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Even before contender Fred Healey's health became a major issue, the money was squarely on Jeff Silvestrini to become the first mayor of Millcreek City.
He and eight others will face their first test Tuesday when primary balloting narrows the field to the top two vote-getters for a head-to-head contest in November.
An incorporation leader through his longtime role in the Mount Olympus Community Council, Silvestrini heads into Tuesday's runoff flush with cash
An incorporation leader through his longtime role in the Mount Olympus Community Council, Silvestrini is heading into Tuesday's primary election flush with cash. He's raised more money than his two closest rivals combined — Healey and former state Sen. Scott Howell — and still has nearly $20,000 in the bank.
And now the 62-year-old attorney also has an endorsement from Healey, who informed supporters Thursday that he has an aggressive form of kidney cancer and may not be able to continue in the race.
Healey, chairman of the committee that pushed incorporation, threw his support to Silvestrini as someone who shared his vision for the future of the new city, which comes into existence Jan. 1, 2017.
In campaign disclosure documents filed Tuesday with the Salt Lake County Clerk's Office, Silvestrini reported he raised $58,720 from roughly 165 contributors, none of whom donated more than $1,000.
His fundraising dwarfed the $34,409 taken in by Healey, a 67-year-old businessman, and the $21,226 raised by Howell, 62, a public-relations consultant who retired from IBM.
Healey has spent all of his money and a little more (about $324), while Howell's bank account was down to $84.49, the candidates reported, a pittance compared to the $19,793 Silvestrini has left to promote his candidacy if he finishes in the top two among nine hopefuls for the mayor's job.
The message Silvestrini has stressed in billboards, mailers and at a meet-the-candidate night in May is that he has decades of experience in local government matters through his community council work.
"My vision is reflected in the work I've done as a volunteer for the last 25 years," he said, citing efforts to protect the foothills from development, improve sidewalk safety, acquire a county gym for Millcreek, start a township newsletter and get community events going, all on a limited budget.
"I know how to run a city on a shoestring because we've done that," Silvestrini said.
Like Silvestrini, Healey does not believe the new city should join the Municipal Services District created by Salt Lake County to deliver public works services in the unincorporated areas.
Millcreek will be better off financially, they agree, by negotiating for services from the district rather than being part of it and sharing decision-making with the five small metro townships (Magna, Kearns, Copperton, White City and Emigration Canyon) that will be members.
Howell is one of four mayoral candidates who opposed the idea of Millcreek becoming a city, but are running now to try to ensure it doesn't get out of control and end up costing taxpayers dearly.
"We have a new baby," he said of the city. "It's here and we want to make it the best we can." Howell said his reputation in the Legislature as a collaborator will be helpful in healing community divisions over the contentious incorporation decision. "Experience counts."
Craig Cook, a 70-year-old appellate attorney, pledged to "watch this carefully" if he were elected mayor, noting that from owning property in other Salt Lake Valley cities, "I've found that every time a city is incorporated, things get worse. Local control is not often the best thing."
Although he's not excited about the city, Cook's disclosure forms show he invested $13,400 of his own money into the campaign. That's right behind the $13,800 raised by businessman Phillip Archer, largely from his own pocket but with assistance from family.
A newcomer to Millcreek, Archer said he and his partner Kevin Boswell quickly came to appreciate the community's diversity and unique character and vowed to "work together with neighbors to create a nurturing environment for all residents."
Verdi White, a 66-year-old small business owner who was Gov. Mike Leavitt's deputy for homeland security after the 9-11 attacks and helped bring Hurricane Katrina victims from New Orleans to Utah, has raised only $4,836 for the campaign.
Still, he said, those experiences show "I know how to execute." White said he would fight drug and property crime, selectively build sidewalks, encourage business-friendly regulations and "make sure the character and charm of established neighborhoods are not changed."
Jo-Ann Wong, a 64-year-old secretary, and Becky Moss, 58, a logistics manager, both opposed incorporation and share a determination to protect average Millcreek residents from a city that would raise taxes and exert control over people's lives.
Wong's disclosure statement said she has raised just $3,000 but spent $15,000 on her bid for office, while Moss collected $1,765.
The ninth candidate, Edward Frank, invested $59 into his campaign, built around "keeping local tax dollars local."
Among the city-to-be's four council districts, two eastside races have attracted notable fundraising attention.
In Council District 3, Jem Keller said she raised $15,568 for her race. That's considerably more than Cheri Jackson's $6,747. None of the other five candidates for that seat raised more than $2,900.
To the south in Council District 4, Bev Uipi bankrolled almost $10,800 for her council bid, well outpacing the $6,800 raised by former legislator Lamont Tyler.
