Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WEST JORDAN — A restraining order that would have prevented City Council members from discussing the mayor's powers and responsibilities failed Tuesday afternoon. Mayor Kim Rolfe said he filed for the order in an effort to protect the people's interests.
"I'm just trying to protect the citizens from the situation that could go very wrong," Rolfe said. "Allowing the city manager more power than the elected body."
Two weeks ago, Councilman Chad Nichols started work on a measure that he says would bring city policies more in line with state laws. He says the mayor and others had been acting outside their designated authority.
"There is nothing administrative about [the mayor's] role," Nichols said. "He is a ceremonial officer of the city, and it's clear in state statute that the CEO of the city is and always will be the city manager."
Council member Ben Southworth also added an item that suggested reducing the mayor's job to a part-time position, slashing his salary to about $10,000 annually. Southworth has now agreed to table that item, with no plans to bring it up again.
"I think that was retribution for some things that have happened over the past year and a half," Rolfe said when asked about the proposal.
Southworth says he instead wants to focus on the responsibilites of the council, mayor and city manager, making sure no one is acting out of place. He further pointed out that despite contentions from some citizens, his actions have nothing to do with the fact that he also ran for the mayor's seat agains Rolfe.
"The accusation that anything I'm doing has to do with a past election is just plain ridiculous," Southworth said. "The actions that the council are going to take tonight to clarify between state and city code, that not only helps this council, but future councils."
Contributing: Peter Samore
