WEST JORDAN — Salt Lake City's longest-serving city attorney will start a new job here Monday.
Roger Cutler has taken the city attorney position, replacing Kevin Watkins, who will become Cutler's assistant.
"We just needed someone with a little more expertise in city government law," Mayor Bryan Holladay said.
Cutler, 62, retired from Salt Lake City last year after 28 years as city attorney. His annual salary was just under $120,000.
With West Jordan, Cutler will make about $108,000 a year, which is at the top of the city's pay scale for city attorney. He'll also be one of the highest-paid city staffers.
"Roger brings experience and savvy to the table that we really need right now," said city manager Gary Luebbers, who brought the matter to the City Council for a vote. The council was unanimous in its decision to hire Cutler.
Several people applied for Watkins' position, but when Cutler threw his hat in the ring, "he was clearly the front-runner," Luebbers said. Cutler's experience in personnel and particularly land issues won over Luebbers.
"That's a large issue that faces every developing community," Luebbers said. "He's seen probably every different kind of (land) problem you can have.
"He survived in a visible position through many, many administrations."
When Cutler retired last year, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson credited his city attorney with guiding the city through several "tumultuous periods," including hosting the 2002 Olympics, the sale of a Main Street block to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and former Mayor Deedee Corradini's acceptance of more than $200,000 in gifts.
West Jordan also hired Park City's community development director of more than 10 years, Rick Lewis. He has become West Jordan's new city planner, with an annual salary in the mid-$70,000 range. He started this past Monday.
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