Ever since he was 4 years old, Mayor Leonard Call, can remember living in Pleasant View. His father, Terrel Call, was also raised there and started the fire department. Overall, it’s been roughly 40 years since Mayor Call established his roots in Pleasant View City.
When he grew up and married he moved to North Ogden and lived there for 18 years but he always had a longing to move back where he started.
He tells us, “I have a great love for Pleasant View!”
Together with his wife, Sharlene, they have 5 grown children--2 boys and 3 girls including 11 grandkids. The Calls adopted their youngest daughter from a small country named Moldova which is nestled between the Ukraine and Romania. She was only 5 ½ at the time (now 28) and quickly learned, at an early age, how to speak two languages.
Looking back on his life’s work experiences Mayor Call has been involved with various volunteer and paid positions. Early on, he wanted to be a police officer. After graduating from Weber High School, he went onto Weber State studying Police Science.
During his schooling, Mayor Call became a key-tape operator for Weber County. Later on, a position opened up in North Ogden for a police officer and after applying for it, Call got the job. He then decided to quit his job with Weber County as a computer operator.
However, when Call found out the position as police officer was only 30 hours a week he asked for his old job back and chose to work both jobs.
Eventually, he quit the North Ogden Police Department and went back to get his bachelor’s degree in Information Technology. At this point, Mayor Call had held 13 different jobs within Weber County and had reached his peak until he could finish his degree. At that time Call says he decided to join the volunteer fire department.
He says, “I loved serving the community and I didn’t want to let that go.”
Mayor Call has now been with the North View Fire Department for 30 years working part time. He holds the position of Deputy Chief over the Emergency Medical Side (or EMS). He also helped get the new North View Fire Station going which opened in Pleasant View July 2017.
After becoming the director of Information Technology for Weber County and serving there since 1992, Call retired 2 years ago.
“I enjoyed serving and learning about money and money management, how banks and credit unions operate and federal regulations. I really became interested in all of that,” Mayor Call says.
With that, he became a part of the Weber County audit committee and his interest grew and grew.
In 1996 Call ran for city council. He lost. He tried again and lost a second time. He didn’t give up. He was then on the planning commission. He ran a 3rd time and was elected. He has served 8 years total on the Pleasant View City Council.
When Call was thinking of running for Mayor he says, “I sat my family down and talked to them. My Dad gave me some good advice and said, “If you’re going to run for Mayor go all the way. I took that to heart.”
Call adds, I also felt like I had a skill set that would be beneficial to the City. And, I had the time to devote.”
About the future of Pleasant View, Mayor Call says, “I’m going to find out the pulse of the city and what the residents want here.”
Mayor Call feels that a mix of restaurants and offices in Pleasant View can be beneficial especially if they were to work with Farr West and North Ogden.
“I don’t want to compete but rather all benefit. I know we need more retail. I will actively pursue it. I don’t want it to become Riverdale road. I want the focal point to help off-set residential taxes.”
On a final note, Mayor Call feels confident about his new job as Mayor and says, “My wife says I’m an overachiever. I just want to serve everybody in Pleasant View.”
