Leaders in Lehi square off

The council was in favor of reappointing Collins, but Johnson said he wanted "a fresh start." Collins announced his resignation from the position last week, a move that "disappointed" council members, Dixon said, but has not alleviated the struggle between Johnson and the council.

"At the state level and the federal level, when the governor comes in, there's many that they reappoint or don't reappoint, and on the federal level these people in those positions just automatically write their letters of resignation," Johnson said.

"I found out at the city level, when they're not reappointed, they stay on working until the council reappoints a new one ... I wasn't aware of that until last January, so it made it kind of awkward when I didn't reappoint Ed."

Dixon said city employees are aware that under the current council-mayor system, they may or may not be reappointed.

"What it's created in Lehi is a sense of insecurity on the part of city employees that have been working very diligently in the city for many years and have gotten a great deal done," Dixon said. "The sense of security is lost on many people with regard to their employment."

The council placed the proposed change on the agenda for the April 11 council meeting without allowing for a public hearing. And, at the meeting, Johnson removed the item, saying it was developed in a closed-doors meeting the mayor says was illegal.

According to state open-meeting laws, the city council may conduct a closed-door meeting when discussing matters of personnel and litigation.

Other topics, however, such as a change in city government, must be discussed in a properly noticed public meeting, Johnson said. Johnson said an outside lawyer he asked to look at the issue told him the meeting was illegal, and he has informed the council of his lawyer's findings.

Though the issue is currently scheduled to be discussed tonight at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 153 N. 100 East, Johnson said he intends to again remove the item unless City Council convenes a last-minute public meeting to discuss the change.

"Frankly, I don't think changing the form of city government is the proper approach to working out our differences," Johnson said.

Johnson, who has lived in Lehi for 28 years, was approached to run for mayor last fall by a group of people who wanted a change, he said. Originally, he said, he rebuffed the offer, saying he was too old.

He said he later changed his mind, figuring it was "time to pay my dues."

Now, Johnson says he is just trying to focus on serving the people.

"The focus of leadership is taking care of the boss and taking care of the customer and in this case both of those are the citizens of Lehi," Johnson said. "We take care of those and then we take care of what the council is concerned with."

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