West Jordan mulling a full-time mayor

WEST JORDAN — Residents here could have a vote in how much power their next mayor wields.

As the city considers dropping its council-manager form of government, Councilman Jim Lems wants to put the question to voters.

"It's an opportunity for them to speak," said Lems, who will bring his proposal to the City Council on Tuesday. "I just want to give them their voice."

At the heart of the proposed change is a push to make the mayor's position a full-time job.

"I work 30 to 50 hours a week — part time," Mayor David Newton told the Deseret News last month. "Because of the size of the city and everything that has to happen, we need a full-time mayor."

As a retiree, Newton said he has time to dedicate long hours even as a part-time mayor. But as the state's fourth-largest city continues to grow, Newton said a full-time mayor will be needed to adequately serve residents.

In a meeting last month, several council members said they would support the switch — with a caveat.

"For me, it's a decision whether we want to change the form of government," Councilman Kim V. Rolfe said.

Under the current council-manager setup, which the city adopted in 1981, the mayor has a vote alongside the six council members. Most council members said they did not believe a full-time mayor should continue to have a vote.

Lems said he envisions adding an at-large member to the council and turning the mayor into an administrator who could vote only as a tie-breaker.

"With a full-time mayor, he or she would be more apt to be involved in the communities around us, as well as the county and the state," Lems said.

Some council members also were concerned with Newton's proposal for a full-time salary.

The city's part-time mayor makes $18,372 a year. Newton, who does not plan to run for re-election, proposed a salary bump up to about $86,000 annually.

Council members said they would be more comfortable setting that salary around $50,000 a year.

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