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ST. GEORGE — Eleven city employees in Hildale have resigned, including one who wrote that his religious beliefs prohibit him from “following a woman, and from serving on a board with apostates,” according to Mayor Donia Jessop, one of four nonmembers of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints elected to office in November.
Hildale shares employees with Colorado City, Arizona, and Jessop estimates there are about 50 between the two, although the majority are in Colorado City.
She added that each of the employees who resigned provided the city with at least two weeks’ notice and offered to help with the training of new employees during the transition, regardless of whether that goes beyond the two weeks.
The mayor said she asked each of them to stay, but understands their position.
“It’s easier to cope with this because it’s not personal, they are just following what they believe,” she said.
The November election marked the first time in the town’s 100-year history than any nonmember of the FLDS church was elected to office.
Jessop, along with City Council members Maha Layton, Jared Nichols and Jvar Dutson, were sworn in last month.
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