up against the wrath of those she offends.
"You do everything you can to convince those who don't like what you're doing to your way of thinking, and then you move ahead," said Lloyd. "This is hard."
Lloyd said her efforts to save a historical home that came with a $70,000 price tag for moving costs have not been popular with those who find saving history "frivolous." She said developers don't like her plan to move the city center into the old Riverton Elementary.
A request to annex 2,000 acres into Riverton is meeting opposition from old-timers.
"What's lacking in elected officials today is the vision to look at 10-20 and 50 years from now," said Lloyd.
"I can only save a historical building once. Then it's gone," said the mayor.
Lloyd said the challenges that face her in a city that's gone from dealing with requests for 30 building permits a year to more than 600 requests annually are enormous.
"I find my greatest challenge is in meshing the old with the new," said Lloyd.
"And I have those who are saying, `Why don't you slow down growth?' " She promised to work four hours a day if she were elected. She's spending eight, 10 and 12 hours a day in her job.
"I am not going to make it easy for someone to follow in my footsteps," she said. "I never saw the other mayor spend that kind of time."
Lloyd was the city recorder in Riverton for 14 years before she ran for mayor. She is the city's first female mayor.