Last week, Anderson said he would repay a $457.88 bar tab he put on his city credit card last July when he was entertaining dignitaries at the Grand America Hotel lobby lounge. The bill included food, private club memberships and alcohol. At the time, it was against city policy to purchase alcohol with city funds — but the mayor later changed that policy.

In a statement saying he would repay the money, Anderson said he is a highly ethical public official who does not accept gifts. The council and other governmental bodies, including the Utah Legislature, should adopt his stringent gift ban, he said.

And while the council does not seem ready to embrace the mayor's call for a gift ban, Lambert did say he appreciated getting the $457 back.

"I commend the mayor for returning the money," he said. "Whether he agreed with the policy or not, it was a policy he signed off on."Neither Anderson nor his spokesman has have returned calls for comment to the Deseret Morning News for the past 14 days., again, was not returned.

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E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com