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ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) -- On the eve of a primary election in the polygamous community of Colorado City, the Town Council announced that the mayor and town attorney had resigned and the town clerk had asked for an extended leave of absence.
Richard Allred resigned as mayor Feb. 16, three days after his son, Town Clerk Joseph Allred, asked for an extended leave of absence, the council announced Monday night.
Filling in as mayor pro tem, councilman Terrill Johnson read Richard Allred's letter of resignation during the meeting. It did not give a reason for the resignation.
"This is a sudden turn of events," Johnson said. "I don't know about the council but I'm not in any big hurry to appoint someone else."
Johnson was one of four candidates on Tuesday's ballot for four council seasons. The others were Karen L. Barlow, Bygnal M. Dutson and Floyd E. Black. With the number of candidates matching the number of positions, no general election was planned.
However, the town council will have a reorganization meeting after the primary election.
Clerk Joseph Allred requested a temporary leave of absence on Feb. 13.
The Spectrum in St. George said it has been trying without success to reach him at the town office and at his home since mid-January.
Johnson also read a letter of resignation from the town attorney, Paul Lenkowsky of Lenkowsky, Bidwell & Kelley. Lenkowsky said that he was resigning effective March 14 after a "careful consideration of our law firm's current caseload."
Richard Allred has served as mayor since 2004 when longtime Mayor Dan Barlow resigned.
Kevin Barlow, deputy town clerk, has been filling in for Joseph Allred since January and the city council appointed David Darger as another deputy town clerk to assist Barlow.
The council also voted to approve Darger to sign city checks, stating that it has been a struggle to get the checks signed with the mayor gone.
Richard Allred also serves as the finance director for Colorado City's twin community of Hildale, Utah.
Hildale Mayor David Zitting said he has not spoken to him since the last city council meeting on Feb. 14.
Zitting said as far as he knows, Allred has not resigned, but he said Vincent Barlow has been filling in as the financial director.
Colorado City and Hildale are the headquarters of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which is headed by Warren Jeffs.
Jeffs is wanted on a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on an Arizona charge that he arranged a plural marriage between a 16-year-old girl and an older man.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
