City officials plan to address several concerns still lingering from lawsuits between the mayor and council. The council could address hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial woes, two hot staffing issues and even controversial political subject matter in the city's newsletter to residents.

First, the council expects to open the budget to pay several expenses, including a $60,000 severance package for former administrative services director Brent Bluth.

Then there's the $10,000 earmarked for a citizens' referendum election, which will determine whether a city manager or Mayor Claudia Anderson will hold the city's executive powers.

Finally, the elected officials will wrestle over a $60,000-and-climbing bill for the City Council's attorney fees stemming from two separate suits Anderson filed and lost.

Anderson's first suit came after the council stripped away her CEO powers; the second followed a council ordinance that directed her to recognize Bluth as the administrative services director.

Anderson said the city has enough money in the general fund to pay those costs - in addition to the funds needed to settle a claim for up-sizing a storm drain, pay for Town Days, add a patrol deputy and fund a building official's salary.

However, she added, that does not necessarily mean finding the cash will be an easy move.

While some council members are confident the money is there, others are still wary. The budget for this city of 6,120 residents totals $3.2 million.

"Brent Bluth was the one who really knew where each fund was," Councilwoman Martha Speed said.

Anderson said she will submit a name to act as administrative services director until a June referendum vote determines whether the city needs a manager or an administrative director.

Two council members - Jess Kelley and Speed - say the mayor's temporary choice could be Dave Sanderson. He currently helps with the city's budget, but the council is split on whether to approve him - even for a temporary post.

Kelley supports him for the two-month job, saying Sanderson has a master's in public administration. Speed said not so fast. She wants to see Sanderson's résumé first.

"Having the wrong person is worse than having none," she said.

And while Anderson tries to fill vacancies, the council may free up another spot. Some want to break ties with City Attorney Todd Weiler.

Weiler represented Anderson in her first suit against the council and was a law firm partner of the mayor's husband, Dale Gardiner.

"We have not felt confident that we have been receiving neutral advice," Speed said.

But Anderson said Weiler is trying his best, and she worries Bluffdale would have to go without counsel for a long period of time if he's terminated.

Even the city's newsletter is under scrutiny.

Maxwell said the council felt Anderson had turned the informative letter to residents into a propaganda tool.

"It became almost a political rag," he said. "We want to get back to having it informational in nature and not political."

Councilwoman Nancy Lord said the council removed the mayor's submission from recent issues of the Bluffdale Times. The council nixed its own report as well.

"We're getting the message our citizens are sick of all the contention," Lord said.

Anderson said politics is the news in Bluffdale, and she wouldn't bother to take the time to prepare articles if her submissions were just going to be dropped.

"If they don't want to do it, that's fine," she said. "As long as we both play on the same side of the fence."

sgehrke@sltrib.com