Tooele mayor leaves 3 months early

Less than two months before residents are to select his successor, Tooele Mayor Charlie Roberts is calling it quits.

Roberts announced his resignation, effective Sept. 19, on Tuesday. The two-term mayor is leaving his post to take a job as public information officer for the Utah State Tax Commission.

"Now's the time," the 50-year-old mayor said of his decision to end his final term about three months early.

Roberts had already decided his second term would be his last, and he is not one of the seven candidates who have filed to run in the Oct. 4 primary.

"I had decided four years ago that two terms and I'd be looking for other opportunities," he said.

Under Tooele's form of government, the mayor's position is full-time.

"We've been able to accomplish more than I've ever dreamed possible," he said. "But not just that — it was more of a personal feeling that these mayoral offices are positions of service. They are not meant to be careers."

Roberts has a background in journalism and public relations. He has a degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix but also took classes as a communications major at Brigham Young University. He worked as editor of the Tooele Transcript-Bulletin and has done public relations for USPCI and Laidlaw Environmental.

In his new role, Roberts' two major responsibilities will be publication of the Tax Commission's annual report and communication with the media on tax issues — "the face of the Tax Commission to the community," said Tax Commissioner Palmer DePaulis, who was involved in the hiring process.

"He, as a mayor, has had pretty extensive work in front of the media. We felt very good about that," DePaulis said. "We feel very good about his written materials. One of the critical issues for us is a good writer and researcher. . . . He's a very likable person. But I think the thing that impressed us the most is he's just very straightforward, very honest."

DePaulis said an important function of the commission's PIO is simplifying complex tax issues for the public, and he is confident Roberts has that ability.

Under Tooele's city charter, City Council chairman Mike Johnson will serve as interim mayor for up to 30 days after Roberts quits. During that time, Roberts' replacement will be elected by the City Council from among the current council members. That person will serve as temporary mayor until the end of the year, when the candidate elected in November's general election will take over.