Meet the Candidates
PHILLIP ARCHER
Age: 49
Occupation: Entrepreneur (Realtor in Texas and Utah, travel agency owner)
Education: High school degree, some college (550 hours of real estate and mortgage training), NAR green designation, NLP master practitioner, Texas real estate license, Utah real estate license
Civic involvement: Mayoral appointee to preservation and redevelopment boards; lay minister in a variety of capacities (lector, cantor, extraordinary minister, committee chair and member); Volunteer, board member and/or chair of numerous non-profit and community groups; earned two gubernatorial commendations from and multiple acknowledgements from community leaders and other government officials; helped raise $2 million that directly benefited almost 200,000 people in the community through grants to 15 non-profits.
Family: Husband Kevin Boswell, sister Crystal Archer, niece Alethea Varra and her husband, Edward, grand niece and nephew, Allison and Alexander.
CRAIG COOK
Age: 70
Occupation: Appellate Attorney
Education: Bachelor's degree from University of Utah; law degree from UofU; Advanced Military Degree, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base.
Civic involvement: President and General Counsel of the Humane Society of Utah since 1972; Lt. Col., USAF, retired after 34 years of service.
Family: Married for 20 years to Elena Cook, one dog Lola
EDWARD FRANK
Age: 53
Occupation: Realtor
Education: Bachelors in political science from the University of Utah
Civic involvement: Volunteer work
Family: One Son, a daughter-in-law, a grandson, a brother and extended family
FRED HEALEY
Age: 67
Occupation: Business owner and executive
Education: Bachelors in finance from the University of Utah, 1972; master's in finance from the UofU, 1980
Civic involvement: I have worked to raise money for public schools through the Granite Education Foundation, for which I was a past president. I served as chair of Millcreek Neighbors for Representative Government, which educated voters about the ballot initiative to make Millcreek a city. I have also coached countless soccer teams as a dad and grandpa and have been involved in other organizations such as the East Mill Creek Lion's Club.
Family: My wife, Jill, and I both grew up in Millcreek and then moved back here after I finished school to raise our children. We have seven children and 30 grandchildren. All live in the area.
SCOTT HOWELL
Age: 62
Occupation: Business strategy and government relations consultant
Education: Bachelors in political science from the University of Utah
Civic involvement: Currently chairman of the Pioneer Park Coalition;
Family: My wife, Linda, and I are the parents of four sons.
BECKY MOSS
Age: 58
Occupation: Logistics manager
Education: Associates degree
Civic involvement: Human rights advocate since 1976, Volunteer at KRCL Radio 1981-2003; Public Affairs, Chairwoman of Utah Stonewall Democrats
Family: I was a single foster and adoptive parent. I choose to honor my daughters and grandchildren's privacy and not say more.
JEFF SILVESTRINI
Age: 62
Occupation: Attorney (managed a 25 lawyer firm with a $7 million budget)
Education: Bachelor's in history from University of Michigan, 1976; law degree from University of Utah, 1979
Civic involvement: Treasurer and past chair, Millcreek Township Council (10 years or more); Chair and member, Mount Olympus Community Council (24 years); past president (3 years) of Association of Community Councils in Salt Lake County (ACCT); member, Mayor's Community Preservation Committee; member, Mayor's Blue Ribbon Commission on the Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone; member, advisory committee on Millcreek incorporation 2015; spokesman for Millcreek incorporation 2012.
Family: married (Leslie) with 2 grown daughters (Liz and Jill)
VERDI WHITE
Age: 66
Occupation: Small business owner, former Governor's Deputy for Homeland Security, state Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety
Education: Master's degree in human resource economics from University of Utah
Current Civic Involvement: Coordinator for Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Initiatives, House band for Susan Komen "Race for the Cure" and other charitable events, Humane Society advocate/donor and other organizations that help save the lives of homeless dogs and cats, donor to Rosecrest Elementary, Olympus High School and neighborhood student activities.
Family: Married to Pam for 38 years; 3 children, 6 grandchildren
JO-ANN WONG
Age: 64
Occupation: Secretary
Education: Proud product of Salt Lake City School District, studied at University of Utah
Civic involvement: Just finished team planning, coordination and production of 39th Utah Asian Festival; volunteer for Art Access, RDT, Salt Lake City Arts Council, Empty Bowls, KRCL 90.9 FM, Discovery Gateway, Asian Pacific Islander Democratic caucus and United Chinese Association of Utah. Have served on Salt Lake City Arts Council board and chair, Utah Asian American Advisory Board and chair, Coalition of Minority Advisory Council to Utah State Board of Education and Asian Association of Utah Refugee and Immigrant Center; Japan Cultural Heritage Foundation.
Family: 4 children, 4 grandchildren