Former Marine becomes first black ever elected to Tooele City Council

When Dave McCall moved to Tooele with the Marine Corps in 1993, he didn't intend on staying past his tour of duty. Now, 14 years later, McCall is not only firmly entrenched in the community, he's the first black ever elected to the Tooele City Council.

In Tuesday's general election, McCall was the second-leading vote-getter among Tooele candidates, trailing only two-term incumbent Mike Johnson.

Growing up in Dunn, N.C., McCall, now 49, couldn't possibly have foreseen he would hold elected office in a small Utah city. As a kid, he played sports – basketball, football and track – and said he had a fairly normal childhood.

In 1980, he joined the Marine Corps and spent most of his adult life in the military. McCall traveled to Japan and Europe, and served in Operation Desert Storm before coming to Tooele. When he arrived here, Tooele was just another posting. But over time that changed.

"Tooele grows on you," he said. "I was told that when I got here."

Initially, McCall said he was very nervous about how people would receive him in a state that was so predominantly Caucasian.

"I was totally uneasy. I didn't know what I was coming to," he said. "I was the only African-American in my unit, but my commander told me 'In the Marine Corps, green is green.'"

And since then, he said, "I've never had a problem."

Speaking of his election to the City Council, McCall said, "I wouldn't say it's groundbreaking. I've met a lot of really good people here and the fact that I am who I am hasn't played a part [in how I've been treated]. They've respected me for me."

Tooele Mayor Patrick Dunlavy, in an e-mail, called McCall's election to the City Council "wonderful," and said he was looking forward to working with him.

"We are a diverse community of wonderful people," Dunlavy said. "Personally, I only see an unselfish man willing to serve his community."

Dunlavy added he has had the opportunity to work with McCall on several occasions in the past, including on Memorial Day services and veterans programs.

"I have a great deal of admiration and respect for citizens willing to become part of their community through public service," Dunlavy said.

Ever since McCall came to Tooele, he has been involved in the community. He was instrumental in the creation of Veterans Memorial Park.

"To me, every city should have one, especially a city like Tooele, which has a lot of veterans," he said.

One of his goals as a council member is to let people know that he is approachable.

"In my line of work, I know I have to be down-to-earth," said McCall, who holds a business management degree and works as a human resources supervisor at local manufacturing company Carlisle SynTec. He said he intends to change the perception of those who think they don't have a voice in government, and he wants to encourage more community involvement in all levels of government.

Tooele's landscape, McCall said, is very different from Dunn's, the North Carolina town he grew up in. Dunn is green, covered in trees and not very hilly.

"The scenery here is unreal," he said. "Within 15 to 20 minutes of anywhere in the valley you can be up in the mountains."

McCall loves to camp and fish and recently took up trap shooting.

"It's a really nice place to live," he said. "I enjoy looking at the Great Salt Lake – and this far away you don't get the smell."

The father of four added, "Tooele is a great place to raise kids."

McCall said he is looking forward to being a part of planning for Tooele's future, and all the new things that will come to the city.

"I'm here for the people," he said, "not for anything else."

swest@tooeletranscript.com