Utah County attorney will not investigate complaint against Cedar Hills mayor, city manager

CEDAR HILLS — Utah County Attorney Jeffrey R. Buhman said his office will not investigate a complaint by two Cedar Hills residents against their mayor and city manager.

Paul Sorensen and Ken Severn filed 46 pages of allegations and supporting documents in 4th District Court on Jan. 23, asking the court for an investigation into whether Mayor Eric Richardson and city manager Konrad Hildebrandt inappropriately moved $371,726 from city recreation funds to the city's golf course to make the it appear profitable.

The complaining residents made other related complaints and want the mayor and city manager removed from office.

A judge referred the matter to the county attorney to investigate, but the county attorney subsequently concluded the complaints follow a statutory process "broader than the statute authorizing me to conduct an investigation," Buhman said Friday afternoon. "I don't believe there was an allegation of criminal conduct," he said, "so I don't have the authority to investigate."

Attorney Peter Stirba is representing the mayor and city manager. Stirba's office said Friday the city plans to hold a press conference on Tuesday to talk about the county attorney's decision. A call to the mayor's office Friday afternoon was not returned.

The two men who lodged the complaint say they are not giving up and hope to meet with the county attorney. "The state law requires an investigation based on our complaint," Sorensen said. "We were disappointed with his conclusion."

Buhman's letter says each of the matters in the complaint "if true would be troubling" but do not constitute criminal acts. The letter goes on to say that some of the conduct alleged "could possibly violate a criminal statute" but that he would need "credible and material evidence of criminal wrongdoing before we will invest the resources needed to conduct a thorough and fair investigation."

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