ST. GEORGE — An arrest warrant requiring $100,000 cash-only bail was issued Monday for former Springdale city manager Glenn E. Hill.
Fifth District Court Judge James L. Shumate signed the warrant for the 53-year-old Hill based on charges filed last week by the Washington County Attorney's Office following a five-month investigation.
Hill is accused of taking more than $150,000 in unauthorized salary, payment of taxes, benefits and expenses from the city.
He faces one second-degree felony count of misuse of public funds and one second-degree felony count of theft by embezzlement.
Neither Hill nor his attorney was unavailable for comment Monday. A man who answered the phone at Hill's residence said Hill was his father and that he was "a good man who didn't do those things they said he did."
The man wouldn't disclose where Hill was.
Jonathan Wright, Hill's attorney, said last week he and his client were surprised when the charges were filed.
"Mr. Hill learned of the charges when a reporter called him at home New Year's Eve," Wright said. "I
learned about it the next day."
Springdale city attorney Greg Hardman said Hill was "terminated for cause" from his $60,000 a year job.
Hill, who was hired in April 1999 and fired in July 2003, was denied his severance package from the city, which included several months of salary and insurance, Hardman said.
"Nothing more has been said about it," Hardman said.
Town clerk Terri Hatch, who was placed on paid administrative leave at the same time as Hill, was also later fired. No criminal charges have been filed against Hatch.
The Springdale case is another in a string of public officials in southern Utah charged with wrongdoing.
In nearby Virgin, former town clerk Stacey Noelle Higbee is charged with one second-degree felony count of misuse of public funds. At her Oct. 27 preliminary hearing, Higbee was accused of taking salary payments in advance of work performed without the knowledge of city officials. She is scheduled for arraignment on Jan. 21 in 5th District Court.
Former Virgin Mayor Jay Lee was originally charged with one second-degree felony count of misuse of public funds in the same case. He later pleaded no contest to attempted misuse of public funds and attempted witness tampering. He also was forced to resign from office as part of a plea deal.
On the other end of Washington County, in Enterprise, former city recorder/administrator Gerald M. Jones is accused of three second-degree felonies involving misuse of public funds, theft by embezzlement and prohibited personal use of office. Jones, 45, will be in court Jan. 16 for a preliminary hearing.
A change-of-venue motion, filed by the state in former Iron County Sheriff David "Dude" Benson's case, was denied, leaving the trial in Cedar City. Benson, 38, is charged with six felonies and three misdemeanor counts that include theft, misuse of public funds, witness tampering, altering or destroying public records, and obstruction of justice. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during a September preliminary hearing. A date for Benson's jury trial has not yet been scheduled.
Benson's second-in-command, Lt. Chuck Mitchell, pleaded guilty to a class A misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice in a related case and resigned from his job.
E-MAIL: nperkins@infowest.com