Spanish Fork official miffed at mayor

SPANISH FORK — City Councilman Chris Wadsworth is upset that Mayor Dale Barney plans to appoint Sherman Huff to the city planning commission.

Wadsworth claims the appointment of the former city councilman is an attempt to perpetuate a "good ol' boys club" at City Hall.

The appointment will come before the City Council at tonight's meeting, which starts at 6 at City Hall, 40 S. Main. Wadsworth, however, will not be present to voice his concerns because he will be out of town on business.

Wadsworth believes the appointment is a thinly veiled attempt to increase Huff's public visibility as part of an anticipated plan to run for mayor in November, if Barney steps down. Wadsworth made his feelings known last week in a letter he hand delivered to Barney.

Attempts to contact Huff for comment were unsuccessful Monday night.

No one's ever challenged a mayoral appointee before, said City Councilman Matt Barber. Approving the mayor's list of appointees is generally done out of respect, he added.

Wadsworth said he has learned Huff is planning to run for mayor and that Barney was going to retire at the end of his term, Dec. 31, 2005. However, Barney said he hasn't decided whether he will step aside.

"I've told some I will (step down) and I've told some I won't. I'm not going to make that decision yet," Barney said.

The mayor makes all appointments with the consent of the council. Barney said he asks council members to give him names from which he forms the final list.

The planning commission, which reviews most land-use requests before they go to the City Council, is short two members. The five-year terms of commissioners Thad Jensen and Thora Shaw have expired, said City Manager Dave Oyler. Oyler wouldn't say who the mayor is considering. The list is largely kept secret until the mayor makes his final picks.

Wadsworth noted that Huff was defeated in his bid for a third council term last November. He believes appointing Huff to the planning commission would "thwart the will of the people."

"(A)s representatives of the citizenry how can we possibly justify his appointment when the citizens have told Mr. Huff to move on and be something else," Wadsworth said. "It would create credibility and ethical problems for us as a council."

Barber also believes there are others who are well qualified to fill the planning commission seats.