Mayor's job still part time

WEST JORDAN — The West Jordan City Council on Tuesday shot down a proposal to raise elected officials' salaries and make the mayor's job a full-time position.

Councilman Kim Rolfe said he favors the current setup of six part-time council members and a part-time mayor who votes alongside them.

"I do not believe it is a 40-hour-a-week job, not with the staff we have,," Rolfe said.

Councilman Lyle Summers said he thinks having a full-time city manager and a full-time mayor would be counterproductive.

Mayor David Newton argued that the city's top position simply requires more than part-time hours and that the city, Utah's fourth largest, is stuck in the past.

"We're still, in many ways, acting like the little farm community," Newton said. "I think it puts us at a disadvantage when we have a mayor that makes $18,000 a year."

Either way, retiree Newton does not plan to run for re-election, he said.

The issue has been raised a handful of times over the years but has never been widely supported.

Although elected officials balked at Newton's plan Tuesday, they may choose to put the issue on a public ballot in November. In that case, residents could choose a strong-mayor form of government to be instituted in 2012.

Also up for election this fall will be Newton's seat and the seats of three at-large council members. Melissa Johnson, one of the at-large members, has thrown her hat in the ring for the mayoral position.

E-MAIL: rpalmer@desnews.com