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EAGLE MOUNTAIN — After accepting a job as economic development director for Rocky Mountain Power, Eagle Mountain Mayor Chris Pengra announced his resignation Wednesday evening in an online message to City Council members and Eagle Mountain residents.
Pengra said he hoped to find a job that would allow him to continue serving his first term as mayor, "unfortunately it didn't work out that way ... If I’m the mayor of the city and working on economic development, while at the same time being economic development director (for Rocky Mountain Power), there’s an inherent conflict of interest that can’t exist," he told the Deseret News Thursday.
In his announcement, Pengra said he is confident council members will select an interim mayor with "integrity, wisdom and kindness ... in the interest of maintaining stability within city operations."
While Pengra said his decision was difficult to make, he is "so proud of the things that we’ve accomplished in the last four years," adding that serving as mayor has been "one of the greatest blessings."
Pengra also said he hopes the next mayor will "keep Eagle Mountain moving in a positive direction and (continue) benefiting the residents who live in Eagle Mountain.”
The Eagle Mountain City Council will hold a special meeting Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. to choose a new mayor, who will serve until Jan. 1, when the mayor elected in November's general election will be sworn in, said Eagle Mountain spokeswoman Linda Peterson.
Eagle Mountain residents interested in serving as interim mayor need to submit a letter of interest to the city recorder's office by 5 p.m. Aug. 10.
In May, Pengra wrote a Facebook post announcing he would not be seeking re-election.
The majority of his post focused on his religion.
"When I ran for mayor, I did so having first sought the Lord through much prayer. Running for mayor was for me, an act of the obedience to the Lord and an act of service to the residents of Eagle Mountain," he said.
Pengra added that he planned to seek re-election as a part-time mayor while working another job, but "that decision to run was missing one critical element, however, and that was the Lord," he said, adding that he now feels the need to return to the private sector and spend more time with his wife and two children.
Bittersweet News https://t.co/AWhER90Ynn
— Mayor Chris Pengra (@emcitymayor) July 26, 2017
"I have been so unbelievably blessed to have a wife who has supported me as I have given much of myself to serving the residents of Eagle Mountain," he said. "They have supported me and stood by my side with grace, often sacrificing personal comfort in the process."
Pengra will resign Aug. 18, four days after a new mayor is selected. Email: aberg@deseretnews.com
