Mayor Linda Malone brought down her gavel for the final time.

Then, after the Dec. 20 Sandy City Council meeting, the party began.

Folks turned out in droves to wish the mayor well and celebrate her
achievements spanning from 1991 when she was first elected to the city
council, appointed mayor in 1994 and began the first of her eight-term tenure
as the Mayor of Sandy in 1995.

Malone was narrowly defeated at the polls in the November election.

Her interest in serving as a public figure came after a development was
planned in her neighborhood. Rather than complain, she applied for the open
spot on the planning commission in 1989.

Sandy City Manager Scott Lazenby summed it up when he said that “out of all
the mayors he had worked with, a total of eight, Malone was the best.”

He called her tenure “the Malone Era.”

Malone addressed the crowd that came to wish her well. “I’ve made a lot of
friends from people I have served with on the council. As small as Sandy is, a
group of people working together can make a difference.”

And Malone has made a difference.

A volunteer extraordinaire, Lazenby described how she would haul out the
popcorn cart and the screen when the Movies in the Park first began and lock
up city hall afterward.

She picked up litter during the Spring Clean-Up Days, handed out water
during the 1996 floods and took on many, many more tasks.

Over the years, Malone has volunteered countless hours to the city. Under her
leadership, many environmental protection regulations were adopted including
a stream and wetland protection ordinance, the Dark Sky Ordinance, six new
neighborhood parks were developed, and the list goes on.

Malone was known for welcoming differences of opinion and for council to
share their views. There were no backroom politics during her term.

So what’s next for the long-tenured mayor. “I’m planning a trip to West Point
in New York for two weeks.” Malone smiled as she said, “But I’ll still be
around, and I’ll still be attending meetings.”

Malone finished by wishing Bill King, the new mayor well. “I hope Bill will have
as wonderful an experience as I had.” Altruistic to the end, Malone’s legacy
has left its mark in Sandy.

Don Allen, city councilor, also attended his last council meeting. Well, this
time around anyway. Malone said of councilor Allen “Don has come and gone
and stayed the longest of anyone.”

Allen was presented a plaque by council president Lois Coleman “in
recognition of outstanding public service.”

Allen served on the Planning Commission from 1989 to 1991, and the City
Council from 1993 to 2004, and again from 2007 to 2010.