"All I'm trying to do is serve my community," Colbert said. "I could make more at Arctic Circle."

Colbert also said he disputes accusations by Towner that he got paid for state hours while he was at Draper City Council Meetings. Colbert said while he does often have to adjust his schedule to attend city meetings, he makes up those hours or uses flex time to compensate for them.

Colbert called the accusations a "dirty trick" by Towner to clinch the school board seat.

Draper Mayor Darrell Smith said the two candidates have been feuding since Towner's campaign signs were removed by Draper city officials last month.

Towner said Colbert was behind that act, using his city authority to remove the signs without notifying Towner.

Colbert, however, said the signs were removed because they violated a city sign ordinance that limits the time candidates can post signs. That ordinance was repealed after a court ruling in a lawsuit brought by the ACLU declared the time limit unconstitutional.

Smith said he is looking into the incident to determine Colbert's involvement.

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E-mail: estewart@desnews.com