A former general contractor and current owner of a home-inspection franchise, the 46-year-old has filled the remainder of the term vacated by Mayor Brad Sears 18 months ago. McGee said he was appointed mayor by the five-member council, in large part because of his ability to discern right from wrong.

"I still maintain that I can," McGee said Friday, "and I think my service as mayor and my election earlier this month proves it."

McGee, who ran unopposed after Councilman Rob Fotheringham dropped out before the October primary and businessman H.R. Brown followed suit before the general election, emerged Nov. 8 with 69 percent of the vote.

“That means the people have confidence in me and that we can move forward.”

It helps that Cedar Hills has placed several contentious issues behind it. One was the vote, in a June 29 special election, to refinance the bond used to build the city's golf course.

Before voters approved the refinance, the city was faced with forking over a $6.4 million balloon payment to retire the loan on the struggling course - an unpleasant prospect that had some recommending Cedar Hills default on the loan.

Now, repayment on the debt is spread out over 20 years and the interest rate is lower.

McGee also likely won't face a more fractious debate over whether the city should allow beer sales and stores to be open on Sunday. In the June 29 election, voters nixed two initiatives that would have banned both - once Cedar Hills gets a commercial store.

Now that voters have spoken, McGee says the city can move ahead with shoring up its commercial-tax base by finding an anchor - preferably a large grocery store - to open on 18 acres at the corner of 4800 West and Cedar Hills Drive.

Smith's Food & Drug backed off its plan to put a supermarket there last spring after a group of residents formed the Coalition to Preserve Cedar Hills and fought to put anti-beer and anti-Sunday sales initiatives on the ballot.

McGee is optimistic a supermarket will come soon, particularly since a new developer has entered the picture.

Phillips Edison recently bought the 18 acres from Rimrock Development and is expected to announce plans for a major anchor store for Cedar Hills in December.

“Company officials are very optimistic,” McGee said about Phillips Edison, which has offices in Salt Lake City and Cincinnati, Ohio, and manages over 90 properties with over 10 million square feet of retail space nationwide.

Cedar Hills, which McGee says now numbers about 8,200 residents and could top 12,000 in four years, should reach build out during his first term as an elected mayor.

“So this is a pivotal point,” said McGee, who says everything his administration and the council achieve in the next few years will lay the groundwork for the city's long-term stability and success.

Another goal is to more than double Cedar Hills' 10 miles of trails, which now connect with trail systems in Highland, Alpine and Pleasant Grove.

Councilman Darin Lowder gives McGee high marks for the golf course and other milestones the city has achieved in 18 months. “I think we've turned a corner as a city,” Lowder said.

Even so, Lowder now wants the city to budget for a community-services director to restore and preside over some of the recreational programs lost to budget cuts two years ago.

Cedar Hills nixed its annual spring cleanup barbecue and Easter-egg hunt. City officials want to bolster recreational opportunities and programs so residents no longer have to enroll in programs in American Fork and other nearby cities.

“We need to quit thinking that way,” said Lowder, who counts McGee and most council members as allies in the cause.