HOLLADAY — A group of citizens is asking for a ballot initiative to change Holladay's type of government from the strong mayor form to the council-manager form.
The goal, according to the attorney representing the group, is to avoid acrimonious mayor-council disputes the group feels have tainted Mayor Dennis Larkin's 17-month tenure.
"I think it's motivated by frustration that the city is spending more time entertaining debate between the two branches of government than it is on the good of Holladay and programs that might benefit the city," said attorney Marty Banks, who would not identify his clients or say how many citizens had joined together to hire him.
In the current strong mayor form, used by very few Utah cities, Larkin does not vote on the five-member Holladay City Council but does have veto power over any council decision. And only a 4-1 vote by the council can override a mayoral veto.
Larkin has used his veto power only once, two months ago, when he shot down a new recreational vehicle ordinance passed by the City Council on a 3-2 vote. The ordinance approved by the council would have allowed some residents to park their RVs in front of their houses.
But Larkin said Friday a compromise on RV storage is being negotiated, and his recent use of veto powers is not the issue. Instead, he said, the request for a ballot initiative stems from his struggle with certain council members and dates back to shortly after he took office.
"It's basically the third attempt to try to remove the mayor," Larkin said. "I think the basic problem is that I have an agenda and I can't get it accomplished.
"I'm a strong advocate of open space and trails and trying to beautify our community and enforcing our laws so our community is beautiful. . . . Some on the council are not too enamored with that."
The first time Larkin and the council butted heads was over the budget for the city attorney's office. That resulted in Larkin paying for a legal opinion on the matter, then billing the city for it and consequently offending some council members, who asked the district attorney to investigate.
A year ago, Larkin proposed that his annual salary be increased from $35,000 to $65,000 to be more in line with other full-time mayors along the Wasatch Front. But the City Council decided to keep Larkin's salary at $35,000 for the current fiscal year, which ends July 1.
And there's more. But all those problems could be resolved, Banks' clients contend, if the City Council votes Thursday to place the initiative on the ballot Aug. 5. A simple majority of Holladay voters would then decide whether to keep Larkin in a position of relative power or make him no more significant than any one council member.
Council chairwoman Sandy Thackeray says she does not view the citizens' request as a roundabout way for some council opponents to get rid of Larkin, as the mayor charges.
"We have not discussed this as a council," Thackeray said. "It came to us from a citizens' group and, quite frankly, because of the dissension that's just seemed to occur in the last year and a half between some council members and the mayor, we haven't been able to progress like we'd like to, and many things have not gotten done.
"I've had many people express to me how frustrated they are because they don't see anything getting done. Some things on the budget have not even been started, like repairing sidewalks for the schoolchildren, things like that."
Thackeray said the concept is worth discussing but couldn't predict whether the council will authorize the ballot initiative. If the council doesn't take action Thursday, it could wait and place the initiative on the ballot in February. Or Banks' clients could try to place the initiative on the ballot by gathering the signatures of registered voters.
Larkin said he doesn't think a change in government is needed, except for a change in attitude on the council. He said the council needs to meet him halfway on more issues.
"I don't want to battle anybody," the mayor said. "I'm here to try to serve the city and do the very best we can do by making it better, and if people are going to continue to fight me, it takes energy away from what is really important.
"I'm trying not to think about it and trying to move on."
E-MAIL: zman@desnews.com