CTLR FORGOT ACR X AND FAILED TO ISSUE APCH CLRNC IN A TIMELY MANNER.

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ACR X APCHING SLC FROM THE S; WE WERE LEVEL AT 9000 FT MSL ASSIGNED. THE CTLR BECAME INVOLVED WITH A LIGHT AIRPLANE WHO HAD POPPED UP ON THE FREQ; REQUESTING ROUTINE ASSISTANCE. THE ENSUING DISCOURSE BTWN THE 2 BECAME VERY LENGTHY; AND IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THE CTLR HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT US. WE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT; AND THE CTLR REPLIED. 'ACFT REQUESTING LOWER; STANDBY.' HE THEN CONTINUED HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE OTHER ACFT. WE WERE NOW APPROX 5 MI FROM THE RWY AT 5000 FT AGL. WE WERE ABOUT TO SWITCH TO ANOTHER FREQ ON OUR OWN; WHEN THE CTLR FINALLY REALIZED THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO HAND US OFF; WHICH HE DID WITH NO APOLOGY. THE NEXT CTLR ASKED US IF WE COULD MAKE THE RWY; AND I TOLD THE FO TO TELL HIM THAT WE COULD NOT. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE A L 360; WHICH WE EXECUTED TO A NORMAL LNDG. FORTUNATELY; THIS EVENT OCCURRED AT A TIME WHEN THE ARPT WAS NOT VERY BUSY WITH ARR TFC. HAD THIS NOT BEEN THE CASE; A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WOULD HAVE EXISTED FOR US AND OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA; SINCE WE HAD BEEN FORGOTTEN BY A CTLR IN A BUSY ENVIRONMENT. ALL TO OFTEN; CTLRS ARE DISTRACTED BY POP-UP TFC WHEN THEY DO NOT HAVE TIME TO DEAL WITH IT; AND A HAZARDOUS SITUATION IS THUS CREATED. AIR TFC CTLRS MAKE JUST AS MANY MISTAKES WHILE PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES AS PLTS DO; AND YET PLTS HAVE NO REAL MEANS BY WHICH TO OFFICIALLY CITE THEM FOR MISTAKES; WHICH JEOPARDIZES SAFETY.