BOISE — Former Boise Mayor Brent Coles and his one-time top aide, still under investigation for their expenses while in office, have been relieved of their responsibilities within the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the faith's officials said.
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches its members to live lives of complete integrity and honesty," the statement said. "Pending the outcome of the current investigation, the church will take appropriate action."
Coles served in an advisory position on the Boise West Stake High Council, and former chief of staff Gary Lyman was a counselor to the Boise East Stake president, church spokesman Gary Walker said.
The mayor resigned after being charged with illegally accepting a trip to last winter's Olympic Games in Salt Lake City from Blue Cross of Idaho, which had a contract with the city at the time.
The church statement did not say why Coles and Lyman were released from their positions, but Walker said church officials "don't want to imply in any way that we have judged or drawn any conclusions about Coles or Lyman."
Lyman and others in the city administration were fired amid reports of questionable spending while Coles was mayor.
An independent audit of city finance and travel records found Coles and Lyman used tax money to visit various LDS temples and other sites. Lyman also used a city procurement card to buy 10 copies of LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley's book "Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes."
The state attorney general's office is still conducting a criminal investigation into the financial activities of the Coles administration.