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Though his term doesn't expire until next January, Eagle Mountain Mayor Christopher Pengra announced Wednesday he will be stepping down early — leaving the city to find a replacement for the last five months of his tenure.
His last day at City Hall will be Aug. 18.
Pengra announced his decision not to run for a second term in a public Facebook post at the end of May. "In the coming seven months, I intend to keep my foot on the pedal and finish strong," he wrote.
But in a letter to city staff and administration, the outgoing mayor noted his plans had changed and he would be leaving City Hall after accepting a position as Rocky Mountain Power's economic development director.
"We have all worked diligently to provide the residents of Eagle Mountain with clarity and transparency in all communications," he wrote in the letter, which he published to his blog Wednesday. "It is in this same spirit that I tender this resignation in order to prevent any perception of a conflict of interest."
Pengra could not be reached immediately for comment Thursday.
Eagle Mountain's City Council will hold a special meeting Aug. 14 to appoint someone to serve until the end of Pengra's term.
"I have confidence that each of you will lead with integrity, wisdom, and kindness as you seek to appoint an interim mayor in the interest of maintaining stability within city operations," Pengra wrote in the letter to council. "If I did not have this confidence in each of you, my decision would have been far more difficult."
Fionnuala Kofoed, the city recorder, said she hadn't received any applications for the job as of Thursday morning. She noted it's possible the council could appoint one of the five candidates currently running for mayor, if they apply, or a member of the current council to the position.
"It does have the potential to get complicated and possibly create another vacancy if the council were to appoint a sitting member," she said.
The council will also have to consider whether to hire someone with a primary or secondary income, as city code requires mayoral candidates to determine which they'd prefer. Pengra received a primary income of $70,000 including benefits, compared to the secondary income of $27,700.
Linda Peterson, Eagle Mountain's public information officer, said she was unsure whether the council would prioritize candidates looking for a secondary income in an effort to save the city money over the next five months.
"That'll be up to the City Council," she said. "I'm not sure what their criteria individually is going to be as far as their preference for an appointment, so we'll have to see at the special meeting what they consider to be a priority."
"Though it is difficult for me to acknowledge that I will soon not be a part of this organization, I could not possibly be any more proud of what we have accomplished together," Pengra wrote in the letter. "I will remain expectant and proud of the things I know each of you will accomplish as you continue your service to the people of Eagle Mountain City."
Twitter: @tstevens95