Mayor charged for lying

EAGLE MOUNTAIN — Eagle Mountain Mayor Kelvin Bailey will have a little more stress in his already stressful life.

Charges were filed Tuesday in Utah County justice court against Bailey for giving a false report to police, a class B misdemeanor.

Bailey will be served with a summons directing him to appear for an arraignment at a time set by the court, according to a statement issued by Utah County Attorney Kay Bryson.

Bailey has not appeared publicly since returning from an unannounced overnight drive to Barstow, Calif., on March 27.

Bailey told his wife, who had reported him missing to police, that he was forced to make the 500-mile drive at gunpoint by a man Bailey said he'd pulled over to help.

Bailey recanted the story when pressed for details by federal agents and Utah police.

He admitted he made up the story to appease his wife until he could get home and explain his disappearance. Police said he told them that he took the trip because he was having a hard time dealing with the stresses of the mayoral post and his job as a construction consultant.

Bailey has not returned phone calls seeking comment or attended City Council meetings. He also has not yet delivered a letter of explanation that he promised residents at his return.

Bailey's letter was reportedly scheduled to be printed last weekend in Lake Mountain Interactive, a community newspaper for Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs.

The paper's Web site also has been jammed with opinions about Bailey's sojourn.

The editor, Josh Elledge, said he will publish Bailey's letter this weekend.

Responding to the turmoil generated by Bailey, a group of former mayors and council members sent their own letter to residents urging them to calm down.

The letter penned by former mayors Rob Bateman, Paul Bond and Debbie Hooge responded to a number of the opinions expressed on Elledge's Web site.

The letter suggested that Eagle Mountain — which "finds itself once again in the spotlight" — wouldn't exist had leaders not made many of the decisions that have been vehemently denounced by some people who posted items on the Web site.

The letter from the mayors reminded residents that name-calling and virtual bashing do no good and called such actions a cowardly way to criticize public officials.

"Let's pull together," said the letter from the trio of former mayors. Other former City Council members also signed the letter.

The letter urged residents to respect Bailey's privacy.

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