Mayor Seghini receives 2012 Merit of Honor award

Courtesy photo/JoAnn Seghini

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JoAnn Seghini

MIDVALE — Midvale City Mayor Dr. JoAnn Seghini and four other University of Utah alumni will receive the 2012 Merit of Honor Award from the University of Utah Alumni Association and its Emeritus Alumni Board during a Nov. 7 banquet.

Seghini, Daryl Camereon Barrett, Kim Burningham, Loabelle Black Manelson-Clawson and Bryant Rossiter all graduated 40 or more years ago, and were selected on the basis that their careers have been marked by outstanding service to the university, their professions and their communities.

Seghini was educated in the Jordan District schools and attended the University of Utah, where she received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in curriculum development, and a Ph.D. in education psychology.

She is a member of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, where she is a lector, an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and on the finance and stewardship committees.

"JoAnn is an effective leader in the city of Midvale, organizing the various religious and civic groups into providing for the needs of the vulnerable," said Father Martin Diaz, St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish pastor. "She has worked with unwed and teen mothers to help them move in the direction of not having more children too early and being able to take care of their children," he said. "In the parish, people look to her for ideas of leadership; she’s insightful and generous."

Seghini is now in her fourth term as mayor of Midvale. She dedicated 36 years to the Jordan School District teaching for 12 years, and then was an administrator for 24 years. She retired as assistant superintendent of curriculum and staff development. She also spent more than 10 years as an adjunct faculty member with both Utah State University and the University of Utah, and was co-chair of the Brigham Young University-Public School Gifted/Talented Task Force. Her contributions to community and professional boards and committees include currently serving on the Board of Trustees of the Itineris Charter School and as chair of the Salt Lake County Human Services Committee.

"Mayor Seghini is a great leader who deeply cares for the people of her community," Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon said. "She works vigorously every day to improve the quality of life in Midvale. Her dedication and caring exemplifies the type of leadership all public servants should strive to achieve."

Seghini started her service to the city as a Planning Commission member. She was the first woman to be elected as Midvale City Council member, and in 1998 she was elected to her first term as mayor.

"She is a consummate professional who cares deeply for her community and its residents," said Phillip Hill, Midvale assistant city manager. "The recently completed State Street project from 6400 South to 8000 South has been at the top of her ‘to do’ list for 20 years and without her determination and tireless efforts this project would likely still be on the shelf. The city staff hold her in the highest regard and follow her example of diplomacy and community stewardship."

State Street was neglected for years, said Seghini. "It had poor drainage, no curbs and sidewalks, the widths of the street varied and nobody knew where their property would begin and end and it was poorly repaired. It’s a state road and it carries traffic whenever I-15 closes down, [but] traffic couldn’t move along it. It was a poorly maintained rural road, but construction will be finished in November and flowing smoothly."

"We started at least 14 years ago trying to get this project done, and the community is so proud of the results," Seghini said, adding that some state legislators helped get the project moving with the Utah Department of Transportation, the State Transportation Commission and other mayors throughout the county.

"My priority is children," Seghini said, adding that kids and their families need to be healthy for the children to succeed. Under her leadership the Midvale Community-Building-Community task force was formed. It focuses on health issues, stable families, community safety, school readiness and success, and healthy and safe behaviors as the choice for youth.

Seghini has also worked for the school district for several years in the 3R’s program that instructs teachers how to teach about religion so students can better understand the world in which they live to form their own sense of conscience to respect the differences between people.

She is in the process of developing an interfaith council in the South Valley. "My hope is to put together a community of faiths open to anybody who wants to participate to solve community problems such as homelessness," she said.