Tooele Council confirms, swears in Nathan L. Farr as public works director

The Tooele City Council voted unanimously Feb. 4 to consent to Mayor Manzione’s appointment of Nathan L. Farr as director of public works, and Farr was sworn in at the meeting that evening.

Mayor Manzione told the council Farr rose to the top of a competitive applicant pool and noted his roughly 19 years of experience and recent water and wastewater certifications. The council took a formal motion consenting to the appointment; the clerk recorded votes from Councilman Gossett, Councilwoman Gochis, Councilman Hansen and Councilman Brady, and the motion passed 4–0.

City recorder Shilo Baker administered the oath. Afterward, Farr thanked his predecessor and mentor and addressed the chamber: “I wish I could download his brain, but I think one thing I could learn from him that he’s taught very well is that making my own mistakes is gonna go a long way to helping me be a better public works director,” he said.

Manzione said the council plans to swear Farr in that night although Farr’s official start date is Feb. 8. The vote and swearing followed the council’s formal approval; no additional conditions were attached to the consent motion.

The council did not take separate action at the meeting to modify job duties or the department budget in connection with the appointment. The next procedural step noted on the record was Farr’s official start date and the department’s ongoing operations under his leadership.