Despite the County Commission's undisguised displeasure, Salt Lake area mayors gathered for the third time in three months Thursday to address issues "that just the cities need to discuss."
The unofficial "Salt Lake Council of Mayors" has drawn the ire of commissioners, who fear it establishes an adversarial relationship with the county and the existing Council of Governments.Commission chairman and COG president Jim Bradley has been especially critical of the mayors' council, saying it signals possible intergovernmental warfare.
During a COG general assembly meeting Wednesday night, Commissioners Randy Horiuchi and Brent Overson joined Bradley in rebuking the mayors and calling on them to disband their independent council.
But West Valley Mayor Brent F. Anderson, who instigated the mayors' meetings, said the county's worries are unfounded. The mayors are not setting policy or conspiring against the county, he said.
"When I first suggested that we meet, it was not related to any issue," Anderson said. "I just thought it would be helpful for us to get together informally and talk about issues that concern just the cities."
At that first meeting, the mayors agreed to meet again and to evaluate the sessions each time to determine whether to continue them, he said.
"It's something we've discussed at every meeting. If the meetings prove not to be beneficial, we will dissolve," Anderson said.
The issue was raised again Thursday, but the mayors had not decided as of press time whether to defy the County Commission and continue their monthly gatherings.
The meetings have no agenda, are not announced and, up until Thursday, were not open to the public. "There was nothing official about them," Anderson explained, "just informal lunches."
Nevertheless, the mayors decided during a pre-luncheon meeting Thursday to open the sessions.
Anderson said he is perplexed by the county's reaction to the council. "I don't know why they're making such a big deal about it," he said.
The cities and county have different concerns and priorities and should be free to explore their agendas independently of each other, he argued.
The mayors note that cities and counties have independent statewide associations - Utah Association of Counties and League of Cities and Towns - and insist that a countywide association is no different.
According to Anderson, the mayors talk about many of the same matters that come up at the Council of Governments, whose members include the county commissioners. However, the council of mayors offers a forum to focus on the cities' perspective on such issues as annexation, countywide taxation and service delivery, he said.