| Show SL County Mayor Faces Felony Charges Aaron Weight Community Editor Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman was officially officially officially charged with two felony counts of misusing public funds Salt Lake County District Attorney David Yocum filed the charges Tuesday September 07 2004 after reviewing the recommendations of a multi-county multi investigative tive commission In a press conference following the release of the commissions commission's recommendations recommendations recommendations rec- rec Workman said she was surprised and shocked claiming that Weve done nothing wrong While she admitted there may have been some procedural errors made the Mayor denied allegations of illegal activity Workman also said she would continue her re reelection reelection reelection re- re election campaign despite what she considered considered considered con con- year election-year politics Yocum asked the multi-county multi commission commission commission commis commis- sion to review evidence of a mystery employee on the county's Health Department payroll A county whistle- whistle blower first called attention to the employee claiming that no one had seen the worker or knew anything about the position The investigation Yocum said led straight to the Mayors Mayor's office We uncovered uncovered uncovered ered a unique arrangement with the South Valley Boys and Girls Club managed personally personally personally per per- by the mayor and it existed undetected for over a year said Yocum in a news conference September 7 announcing the charges The alleged arrangement was for an accountant to assist the South Valley Boys and Girls Club with book book- keeping Workmans Workman's daughter daugh daugh- ter and Chief Financial Officer for the club Wilde reportedly asked her mother for help and I r 4 r t r f Jt a X 4 t c n oU U o oo o ua a J 3 tI Nancy Workman smiles for her jail booking booking booking book book- ing mug shot before her release Workman looked for a way for the county to contribute After consulting her staff Workman allegedly hired an accountant to work with the club While the Mayor insists she did nothing criminal the independent commission concluded that the use of approximately in Health Department funds for employees unrelated to the department is illegal The commission was led by Utah 1 t County District Attorney Kay Bryson and consisted of three other District Attorneys Utah law requires that Workman be placed on paid administrative leave and stripped of county executive aut authority until the charges are settled The Salt Lake County Council met in special special special cial session soon after the charges were made public to swear in Deputy Mayor Alan Dayton as Acting M Mayor Dayton will take over the to day day operation of the county while charges are pending Workmans Workman's legal problems combined with other recent county government scandals have taken a considerable toll on the Mayors Mayor's cam cam- Polls that once showed the Mayor in a comfortable lead over challengers Democrat Peter Carroon and Independent Merrill Cook now show Workman trailing Carroon by several percentage points Despite the difficulty ty Workman has pledged to continue her campaign pointing to her list of accomplishments as reason to trust her ability to torun torun torun run the county According to Workman her administration has cut county taxes three times helped build two libraries and an aquarium cleaned up neighborhoods and saved constituents 55 million in Sanitation Department fees Mayor Workman has not responded to requests by the Globe for an interview t l |
