The city is taking names for mayor.
The City Council agreed Tuesday night that the best way to replace former Mayor Charles Hoffman is to have Draper residents present nominees to the council.Council members wanted to hold a special election, but after consulting with the Utah attorney general's office they learned that state law suggests they appoint someone instead.
The city will consider anyone nominated by July 7, the date of the council's next meeting, at which time the five-member body will choose from among the names mentioned.
"What's our chance of getting Mayor Hoffman back in?" asked one resident. Hoffman, she was told, is as welcome as anybody.
The former mayor cited health reasons when he resigned, a development that happened to occur about the same time former Police Chief Hans de Haas was rehired by the city in a controversial move that has placed the Draper Police Department in tumult.
De Haas produced tape recordings of telephone conversations with Hoffman and a Draper police officer in which the men are heard to be discussing de Haas with another individual who said he was doing a pre-employment background check on de Haas.
The former police chief told the council the tapes showed the terms of his resignation had been breached, and the council subsequently rehired him. Hoffman swiftly resigned.
But de Haas' return was brief. Public outcry was such that the reappointment was put on hold, and on Tuesday the council voted to turn the police department over to the county, effectively doing away with any possibility de Haas will return in any leadership capacity.
Hoffman on Tuesday declined to say whether he wants to be mayor again.