County Treasurer Peggy Taylor appeared this week in 7th District Court on the third-degree felony count.

Judge Lyle Anderson ordered Taylor to turn herself in to the Grand County Sheriff's Office to be booked and released on her own recognizance after the defendant explained that she had not yet received a summons.

The booking procedure is standard for anyone charged with a felony, Taylor's Salt Lake City attorney, Greg Skordas, said during a telephone interview Tuesday.

Skordas successfully defended former Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman on similar charges after she allegedly misused Health Department money to hire two successive bookkeepers for the nonprofit a group where her daughter was the chief financial officer.

A jury acquitted Workman in February 2005.

Grand County prosecution documents allege that Taylor - between May 5, 2005, and January 20, 2006 - appropriated public money for "her own use or benefit or the benefit or another without authority of law."

The documents provide no details about the charge.

In an interview Monday Taylor said the incident centers on health insurance and simply was a "mistake."

She added that she could not discuss any details, but noted that she expects to be exonerated.

"The money has been paid back," Taylor said. "There was no desire or intent to defraud the county."

The judge set a preliminary hearing for Nov. 14 so Deputy Emery County Attorney William Langston, who is handling the case for Grand County, can appear in Moab's 7th District Court.

That means Taylor, who is seeking a second term, is not scheduled to appear in court again before the Nov. 7 election.

She is running against Clara Davenport in the nonpartisan race.

"We would prefer to do it sooner," Skordas said.

But he added that even if the preliminary hearing were held earlier, the case would not be resolved before voters go to the polls.

County Council Chairwoman Joette Langianese said Taylor was notified Wednesday morning by the Grand County deputy attorney that she is being placed on paid administrative leave as required under Utah law pending the outcome of the case.

"The council will take action on Tuesday [Sept. 19] to ratify [placing Taylor on paid leave]," Langianese said, "and to appoint someone to fulfill her duties until this matter is resolved.

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