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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
Alex Cabrero ReportingNo word yet on the fate of former Eagle Mountain mayor Brian Olsen. Yesterday he was charged with seven counts of misusing public funds.
He's the latest mayor from the small Utah County city to leave office; none of them have ever completed their full term. Residents say their town's image isn't really how their town is.
There sure is a lot of shaking going on in Eagle Mountain. Too bad it's not just from children playing games.
Megan Hill, Eagle Mountain: "It makes us look really bad, and everyone says, ‘oh my heck, Eagle Mountain is an awful place,' and it's not."
Megan Hill moved here three years ago, or put another way, five mayors ago.
Megan Hill: "It makes it look bad for anybody else that wants to move out here."
Especially bad since the last mayor, Brian Olsen, resigned last week then was charged Monday with misusing public funds. Since Eagle Mountain became a city 10 years ago, they've had more mayors than most residents can remember -- Debbie Hooge, Robert Bateman, Paul Bond, Kelvin Bailey, Vincent Liddiard, David Lifferth, Brian Olsen, and now council member Linn Strouse.
Linn Strouse: "It's definitely a concern."
She knows how the musical mayors chair makes her city look, but she also thinks the city can move forward and fix its public perception.
Linn Strouse, Mayor, Eagle Mountain: "Well, I think we already have. We have a council committed to work together for the best interests of the citizens."
Strause says she doesn't want to be a full time mayor. She's only doing it temporarily, for 30 days. That means next month, when the city council appoints a new mayor, it'll be this small towns 9th mayor in just a decade.
The City Council is meeting tonight to go through the application process of appointing a new mayor.
