From Deseret News archives:
S.L. County fleet manager will retire this fall
Nick Morgan, who has taken some heat for last year's county car-abuse scandals, confirmed Thursday that he will retire at the beginning of October. He will remain on paid leave until that time.
County leaders had apparently been considering firing Morgan.
"During discussions at a pre-termination hearing, it was decided by Nick that it would be in his best interest for him to retire," county public works director John Patterson told the Deseret Morning News on Thursday.
Patterson said the district attorney's investigation has been concluded and the allegations dropped.
Morgan, who has worked in public services for more than 35 years, said the retirement is being treated as just that — a normal, voluntary job termination.
"I'll be getting everything I'm entitled to in a normal retirement," Morgan said, including a pension, the amount of which he and Patterson both declined to specify.
Last December, a citizens panel, in a study requested by then-Mayor Nancy Workman, reported finding a host of problems with the county's vehicle program. This was after scandals called into question employees' private use of county vehicles and gas cards, which led to the resignation of County Auditor Craig Sorensen, who admitted using his county credit card to buy gas for personal use.
The panel also reported that the fleet division, which oversees 2,200 vehicles, was overfunded by $9 million.
The County Council this week approved a proposal by Mayor Peter Corroon to create a new Administrative Services Department, which will serve as an umbrella department for several divisions, including the fleet. Corroon and the council hope the new department will increase oversight and reduce scandal and controversy.
Morgan said his retirement is a result of a change in goals for the fleet division under a new administration.
"The situation is basically that it's obvious they'd like to go a different direction in their management of the fleet program," Morgan said. "That's fine with me. It's not the way I ran it. I felt like we did a good job with it, but I respect their desires."
He did not specify how his view of the fleet's direction differed from the administration, and Patterson, when asked whether the agreement was based on different management goals, said simply, "No." He said it was related to the allegations of wrongdoing.
Patterson said the county will look soon for candidates to replace Morgan, saying it may require a regional search.
"The Salt Lake County fleet is a huge operation," he said.
He said the new manager will need to be someone with broad experience who can help implement the suggested modifications recommended by the citizens' panel, which will complete the second phase of its study and present its recommendations July 12.
Since Morgan went on leave, the fleet has been headed by Jason Godfrey, the brother of Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey. Patterson worked in the Ogden mayor's office before coming to Salt Lake County.
But Godfrey is not a candidate for Morgan's replacement, as he was appointed earlier this week as associate director of public works.
E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com
