Residents speak; Bluffdale mayor back on job

BLUFFDALE — Bolstered by residents' support, Mayor Claudia Anderson has resumed her duties as Bluffdale's chief executive officer.

Anderson, who was stripped of her administrative powers by the Bluffdale City Council on Sept. 26, reclaimed them Tuesday as the city awaits a vote on its form of government.

More than enough signatures were collected and certified on referendum petitions, which opposed the City's Council's decision to take administrative powers from the mayor and hand them to the newly created office of city manager.

That means Bluffdale voters will determine the city's government structure at the next municipal election — either in June or November.

"The referendum is done, and the people have spoken," Anderson said. "Now it's time to get back to business."

A conflict in state code about what happens while a city awaits a referendum created some debate about if and when the mayor should resume her administrative duties.

In one section, state law mandates that the powers and duties of a mayor be restored as they were before the ordinance was passed. In another, state statute supports the local law remaining in effect until repealed by the voting public.

Councilman Bill Maxwell said he and the other four members of the City Council, along with city manager Brent Bluth, opted not to turn the issue into a legal battle.

"It was going to be fairly expensive to fight (Anderson) on it," Maxwell said. "We decided to let the citizens have the election and decide."

The state constitution requires that a law or ordinance be submitted to voters before taking affect, which attorneys for Anderson have said trumps any conflicts in the code.

Maxwell said he believes there's still a legal question — one he'd like to see answered — "but we decided not to spend the money to do that."

"That being the case, (Anderson) is back in charge for the time being," he said.

Anderson, who was elected in November 2005, was less than a year into her term when the City Council unanimously voted to return to a city manager/council form of government, which the city had from its incorporation in 1995 until 2002.

The decision came amid a series of clashes that the mayor had with Bluth, the City Council and city staff.

Bluth, one of a dozen staff members to quit or be fired after Anderson took office, was appointed by the council as city manger. He has reverted to his previous duties as administrative services director.

Calls to Bluth for comment were not returned.

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