"I think the people of Bluffdale have spoken," she said of the petition drive to reinstate her in the top management position. The City Council, which unanimously forced her into a lesser role last fall, saw the handwriting on the petitions and has decided to let voters have the final say over Anderson's job description.

Councilwoman Martha Speed said she and her colleagues have backed off because they did not want to incur the financial and emotional expense associated with Anderson's legal challenge.

"We didn't think this was 'referendable,' but we're not going to fight it in court," Speed said.

Anderson, on Thursday, was confident she will prevail.

"They voted me in as CEO [in November 2005], and that's how they want it to remain," the mayor said. "They don't want their vote taken from them."

Last September, after two contentious public hearings, the five-member City Council in this small southern Salt Lake Valley city voted unanimously to transfer Anderson's executive powers to the newly formed position of city manager.

The council then hired Brent Bluth in that new role. Bluth had previously served as city administrator until Anderson fired him - without consulting the council.

In response, Anderson's supporters gathered more than enough signatures to put the city's form of government to a public vote. That vote will occur in June or November.

"There were things that caused us to do what we did," Councilman Bill Maxwell said of the September decision to clip Anderson's wings.

"She'd overstep her authority and do things she wasn't allowed to do, like firing Brent Bluth," Maxwell said. "She'd run so many people off, it was either do that or have no staff left."

With Anderson back running the city, Bluth's role has reverted back to that of city administrator. Whether Anderson retains him in that position remains to be seen.

"Personally, I think he's been the instigator of all this," Anderson said. "His job was to assist the mayor, and he wouldn't do what I asked him to do. It was like a stone wall.

"We have to start over and see if we can get that wall to come down."

Bluth could not be reached Thursday for comment.

Maxwell believes Bluffdale could benefit from the continuity a full-time city manager could provide.

"We made real progress while Anderson was gone. We hired staff and things were moving ahead. I hope she doesn't kill all that," the councilman said.

"But it has to be a two-way street. With [Anderson] it never has been. It's either her way or no way."

Can the rift between Anderson and the council be healed?

Councilwoman Speed hopes it can.

"I don't know if she's had a change of heart and will be honest and upfront with us," Speed said. "If she hasn't changed, it will be difficult."

cmckitrick@sltrib.com