LA VERKIN, Washington County — Mayor Dan E. Howard knew his chances of earning another term in office were hanging by a constitutional thread, so to speak.
Tuesday, voters in this small town, now widely known for its anti-U.N. ordinance, let Howard know they did not want him to remain in office. Former Moab Mayor Tom Stocks took the race by 201 votes and will be the city's new mayor.
Two council candidates, Phil Jensen and David Wilson, also won in their respective races, as did incumbent councilman Gary McKell. All three have said they oppose the U.N.-free zone ordinance passed this year by the council in a 3-2 vote.
La Verkin's U.N.-free zone ordinance outlaws the United Nations from the city's borders, makes it illegal for the city to invest in any U.N.-sponsored project and makes it a crime to fly the U.N. flag on the city flagpole. Violators of the ordinance can be charged with a class C misdemeanor.
A philosophical Howard said he wasn't surprised by the election results.
"The people who won seats went after the ordinance in their campaigns," he said late Tuesday night. "I'm old news now."
McKell, who was first appointed to his seat and just won his first election, said city voters sent a clear message.
"Obviously, 70 percent of the city did not support that ordinance," McKell said in direct reference to a number used by Howard in his support of the anti-U.N. ordinance.
Both Howard and McKell said Tuesday they were certain the new council would take another look at the ordinance in the new year.
"I have talked with Phil and David both. I would be very surprised if we don't tackle that U.N. ordinance pretty quickly," McKell said. "It flat is not a municipal issue."
McKell also predicted the council would take on the city's recent decision to sell honorary La Verkin citizenship papers to anyone in support of the anti-U.N. ordinance.
"I saw that as good money going after bad," he said.
E-MAIL: nperkins@redrock.net