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Kaysville City Council issues censure of Mayor Katie Witt
Jun 4, 2020, 1:03 PM
Photos Getty / Kaysville City
KAYSVILLE, Utah — The City Council of Kaysville Utah has issued a letter of censure against their Mayor Katie Witt and has asked for her formal resignation after her support of a country music concert to be held in the city despite state health directives.
Kaysville City Council says Mayor Witt violated policy
The council says that Witt’s support of a Collin Raye concert to be held in protest of Utah’s COVID-19 restrictions, “violated the Utah Public Officers’ and Employees’; Ethics Act” and were politically motivated. The council is set to vote on whether or not to adopt the public reprimand during their council meeting on Thursday.
“This letter accompanies your formal censure for your support and endorsement of the proposed Utah Business Revival protest concert which went against Kaysville City event planning and permitting processes as well as the Davis County and Utah Governor’s health directives,” the letter reads.
Mayor Katie Witt has drawn criticism and the call for censure from residents of Kaysville and the Alliance for a Better Utah after her support for the country music concert. Earlier this week, however, she said the criticism has been incredibly petty, and that her decision was made in order to “uphold the constitution.
“I think the whole thing is really petty, but I do understand that when people are scared, it’s really hard to break free of that,” Witt said about the censure. “I think it’s coming from a place of fear.”
The members of the city council say that Witt broke the Kaysville City Code of Conduct by not “work[ing] for the common good of the people of Kaysville and not for any private or personal interest.”
“Your support of this concert was inherently tied to your congressional campaign, a private and personal interest. Your role and respect as mayor should not be compromised by even the “appearance of impropriety,” the letter continues.
Mayor Witt’s response to the letter
Witt is currently running to replace Utah’s 1st District Congressman Rob Bishop and says that she won’t resign and isn’t worried about the censure.
“It’s a slap on the wrist for standing up for the Constitution,” she said.
Witt made an apology to the city council in May for her actions saying, “I did not misspend funds. I did not take money. I did not do anything illegal. But I did hurt your feelings, and I apologize for that.”
During that meeting, the council voted 5-0 to pass a resolution denouncing the concert and the mayor’s actions to support it. They also voted unanimously to put a moratorium on special event permits until September 30.
