Suzanne Bitter and Kelvyn Cullimore are vying for the new part-time job, which was created after voters decided in May to incorporate.

Starting up a city of 34,000 residents is both candidates' top priority. The city has a projected budget of roughly $10 million to $12 million. It will run like West Valley City, where the mayor is a member and leader of the City Council, and the city's day-to-day affairs are run by a full-time manager.

Bitter, who has spent $7,800 on the campaign, says she'll have more time to focus on the job, as owner of a gardening store where she can cut back her hours. She's served on the community council, and she's worked with community councils in other cities. "I have a lot more time than he [Cullimore] does. I have a really good [idea] of what's happening in the entire county."

For his part, Cullimore, who has spent $17,000, owns and manages a company, Dynatronics Corp., which manufactures medical devices and generates revenue that is two times the budget of Cottonwood Heights.

"The big issue is having somebody at the helm who has experience like I have in business. Every day I manage a company with $20 million in revenue."

Beyond experience, the two acknowledge there are few distinctions. Both pledged to vote against raising taxes. Both want to contract with Salt Lake County for police services and public works.

They would ban additional billboards. Bitter would go further and try to raise taxes on existing billboard companies and possibly call for a boycott of products advertised on some billboards.

Cullimore wouldn't use the county to oversee planning and zoning. "The whole reason we're incorporating is to have control over our own destiny," he said.

Bitter leaves open the possibility of initially contracting with the county for planning, but only if Cottonwood Heights' elected leaders have the final say on decisions. "We have to have our own voice. What we say has got to go," she said.

A planned road linking a subdivision to the entrance of Big Cottonwood Canyon highlights both contenders' concerns about planning. The county approved the road even though it didn't meet requirements of the county's foothill zone. Cottonwood Heights residents opposed it, fearing it will scar the canyon. Cullimore and Bitter said they would have voted against the road.

The two differ, slightly, on the issue of a justice court.

Bitter would like to start one quickly, noting that revenue from traffic and parking tickets and the like would fund Cottonwood Heights instead of Salt Lake County.

"The money from these tickets would actually pay off the investment [in the justice court] within a year," she said.

Cullimore wants more time to study the idea. He fears the city would have to subsidize the court, or would end up encouraging police officers to issue more tickets to increase revenues. He prefers contracting with another city for the services until an economic analysis is complete.

"I don't think she's done her homework to see what is involved with doing the municipal court. It would have to be subsidized from the beginning."

Both want to beautify the city and give it some identity.

Bitter suggested renovating the historic Old Mill by using private and public funds. Cullimore noted the city could work on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

Mayoral candidates

Kelvyn Cullimore Jr.

Education: Bachelor's in financial and estate planning from BYU

Work experience: President and CEO of Dynatronics Corp., a publicly traded medical-device manufacturer

* Fun fact: Was on the TV game show "Family Feud" in 1981 and his family won twice. Plays racquetball

Suzanne Bitter

Education: graduated from Brighton High School; completed one year of study at the University of Utah

Work experience: president and owner of gardening company called Let it Grow

* Fun fact: Has written two historical-fiction books; likes to research history, including Revolutionary War and founding fathers

Yes or No?

* Do you promise to vote against any proposed tax increases? Bitter: Yes; Cullimore: Yes

* Do you favor contracting with Salt Lake County for police protection and public works? Bitter: Yes; Cullimore: Yes

* Do you favor banning additional billboards in Cottonwood Heights? Bitter: Yes; Cullimore: Yes

* Do you favor starting a justice court within the first two years of your term? Bitter: Yes; Cullimore: City should contract for court services until study shows a justice court is economically viable

* Do you favor initially contracting with Salt Lake County for planning and zoning? Bitter: Only if city can maintain control on developments; Cullimore: No

* Do you support spending some tax dollars on renovating the Old Mill? Bitter: Yes; Cullimore: No

* Would you have voted in favor of building Terry Diehl's road to link a planned luxury subdivision to the entrance of Big Cottonwood Canyon? Bitter: No; Cullimore: No

Council candidates

* District 1 Winton "Clark" Aposhian

Gordon M. Thomas

* District 2 Scott Bracken

David Kubinski

* District 3 Don J. Antczak

Gordon W. Nicholl

* District 4 Bruce T. Jones

Josh Reid