Unwilling witnesses?

Several people who work in Salt Lake County government and for the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Valley are going to be put in an awkward position Monday.

County Mayor Nancy Workman's preliminary hearing will be held then, with special deputy district attorney Mike Martinez calling eight witnesses from the two organizations to prove probable cause in charges of felonious misuse of public money that have been filed against Workman.

"I'm not excited about it or pleased about it," said county chief administrative officer David Marshall regarding the prospect of helping present the prosecution's case against his boss. "I'd rather I were not a part of it. . . . There is nothing about this situation that is normal. Yeah, it is awkward. It is totally awkward."

In accordance with a court order from 3rd District Judge Robert Hilder, Martinez released a list of witnesses Friday that he may call in the preliminary hearing.

The hearing is shaping up to be the most meaningful event so far in Workman's highly publicized legal saga. Preliminary hearings in some cases are short. This one, however, will likely be more involved.

"Pack a lunch," Workman campaign adviser Dave Owen warned.

If Marshall's situation is awkward, consider the situation of Workman's own daughter, the youth clubs' development director Aisza Wilde, who also is on the prosecution's witness list.

"I haven't even talked about it" with Wilde, the clubs' executive director Bob Dunn said. He has been called as a witness himself. "We're not taking sides on this. I appreciate everything the mayor has done for us. . . . I hope everything works out."

Wilde could not be contacted for comment.

Dunn's call to testify caps a summer full of controversy and grief for him. In addition to being caught up in the county's scandals and Workman's legal troubles, Dunn's mother died July 21 and his father exactly two months later, on Sept. 21.

"I've been better," he said. "I'd rather have knee surgery."

(Dunn in fact put off knee surgery to be present in court Monday.)

With regard to his testimony, "I'm just going to go in there and whatever they ask, I'll answer honestly," Dunn said. "Whatever they do with it, they do with it."

Other witnesses include secretaries and support personnel at the clubs and the county.

Martinez said he may not call all witnesses on the list — just enough of them to prove the elements of the case. Workman is accused of improperly using county money to pay the salaries of two Boys and Girls Clubs employees working under her daughter's supervision.