Panel to review vehicle policy

The first order of business Friday for the new citizen panel reviewing Salt Lake County's vehicle policies was to meet behind closed doors with an attorney hired by the county to advise them.

The Citizen Review Panel, created last week by Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman in the wake of the scandal surrounding the alleged misuse of county-owned vehicles, spent more than a half hour of its first meeting in executive session with attorney Randy Dryer.

Dryer said he was hired by the county at the request of a panel member, attorney Glen Watkins said. "We want to be in a position of complying with the legal requirements that apply to us," Watkins said, including the state's open meetings law.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney's office would typically provide legal counsel to a county entity. But Dryer said the panel will be looking at policies that apply to the district attorney's office, which is conducting its own criminal investigation.

"The panel is to be independent from the county," Dryer said. "They want to rely on legal counsel that is not part of the D.A.'s office. It's an independence issue." He said he has been working for the panel on several issues that he declined to specify, citing attorney-client privilege.

The county is paying Dryer $250 an hour to advise the panel with the money coming out of the mayor's budget for professional fees, according to Dave Marshall, the county's chief administrative officer.

Marshall told the panel during the public portion of the meeting that the county would provide any staff or professional assistance needed. "Feel free to ask for that which you need," Marshall said, adding that the county was "very, very, very grateful for your willingness" to serve.

Workman has given the panel only until July 16 to review existing policies and come up with any recommendations. In a letter to the members last week, she said they could also look at policies dealing regarding cell phones, travel and gifts.

The panel decided Friday to focus on county vehicles, from their acquisition to their disposal, including how employees are reimbursed for their use. "It's a very big task," said panel member Harry Jeffs, fleet operations director for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The next meeting of the panel was set for Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Salt Lake County Government Center, where members plan to settle on the scope of their inquiry and come up with a plan to complete it by the deadline.