SLC Mayor-elect Jackie Biskupski meets with LDS Church leader


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SALT LAKE CITY — Mayor-elect Jackie Biskupski spoke with LDS Church leaders for the first time Thursday in a meeting that covered homelessness, air quality and other local issues.

Biskupski, who defeated two-term Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker last month, met briefly Thursday afternoon with Elder D. Todd Christofferson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Bishop Gérald Caussé, the faith's presiding bishop.

The 15-million-member global church has its headquarters in downtown Salt Lake City, where it has a major footprint, including Temple Square, the Church Office Building, the City Creek Center and numerous meetinghouses. It is routine for church leaders to meet with a newly elected mayor.

"We have always enjoyed the working relationship we've had with those who have served as the Mayor of Salt Lake City and found it productive to discuss matters of importance to the city," LDS Church spokesman Eric Hawkins said. "The discussion was broad and included homelessness, economic development, education, transportation and other items relevant to the city. We are eager to continue our conversations with Mayor Biskupski and wish her well as she begins her service."

"We are eager to continue our conversations with Mayor Biskupski and wish her well as she begins her service."

Biskupski was elected Nov. 3. The results became official on Nov. 17, with Biskupski beating Becker 51.55 percent to 48.45 percent, or by 1,194 votes.

She will take office Jan. 4.

Biskupski issued a statement after Thursday's meeting saying she appreciated the meeting with Elder Christofferson and Bishop Caussé.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints plays a key role in Salt Lake City's history and in our city's future and I look forward to continuing a relationship of open dialogue," she said. "We are all looking forward to a much more collaborative effort on long-term economic development opportunities for Salt Lake City. Today we began meaningful conversations that will continue at all levels for the next four years."

Biskupski, the city's first openly gay mayor, previously said she wanted to speak with church leaders about the new policies in the faith's recently updated handbook for local leaders regarding same-sex marriage and the children of gay couples. The church continues to welcome members with same-sex attraction, but the updated handbook mandates church discipline for same-sex couples who marry or live together. A new policy also restricts children of same-sex couples from baptism until they are 18.

The subject was not discussed at the meeting, said Hawkins, the church spokesman, though he said Biskupski presented the Mormon leaders with a letter on the subject.

Biskupski addressed the letter in her statement.

"At the end of the meeting Elder Christofferson also graciously accepted a letter which conveyed my feelings on the church's new policy regarding families headed by same-sex couples and their children," she said. "As a leader in Salt Lake City, and after hearing from many individuals, I felt it was my responsibility to use this opportunity to express the community's concerns in a respectful manner. I share in the sadness and confusion that this new policy has caused many in our community — both members of the church and non-members. The LDS Church has done so much good in promoting the strength of the family and while I strongly believe they are entitled to live in their doctrine, I hope this policy direction will not last long."

Elder Christofferson explained the policies last month in a video posted on lds.org and mormonnewsroom.org. A core church doctrine is that marriage is between a man and a woman, and the updated handbook clarified that entering a same-sex marriage is considered apostasy, or renunciation of that belief.

Biskupski spokesman Matthew Rojas said she would not release the letter publicly because "it's a private communication between the mayor-elect and the church leaders."

Biskupski's statement noted that the topics of Thursday's meeting also included issues related to the city's watershed.

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