But as the election nears, the two-term incumbent finds himself campaigning hard to make sure the latest chapter of his mayoral career won't be his last.

Winning won't be easy. The mayor is facing a stiff challenge from businessman Howard Johnson, who has teamed up with City Council candidates Gordon Miner and Craig Laurence to shake up City Hall.

Despite Greenwood's second-place showing in the Oct. 4 primary, he remains optimistic that voters in November will cast Lehi's lot with the more experienced candidate - him.

"I have more experience than Howard has," Greenwood said. "It took the city 150 years to reach 12,000 people, and only eight more [in my time as mayor] to get another 24,000. It's been a real challenge keeping the lights on, the water flowing both directions and other city services running."

Despite the difficulties, Greenwood says his administration has the city running in the right direction. With the opening in May of the indoor pool at the Legacy Center, the mayor said the community center is poised to break even after running $300,000 in the red annually for a few years.

Lehi's elected officials passed a $3.5 million revenue bond to build the center, which opened four years ago and was supposed to be self-sustaining.

But with the energy crisis of a few years ago, the city was forced to buy electric power on the market at staggering rates, which meant plans for the Legacy pool were put on hold. That, in turn, hurt the center's profitability. The mayor said cheaper rates and the pool have solved that problem.

Greenwood also hails the arrival of Cabela's, the outdoor superstore that opened recently and is expected to draw 4 million visitors per year.

Tax revenues for the foreseeable future are earmarked to pay off $9 million the city bonded over 20 years to provide infrastructure for Cabela's. Eventually, the mayor said, Cabela's, and new businesses opening nearby, will generate about $5 million in additional revenues.

As for traffic, Greenwood is working to find an alternative route to divert from Lehi much of the traffic going to and from Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain. He argues the relationships he has formed with other mayors, regional planners and transportation officials position him to accomplish that much quicker than a newcomer like Johnson.

Like any incumbent, Greenwood knows he has made some political enemies. He says Johnson is upset at him because of his support for a development in north Lehi.

"But there ought to be a more compelling reason to run for mayor than you are mad," Greenwood added.

For his part, Johnson counters he and his council running mates, Miner and Laurence, are not mad at Greenwood or the five sitting council members.

"They're fine people and we admire them all," Johnson said. "We just don't agree with some things that the administration is doing."

If elected, Johnson said his administration might differ little from Greenwood's, but that every task would be undertaken with the full knowledge, input and consent of residents.

In other words, no more doing an end run around the public - something Johnson said the current administration and council did when they passed the lease revenue bond to build the Legacy Center.

Earlier, he noted, voters rejected a general obligation bond for the center by 4-1.

"Yet the city fathers went ahead and did it anyway, only now the interest the city is paying is higher than it would have been with a general-obligation bond."

Johnson also wades right into the pool controversy. Instead of closing the city's outdoor pool and spending $3 million-plus for a new one at the Legacy Center, he argues, Greenwood should have listened to the public and upgraded the old one.

Not only does Greenwood ignore public opinion, Johnson said, but he also ignores the master plan when it comes to development. And he wonders aloud if Greenwood "gave away the store" to get Cabela's to come to Lehi.

"Cabela's came here not because it was a great spot to do business, but because of all the amenities the administration offered and chose not to tell the public what it was doing."

Kenneth Greenwood

* Age: 65

* Career: Businessman with extensive private-sector experience.

* Political experience: Two-term Lehi mayor, former planning commissioner.

* Fun fact: Mayor's adages never grow old with friends, who say he is the salt of the earth.

Howard Johnson

* Age: 73

* Career: Civil engineer who runs steel-fabrication company in Lehi.

* Political experience: None.

* Fun fact: Loves to garden. Jokes he is as "dull as an old knife that won't work."

Where they stand on issues

What can be done to curb gridlock on Lehi's Main Street?

* Greenwood: Work with state, county and regional planners to get funding for a new route that diverts traffic away from Main Street.

* Johnson: Same as Greenwood's. But also would lobby state lawmakers and transportation officials for construction of a west-side highway from Tremonton on the north to Nephi on the south.

The Legacy Center has been a money loser. What can be done to make the community center break even?

* Johnson: Enhance the center's efficiency, if possible, to cut costs.

* Greenwood: With the swimming pool now in place, the center is poised to make

money.

What's your plan to cope with Lehi's rapidly growing population?

* Greenwood: Manage the growth to preserve landowners' rights. Keep improving roads and attracting investment and new jobs.

* Johnson: Update the general plan, and then use it as the blueprint to keep pace and manage growth.

Council candidates (two seats): Stephen Holbrook (i), Johnny Barnes (i), Gordon Miner, Craig Laurence.