Appointed mayor by the City Council this week, Lifferth insists he is a caretaker with little real business to tend to before a new mayor is elected in November.

"It's one of the best times to be a caretaker mayor," Lifferth said Wednesday, the day after his appointment. "The major challenges of the past, for the most part, have been taken care of."

Lifferth, 39, is replacing Kelvin Bailey, who stepped down in June for family considerations and to ease the stress of simultaneously trying to run a city and a business. A good friend of Bailey, Lifferth said he prodded the former mayor to run for the office and therefore felt some obligation to serve out the remainder of his term.

But that is it - at least for being mayor.

He is endorsing mayoral hopeful Brian Olsen's candidacy. Lifferth, a content engineer for a Provo genealogy firm, is running instead for a seat on the City Council. As for his mayoral gig, Lifferth says he plans to steer clear of controversy and keep the peace.

"I was not elected by the people," he said. "I don't have a mandate or any political capital to expend. I didn't make any campaign promises and have no real objectives - other than helping the city run smoothly on my watch. I think that's why the council appointed me. They trust that I won't do anything crazy and will keep going in the direction that Kelvin [Bailey] has established."

Despite Lifferth's modest aims, council members believe he will do a good job until a permanent mayor takes over in January.

"You can count on him to do what is right. It can't get better than that," Councilwoman Linn Strouse said. "He's a man of integrity and character."

Council members unanimously chose Lifferth over resident Chad Larson, who committed to work part time as mayor, if selected.

A mayoral short-termer, Lifferth pledged to serve full time. He is taking a leave of absence from his genealogy job to devote more time to his municipal chores. The mayor's job pays a combined $70,000 per year in salary and benefits.

Lifferth and his wife, Mary, have lived in Eagle Mountain for eight years. They have five children.

meddington@sltrib.com