"My guess is we will probably end up selecting an interim mayor at our next interim meeting" on Sept. 21, Johnson said. "In the meantime, I'll just muddle through and do what we have to do. . . . It's only a temporary situation. I'm glad it's not a year or two we have to worry about it."

Johnson said city officials are sad to see Roberts go, but they knew he would be leaving at the end of the year, anyway.

"The mayor served the city well for almost eight years. I'm happy for him," Johnson said. "He's a good man, and we'll miss him. We thank him for all he's done and wish him all the best. I know he'll succeed."

Roberts said he has enjoyed his time as mayor and is proud of the city's direction under his leadership.

"Tooele is an entirely different city than we were eight years ago," he said. "We've doubled in population. Our biggest challenge was keeping up with residential growth. One of the best things we did — we were able to build a new city hall, library, aquatic center, golf course clubhouse, four or five different parks. And we did that without any property tax increase."

He has lived in Tooele his entire life, except for his time at college and a church mission.

"It's been a great learning experience for me," he said of his time as mayor. "One of the things I learned is just how valuable city employees are. We have 125 full-time employees, and any time you call them they're there to serve."

It is one of those city employees — city recorder Patrick Dunlavy — whom Roberts is backing in November's mayoral race.

"He understands the city. He has also been our project director for three major projects . . . and brought them all in on time and under budget."

But Dunlavy faces six other candidates also vying to take over the mayorship. They are: Steven D. Bevan, Jay Edwin Collier, Tom K. Ellevold, Bobby Joe Main Jr., Ryan Timmins and Russell Winters.

Roberts' salary at the Tax Commission will be $54,142. As mayor, he made $62,258 yearly.

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E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com