ST. GEORGE — Former St. George City Manager Adam Lenhard is leaving the city with $625,000, according to a confidential settlement agreement St. George News obtained through a public records request.
According to a story originally published by the Salt Lake Tribune earlier this week, Lenhard was pushed out of his position due to backlash related to allowing a drag show to take place in the St. George Town Square in June.
The drag show was a part of “We’re Here,” a mature-rated HBO Max docuseries that chronicles the travels of three drag queens across the country as they visit conservative communities and engage with the local LGBTQ-plus community therein. The purpose is to help empower LBGTQ-plus individuals who may otherwise feel alone and unwanted through participating in the drag shows that take place at the end of each episode.
The program has a mature rating due to its language and dealings with heavy subject matters like suicide.
Based on emails and text messages also obtained by St. George News, a majority of the council felt the Town Square in downtown St. George was not an appropriate venue for a mature-rated program. This was primarily due to the event taking place in a public space frequented by families with children as the St. George Children’s Museum and outdoor amenities like a splash pad, lazy river and carousel are all located in the same general area.
While the City Council instructed Lenhard to cancel the permit for the drag show, he allowed it to move forward based on worries the city would be subject to a discrimination lawsuit.
“I believe they have a First Amendment right to use Town Square and to deny them would be discriminatory,” Lenhard told council members in an email.
Concerns were also expressed by council members that a 45-day requirement for special event permit applications had not been observed, and the drag show’s application was pushed through much faster than city code allowed.
Sources told the Salt Lake Tribune that actions surrounding the drag show’s approval led the City Council to remove Lenhard as city manager.
The drag show took place in the Town Square the night of June 3 without incident and is estimated to have drawn a crowd of 2,000 people.
According to the settlement agreement, Lenhard was told by the City Council that they wanted to end his employment with the city prior to Jan. 3, 2024, when his appointment as city manager would be up for renewal.
In order to fire a city manager, city code requires a majority of the “whole city council” – which includes the mayor – to vote in favor of the dismissal.
According to the settlement, Lenhard believed he had a good faith basis for legal claims against the city. City officials felt was in the best interest of the city to pursue a settlement rather than address legal claims in court.
Sources told the Salt Lake Tribune that an investigation was conducted on the matter and determined the city could most likely lose. A mediator was subsequently arranged to hash out a settlement that was eventually passed in a 4-1 vote by the council. Councilwoman Michelle Tanner cast the dissenting vote.
According to the terms of the settlement agreement, Lenhard agreed to resign his position and step down no later than Nov. 1. He would also be given $625,000, of which $25,000 comes from the Utah Local Government Trust. Lenhard will receive the settlement payment on Jan. 13, 2023.
According to the Office of the State Auditor, Lenhard’s salary was $192,500 in 2021, and was set to be a total of $208,300 in 2022.
Along with terms of confidentiality regarding details of the settlement, Lenhard and city officials are not to make any form of communication that disparages the other. This includes any negative opinions, facts, innuendo or hints that demeans the character of the other party.
Failing to uphold this part of the agreement can result in a $50,000 fine per potentially demeaning utterance.
Lenhard’s last city council meeting was Oct. 20, during which he offered his goodbyes and city officials selected John Willis, the city’s community development director, as acting city manager.
There was no sign of Lenhard at the city offices as the City Council met for a work meeting Thursday night. The city manager’s office had also been cleaned out with the exception of some folders left on the desk.
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