The Internet message board for West Jordan residents is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WJResident/

- Things are starting to stink in West Jordan, and residents say politics, not fertilizer, is to blame.

A month after one city employee was forced out for questionable fertilizer purchases totaling more than $60,000, six more employees - some of whom shared the abuses with council members - are seeking whistle-blower status to protect their city jobs.

At the same time, West Jordan is expected to pass an ordinance tonight limiting direct communication between council members and city staff - a prospect that worries resident Jeff Haaga.

"My main concern is protecting the people that we vote in to be our watchdogs," Haaga says. "Why would it be out of the ordinary for them to question city staff on matters of money?"

The fracas also has fueled a frenzy of e-mail exchanges between residents, elected officials and even controversial former Mayor Donna Evans, who uses the online moniker "dragon lady."

The trouble began when Councilman Mike Kellermeyer received tips from city staff about the questionable purchases.

Invoices reviewed by The Salt Lake Tribune show that Don Bruey, who oversaw the city's maintenance operations, ordered liquid fertilizer from a Florida company for $92.35 per gallon when the product was locally available for $1.97 per gallon. Records show he also received a promotional jacket, DVD and Sears gift certificate as part of $61,000 in fertilizer orders over the past 17 months.

"I found it to be a big deal," says Kellermeyer, who notes others on the council were reticent to act. "The thing that was alarming to me is it was all from Florida. All from the same company."

A majority of the orders fell just shy of the $500 threshold that requires competitive quotes.

Mayor Bryan Holladay says the city's internal investigation revealed no evidence of kickbacks or impropriety by Bruey, who nonetheless submitted his resignation July 26.

"Our goal is not to fire people; our goal is to build the city," Holladay says. "We don't do that by having these witch hunts."

However, the employees who raised the issue directly with council members are nervous enough to seek protection under state law. An open hearing to allow the city's "whistle-blowers" to lay out their concerns is expected later this month.

Meantime, residents and even some on the council are calling West Jordan's motion to muzzle peculiar.

"It's just absolutely stupid," Kellermeyer adds. "And I'm not so certain it's legal."

Councilman Rob Bennett disagrees.

"All this would do is: If a council member wants an official piece of information, that information must go through channels," he says. Instead of direct contact, council members will be instructed to ask for employees' department heads or City Manager Gary Luebbers.

Criticism of the new protocol, along with allegations of city shenanigans, is rampant on a community Web message board, which Holladay calls "a counterculture group."

The dialog includes postings from Evans, who lost a hotly contested battle for mayor in 2001, and remains a critic of the current administration.

"It's a good tool, but I'd like to see a little more balance," says Bennett, a regular contributor. "At what point do we just say the past is the past and start to move forward again."

djensen@sltrib.com