Jackson said she and Lifferth approached Olsen and asked him to resign Friday afternoon.

"I don't think he would have (resigned) if he had not been approached," Jackson said, "but I think it's the right thing for our city."

Previously, Jackson defended Olsen when rumors that he was misusing public funds began circulating in September. At that point, Jackson said, there was no documentation to show any illegal use of city money.

In response to questions about possible misuse of city money— supported in part by some City Council members — Olsen made a lengthy statement at a public meeting Oct. 3 refuting the claims. Olsen said he was within the law on financial decisions he had made with city funds.

Tension between Olsen and the council had been growing since May, when he faced criticism for lying about the advanced college degree.

Olsen subsequently resigned from his position with the Utah Highway Patrol, from which he had taken a leave of absence, when the law-enforcement agency launched a probe into his graduate-degree claims while he worked as a trooper.

Olsen, who took office in January, is the second consecutive mayor of the Utah County city to resign. Former Mayor Kelvin Bailey resigned in June 2005, a year after pleading no contest to providing false information to police for faking his own kidnapping.

In time he admitted he had concocted the incident because of stress.

Councilwoman Linn Strouse has been appointed as interim mayor until City Council members choose a new mayor to serve until Dec. 31, 2007. The mayor's position is currently a full-time job, but council members may vote to change the time requirements to part time.

"We're looking for that knight in shining armor, but would they want to step into that tarnished position at this point?," asked City Councilman Vincent Liddiard. "That's a tall order to ask."

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