Watchdog eager to see results of probe into Kearns council

The Kearns Town Council may no longer exist, but a residents' watchdog group is anxious to see the results of a county investigation launched more than a year ago into accusations of mismanagement of state and federal grant money.

One target of the group's criticism — the wife of a member of the state House of Representatives — believes the accusations are no more than the machinations of a political opponent, a charge the opponent denies.

County Mayor Peter Corroon in March 2005 announced that the county would no longer recognize the council, partly because of the allegations that were first raised by former council member Claudia Nabos. Corroon also worried the name "town council" made the group sound like a government entity instead of a residents' group. It was later replaced by the Kearns Community Council, a group that works with county planners in a way prescribed by county ordinance.

At the time of the town council's dissolution, District Attorney's Office spokesman Bob Stott told the Deseret Morning News that an investigation had been launched, although he could not comment on specifics. Contacted for comment Thursday, Stott said he could neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation.

Representatives of Concerned Citizens for Ethical Government, the watchdog group formed in response to Nabos' allegations, said they have been told by county investigators that a probe did take place and that it is essentially done.

"They tell us there's nothing else to be done, but there are no announcements of charges or what they've found," CCEG chairman Nate Smith said. "There's no indication on what 'done' means."

Smith's group issued a report in May 2005 outlining its concerns about a nonprofit called Kearns Coalition Inc. The nonprofit was formed in 2001 to administer the grants that the town council had funneled to it for drug-prevention programs like after-school activities and youth groups.

Smith on Thursday said his groups found hints of possible "nepotism, cronyism, paying family members' salaries and contracts and such and buying a lot of equipment for home-office use supposed to be related to the grant administration."

Smith charged that Stacey Hutchings, wife of Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, may have been involved in the misuse of money, including hiring Rep. Hutchings and other family members on contracts.