Font Resize
Eric Jergensen is battling not only a serious challenger for his Avenues Salt Lake City Council seat, but also personal financial troubles.
Utah's 3rd District Court has issued two warrants for Jergensen's arrest for failing to show up for hearings related to a $16,607 judgment against his company, Contour Composites Inc.
"I expect you'll have the gendarmes showing up any minute," the councilman deadpanned late Tuesday.
Jergensen chalks up his legal woes to poor communication with the court and his lawyer, and a series of business mistakes, some predating his time as president of Woods Cross-based Contour Composites.
The company, which designs and fabricates industrial materials, also has turned up in court records for a $4 million loan owed to Zions First National Bank and a $58,632 debt due to the Davis County Council of Governments.
A partnership with an Italian manufacturer, Jergensen explains, soured when it took $2.5 million of the Zions loan, promising to provide components to Contour Composites, but disappeared.
Jergensen says none of his private, financial dealings has led to "improper" actions on the City Council.
"Wherever there's been issues related to my business activities," he says, "I've always recused myself" from votes.
On Tuesday, the council issued a statement saying it has been aware of Jergensen's "financial difficulties" for several months.
"The city attorney advised the
Jergensen is running for a third term this fall against community activist Lisa Allcott. In the latest campaign financial disclosures, reported earlier this month, Allcott had raised $7,000 to Jergensen's zero.
But the incumbent insists his business problems won't affect his campaign "at all." He also says he will have more campaign contributions to report by the next filing deadline in August.
"We're now raising funds," he says. "People have been wonderfully supportive."
Erin Alberty contributed to this story.
