Chief Michael Jensen is leaving Unified Fire Authority, an agency under investigation over bonuses it approved for him and three others.
During a two-hour closed-door meeting, Jensen said, he and the agency's board had a "long, good discussion" and agreed on a "mutual separation" in the best interest of Unified Fire Authority (UFA).
"I love the UFA," said Jensen, a 16th-year Salt Lake County Council member who is running for re-election unopposed. "I helped build it, and I'm proud of what we've done."
The decision comes a week after the state announced that it would audit the UFA based on "a complaint alleging improper compensation to certain employees, misuse of credit cards and other potential misuse of public funds." "There were a number of issues that have arisen that have caused us to work together to find a solution that would best meet the needs of our employees and the community we serve," said Eagle Mountain Mayor Christopher Pengra, who also serves as the UFA board's vice chairman.
Among other records, the state auditor requested W-2 forms and "a report showing compensation" that had been given to Jensen, former Deputy Chief Gaylord Scott, Chief Legal Officer Karl Hendrickson and former Chief Financial Officer Shirley Perkins.
The compensation, Jensen said, was given to the UFA administrators for work they had done on behalf of Unified Fire Service Area (UFSA).