Email Councilmember Michelle Baguley

Michelle Facer Baguley lived in Herriman as a child and can remember when no one knew where Herriman was. The town joke was “population 400, including cats and dogs.” Michelle remembers youthful days spent riding horseback towards the south mountains, singing “America the Beautiful” at the top of her lungs.

At the age of 13, Michelle’s family moved to California where she spent her high school and college years. When she was 19 she married a “city slicker” (Clifford Baguley). Cliff and Michelle are the parents of 4 children and one grandchild. They celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary not long ago, and Michelle says they still prefer spending time with one another more than anything else.

In 1992 Cliff and Michelle returned to Herriman. After many battles with Salt Lake County, hiring a good contractor, and a great deal of Cliff’s hard work, they were finally able to move into their new home.

Finally settled in, Michelle began reminiscing about the old Herriman Homecoming Days, and thought it would be a good project to renew old times and to begin fund raising efforts to build a park for the children of Herriman. She managed to organize Herriman Town Days with her own pocket change as well as the support and help from sponsors, family, and good friends like Danie and Van Bills. Connie Derke joined their efforts later and for four more years prior to incorporation.

Serving on the Herriman Community Council, Michelle was instrumental in the efforts to incorporate Herriman as a Town. She remembers how lines were drawn at the eastern boundaries and how she personally counted residents to meet the State statute which required less than 800 residents at the time of incorporation. (Today the population is over 11,000.) That effort began in 1997 and on June 1, 1999, Herriman (founded in 1851) was officially a Town.

Michelle was appointed to the Herriman City Council in 1999 and because of family needs chose not to run for election that year. By election time in 2001 she was ready to “throw her hat into the ring” again and won the election by a narrow margin.

Michelle has served on the City Council since January 2002 and has been amazed at the growth and the great opportunities that have come to the City. With that growth comes many challenges. The challenge she finds most perplexing is that of trying to make everyone happy. She says: “It is the duty of City Officials to look at the entire picture. Sometimes we have to make decisions that are not popular. We have to constantly step back to get a different view. Our eyes and ears must override our hearts. The growth is sometimes difficult, especially when those who have come here, were hoping that things would always stay the same. We forget that they are not the same simply because we came. I grew up here. I moved away. I came back. It would be very short sighted of me and very selfish to assume that others would not come after me. I am part of the growth. I am assuming that this is not a bad thing; in fact I hope that I can be an asset to my community, that I can look at the entire picture and that my ears will be in tune for those who are here and for those who WILL come.”

Michelle continues by saying, “I would challenge each resident to become involved. There are many volunteer opportunities. Come to our meetings regularly and stay for the entire meeting, not just the item on the agenda that affects you. Because you live in Herriman, everything we do affects you. Together we can build a place that we will always be happy to call our home. Herriman is a great place to live and I am happy to serve at this place, at this time.”