Citing “drastic” changes to his personal life, Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson has abruptly resigned.
The sudden departure comes, city officials said Thursday afternoon, after an allegation surfaced that he had violated state law and a city ordinance.
A popular first-term mayor and an activist in Utah’s political arena, Stevenson made the surprise announcement Thursday morning in a letter to City Manager Matt Dahl and members of the City Council.
“After much consideration, and with a heavy heart, I’m submitting my resignation as mayor of Midvale City, effective immediately,” Stevenson stated in a news release. “In recent weeks, my personal life has drastically changed, and I’ve determined that it would be best for me to step away at this time. I ask for understanding and privacy.”
Stevenson did not respond to phone messages seeking further comment about what prompted his exit.
Dahl, however, said the city received a letter Friday from someone — he declined to identify the person — who alleged the mayor had violated state law and a city ordinance. After conferring with council members, the city manager added, the city enlisted a third-party law firm to conduct an investigation, which concluded the mayor did not break state law.
“We were still in the process of evaluating whether a city policy had been violated ... when the mayor resigned,” Dahl said. “That effectively ended [our] looking into the issue with regard to that policy.”
Dahl and City Council member Paul Glover, who is serving as interim mayor, declined to divulge why Stevenson stepped down and what specific law and policy he was accused of violating.
“We are protecting the people involved,” Dahl explained, “based on what our policies, procedures and requirements under the law say.”
Glover, who has served on the City Council since November 2003 and is the mayor pro tempore, will lead the city until council members appoint a permanent replacement, which they are required by state statute to do within 30 days, according to the release.
Council members accepted Stevenson’s resignation but expressed dismay over it.
“Though we are deeply disappointed by the circumstances surrounding his departure, we remain committed to moving forward with integrity and accountability,” council members wrote in the release. “Our priority now is to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. ... We are focused on maintaining the trust of our community and will work to ensure that our leadership reflects the values of accountability and public service.”
Stevenson was 27 when he was elected in 2021 to lead the suburban city of 36,000 residents, becoming the youngest mayor in that city’s history. A neophyte when it came to elective office, the new mayor was hardly a novice when it came to the world of politics.
Before unseating incumbent Mayor Robert Hale, Stevenson managed David Garbett’s unsuccessful 2019 campaign for Salt Lake City mayor. Before that, he worked on Democrat Ben McAdams’ campaign for Salt Lake County mayor.
An ardent environmentalist, Stevenson also served as political director of O2 Utah, a nonprofit aimed at holding decision-makers to account on a range of environmental fronts — from air quality to public lands to renewable energy. For all his political service, Stevenson stated in the release, he valued his mayoral service the most.
“Serving as mayor has been the most rewarding and challenging experience of my life,” he wrote. “I truly cannot thank our community enough for giving me the opportunity to serve in this capacity.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Then-Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson gets some air at a skate demo at Copperview Skatepark in 2022.
An avid skateboarder, Stevenson was popular with young people at city parks. He also was an advocate for more affordable housing options, civic engagement, recreational opportunities and revitalizing Midvale’s Main Street, among other initiatives.
In addition to his mayoral duties, Stevenson chaired the Unified Police Department and served on the Unified Fire Authority and Unified Fire Service District boards as well as the Salt Lake County Board of Health, according to the city’s website.
Correction • Nov. 15, 2024, 5:25 p.m.: This story has been updated to correct Stevenson’s campaign work for Democrat Ben McAdams.
