This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Liane Stillman, city manager for Cottonwood Heights since the city incorporated in 2005, announced her retirement Wednesday.
"I was going to hang around just long enough to get the city started," Stillman said of her tenure leading the east-side Salt Lake Valley city. "What a great eight years."
Stillman, 66, said her future plans do not involve another job.
"My husband retired three years ago, and it's time for us to do things together," Stillman said. "When I started the job, I had one grandchild and now I have 14. I need to catch up on some baby sitting."
Stillman was a driving force in the incorporation of Holladay, a city directly north of Cottonwood Heights. She served as Holladay's first mayor from 1999 to 2001, and then became instrumental in helping Cottonwood Heights navigate the complex road toward cityhood.
"It's been so much fun to be part of such an innovative community," Stillman said, crediting the elected officials in Cottonwood Heights with steering the community in productive and sometimes nontraditional directions.
During her time leading the city, Cottonwood Heights launched its own police department and successfully pursued a school district split that resulted in formation of the Canyons School District. The city also remained debt-free and has not raised taxes or instigated new fees, she said.
"There is no person in this state who knows more about starting a city than she does," said Cottonwood Heights Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore. "Her involvement has helped us avoid many pitfalls."
In 2013, Cullimore said he will seek a third term as mayor, and two city council seats also come up for re-election.
"We thought it would be best to proceed now, so that we have stable management in place prior to the [2013] elections," Cullimore said. "And she's realizing there's more to life than public works, police and fire."
The job posting and application are available on the city's website, and the position, which pays $110,285 to $138,625, closes Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. The tentative start date for the new city manager is Dec. 1.
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