The City Council has unanimously approved Mark Reid, a former Riverton city finance director and vice president at Salt Lake Credit Union, whom they selected from a field of more than 40 applicants.

Reid, who touted his 22 years of leadership and management experience, will begin work May 20. It is not yet clear how much the city will pay him, but Reid said he is eager to help.

"I like people, and I'm able to bring out good qualities in staff members and employees," Reid said Tuesday night after the council's nod. "I come with an open mind. The council and mayor will hopefully work together and tell me what they need me to do."

Reid joins a city that, during the past year, has been rocked from within and without.

The city lost about a third of its territory when the state's high court allowed landowners to peel 4,000 undeveloped acres from Bluffdale and join with neighboring, developer-friendly Herriman.

Bluffdale Mayor Claudia Anderson twice sued the council and twice fired a former administrative services director, Brent Bluth. The council tried to switch the city's form of government and appoint Bluth as the head, but the issue was shelved and Anderson regained her powers until residents could settle the clash at the ballot box.

Ultimately, Bluffdale residents sided with the council's move - stripping the mayor of her day-to-day CEO powers and handing them to a city manager.

But since that June 2007 vote, the city is yet to have a steady leader. Its longest manager, Richard Knapp, held the job for nearly five months before bolting in February without explanation. City Planner Vaughn Pickell has served as interim manager ever since.

"It will be wonderful to have him [Reid] on board," Anderson said, "and work to bring professionalism - not that we don't have any - but to bring more profes- sionalism."

sgehrke@sltrib.com