Jeff Silvestrini, Millcreek’s first and only mayor after playing an instrumental role in getting the city incorporated a decade ago, announced Monday that he’s stepping down in November amid health setbacks.
In an emotional speech during the Millcreek City Council meeting, Silvestrini, 71, said he was recently diagnosed with leukemia after undergoing two surgeries. He also learned that he has a pancreatic tumor, which he said is “probably benign.” He plans to step down on Nov. 10, so he can focus on his new health challenges and spend time with his wife, Leslie.
“I realize it is time for me to do what will make Leslie and me the happiest,” he said, reading off a prepared statement. “It has been the honor of my life to serve as Millcreek’s first mayor, and I have very much enjoyed my time in this office. It has been exciting; it has been gratifying to start a new city and put Millcreek on the map.”
The audience, including the City Council, gave him a standing ovation as he wrapped up his remarks.
A formal resignation is expected to be filed on Tuesday before applications for a successor are made public. Millcreek plans to accept applications for mayoral candidates between Sept. 30 and Oct. 14. There will be a special Millcreek City Council meeting on Nov. 3, when the council will interview the candidates before selecting a replacement.
The new mayor will be sworn in during a City Council meeting on Nov. 10. Silvestrini’s replacement will complete the remaining two years of his term as mayor.
Support poured in from county leaders and neighboring cities. Silvestrini exemplified “what it takes to build and maintain community,” leaving office having left both his city and the county in a better place, said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall credited him for taking on “hard but necessary community conversations” regarding key issues in the region.
“Jeff is one of the most intelligent and courageous mayors in Utah. ... His steady leadership has shaped Millcreek, and our entire region, for the better,” she said.
While Silvestrini was first elected to office in 2016, he was also an influential figure in the creation of the city. He was a longtime member of the Mount Olympus Community Council before taking on his current role, and a member of the Future of Millcreek Association, which championed the measure to merge the communities of Millcreek, Canyon Rim, East Millcreek and Mount Olympus into a city.
“We were neighbors before this, and we continue to be neighbors with good intentions to make Millcreek a better place,” he said after an attempt to incorporate failed to pass in 2012.
Residents ultimately approved the bid to incorporate in 2015 with a 2-to-1 margin, setting up the first citywide election a year later. Silvestrini won the city’s first mayoral primary vote, collecting 33% of the vote in the nine-candidate field. He went on to win the first general election, running unopposed, and was officially sworn into office in January 2017.
“We have a place here where kids return to live in the same community they grew up in. Why? Because Millcreek is just an awesome place to live in,” he said during the city’s first inauguration day.
Silvestrini subsequently went on to win the city’s next two mayoral elections, including another unopposed victory in 2023. He’s also the chairman of the Central Wasatch Commission, after previously serving as president of the Utah League of Cities and Towns and chairman of the Wasatch Front Regional Council.
Millcreek is currently home to approximately 64,000 residents, making it the fifth-most populated city in Salt Lake County, according to the latest Census Bureau estimate. On top of helping get the city up and running, Silvestrini said he’s proud of his work tied to housing and homelessness issues, while also getting Millcreek to the highest bond rating within a decade of its existence.
“Starting a city from scratch was scary, but we’ve done it with aplomb,” he said. “I hope my successors continue in these efforts, and my successor will be different and will need to be him or herself in this job.”
He concluded his message by encouraging his successor to “be bold” and seize any opportunities that improve the city as they arise.
Meanwhile, a retirement reception event is planned for Nov. 5 at Millcreek City Hall, 1330 E. Chambers Ave. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public.