By Kirk Bradford | [email protected]

At the June 8 city council meeting, Bev Uipi, Millcreek’s District 4 representative apologized to the council, those in attendance and the community via the live stream city council meeting. Uipi took accountability for an event that took place a few months prior.

On April 5 around 6:20 p.m., Uipi was traveling on I-215 and at 4100 South she exited. It was there on the off ramp where charging documents say she strayed from the road and struck a concrete barrier.

Uipi was taken to St. Mark’s Hospital to be checked for injuries. Immediately afterward an interview with the Utah Highway Patrol took place. Their affidavit stated Uipi had, “an odor of alcohol coming from her breath.” Test results from the Utah State Crime Lab registered a result of a blood alcohol content of 0.28%. The result is over five times Utah’s legal limit of 0.05%. Uipi was charged with a Class B misdemeanor.

Uipi has a long standing record of serving the Utah community over the past 15 years. After being recruited to be on the Junior National Volleyball training team at age 14, Uipi attended the University of Georgia on an athletic scholarship graduating with a degree in consumer economics and housing. Later, she earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Utah. In 2006, she became an advisor to Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon on the county’s Council on Diversity Affairs. The role in that position was addressing issues affecting the Pacific Islander communities of Salt Lake County. Corroon later appointed her to his administration’s community relations team. As community relations specialist for the Salt Lake County Mayor’s office, Uipi became Utah's first Deputy Director for the Board of Parole and Pardons and, in January of 2017, Uipi was elected to the Millcreek City Council.

“I made a terrible mistake, and I am awakened.” Uipi said at the June meeting. “There are times in your life I believe God or the universe sets life with challenges. Although this has been a rough challenge for me, it also represents opportunities for my growth. As a Christian, I truly believe this happened for me, not to me.”

During Uipi’s apology she addressed the audience saying, “2020 has been a year of change many ways. It has also been a year of restoration, reinvention and compassion. I am truly grateful to my council colleagues, the mayor and the love and support I have received from the community as I work through this. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, positivity, support from many others during this difficult time. I have to make this experience a positive out of a very negative one.”

“This experience is about my health. My journey with myself. I encourage everyone to notice signs that you may not be coping well with all that’s happening in the world or in your own world. Give yourself permission to take care of yourself first as I am now learning how to do. Reach out and talk to someone and focus on what is most important to you.”

Mayor Jeff Silvestrini praised Uipi’s work on the council and accepted the apology saying, “I just want to say everyone makes mistakes in their lives and this is a serious mistake but your contributions to our city and our city council are invaluable. I am honored to serve with you and I think what you did (just now) took a great amount of courage to apologize like you did and I accept the apology to the extent you know, I have the ability or that I have the right to be able to do that. I do appreciate it, and I do think it really reflects your character, so thank you.”