MIDVALE, Utah — Days before Midvale City Mayor Marcus Stevenson announced his immediate resignation, the city council received an allegation that the mayor had violated the law and city policies.
In a statement Thursday, Stevenson did not expand on what had occurred, but said his personal life had "drastically changed" and he made his decision with a "heavy heart."
"I’ve determined that it would be best for me to step away at this time. I ask for understanding and privacy,” Stevenson wrote. “Serving as Mayor has been the most rewarding and challenging experience of my life. I truly cannot thank our community enough for giving me the opportunity to serve in this capacity.”
Midvale City Council member Paul Glover has taken over mayoral duties until a new mayor is named.
Midvale City Manager Matt Dahl acknowledged that the city had received the allegation about Stevenson on Friday.
"We took it very seriously, as we do with all accusations like that," Dahl said.
According to Dahl, the city council brought in an outside law firm to investigate the allegation, after which officials determined that no laws were violated.
The city was in the process of evaluating whether a policy had been violated when Stevenson submitted his resignation.
In the release with Stevenson's announcement, the city council added that it was "deeply disappointed by the circumstances surrounding his departure," but did not give any insight into the reasons for the mayor's resignation.
"...we remain committed to moving forward with integrity and accountability,” the council said in a statement.
At the time of his election in 2021, Stevenson was the state's youngest mayor at 27 years old.
