Replacement for open Eagle Mtn. Council seat sworn in

Nathan Ochsenhirt was chosen from three candidates who applied for the position. Bryan Free and Anthony Knight also applied for the appointment. The council position opened when Heather Jackson was elected mayor in November. Ochsenhirt ran in the November election and received 1,055 votes, coming in fourth, just missing the seat.

Jackson allowed each of the applicants to speak for five minutes before the council asked questions. Ochsenhirt said he would be a good councilman because he will vote with residents' feelings. As a contractor, Ochsenhirt also said he would bring valuable work experience and perspective to the City Council. His work has taught him how to communicate well and work through conflict and misunderstanding, he said.

"I have faith in our city and faith in our government," he said. Adding that he hoped to be part of the body to serve the community.

Ochsenhirt also said he wanted to retain open spaces in the city and to bring more commercial development.

Anthony Knight, who works as an unemployment adjudicator for the state, said he wanted to be part of the city's potential. He said he was qualified for the council seat because of his current and past work dealing with people in difficult situations and gathering information and making an educated decision. Before he moved to Utah, Knight worked as a child abuse investigator for Florida and volunteered on the civil service board in Tampa, Fla.

"I don't shy away from making hard decisions," he said.

He added: "I think there's a lot of work ahead of Eagle Mountain. I have a master's in public administration. I have a lot of background with regard to how the process works."

When asked why he didn't run in the recent election, Knight said that he waited to hear from the state whether it would be a conflict of interest with his work but got no word back until after the filing deadline.

Free was out of town and was therefore unable to speak before the City Council; however, each council member was able to speak with him before he left, Jackson said.

City Councilman David Lifferth made a motion to appoint Ochsenhirt. He told Knight that he thought he was qualified and wasn't voting against him, but it would be an "injustice" for Ochsenhirt to have received the votes of the people and have that overturned.

When Councilwoman Donna Burnham seconded the motion, she said she knew Ochsenhirt to be honest. She said while she campaigned she spoke with residents who had signs up for Ochsenhirt and they would tell her that he finished their basements or worked on their homes.

"He did what he said he would do for the price he said he would do it and in the time he said he would do it," she said. "He's a man of his word."

Ochsenhirt was sworn in Thursday night.

E-mail: csmith@desnews.com

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