SOUTH SALT LAKE — In January, longtime city employee Cherie Wood will take the helm as the municipality's first female mayor.
Wood, 36, has always been a resident of this industrial suburb. In fact, her three boys will be fourth-generation South Salt Lake residents, she said during her first post-election interview with the Deseret News.
Starting as city cashier, Wood worked her way up through the ranks and now serves as assistant mayor under one-term Mayor Bob Gray.
"I think she's going to do a wonderful job," Gray said. "She actually deals with the public better than I do."
As Gray's assistant, Wood often sat in on meetings and took calls for her boss. She was also instrumental in the creation of the neighborhood advisory committee, Gray said. The system was transformed from one of community councils. Now, representatives from every city neighborhood meet monthly.
"She did that pretty much by herself," he said. "That's part of the reason it worked so well and is working so well."
During her first term, Wood said she hopes to audit every city department for fiscal responsibility. She also wants to reorganize city code enforcement.
The mayor-elect has studied what other cities have done in solving problems such as uncut grass, overflowing garbage cans and unkempt rental properties, and she believes South Salt Lake can do a better job.
"Code enforcement is now functioning reactive instead of proactive, waiting for neighbors to call," Wood said. "I think that it's the city's job to staff at an appropriate level so we can have a proactive program."
Wood could hire at least one new officer, she said.
But in many other respects, she plans to follow the path laid out by Gray. Wood campaigned on the city's decreasing crime rate and was even endorsed by both the fire and police department employees' associations.
Wood will also have to follow up on planned developments such as Market Station and Chinatown, projects delayed by the faltering economy.
And she'll be faced with a seven-member City Council that's split on many issues, but the working mom has confidence she can meet the challenge.
"We're all here to make the city a better place," Wood said.
Newly re-elected Councilman Boyd Marshall calls Wood well-rounded and competent.
"She used to live three houses down from me," Marshall said. "I've known her since she was in high school. … She has a strong will, I think. But she's not so strong-willed she can't compromise."
Meet Mayor-elect Cherie Wood
Cherie (pronounced Sher-ee) Wood enjoys traveling and stays busy with three boys, often joining them in outdoor sports. The mayor-elect gets her news via Google Alerts and responds to late-night e-mails from her iPhone. The 36-year-old working mom has lived in South Salt Lake all of her life. She graduated from Granite High School before going on to earn a double bachelor's degree from the University of Phoenix.
e-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com