Following arrest, Middleton mayor skips City Council meeting. Here’s what happened
The Middleton City Council unanimously took a vote of no confidence Wednesday night regarding embattled Mayor Darin Taylor and asked for his resignation.
The action came after council members convened following more than 90 minutes in closed executive session. The session was prompted after Taylor, 53, was arrested Saturday evening and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery.
Taylor, who was first elected mayor in 2011, is accused of grabbing his wife and preventing her from leaving their home, according to a report from a Canyon County deputy who responded.
Taylor pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Monday. He is scheduled to return to court April 25.
Conviction on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge carries up to six months in jail and up to a $1,000 fine.
Before the council went into executive session, City Attorney Chris Yorgason told the council members that there is no provision for removing a mayor from office short of a recall election. Moving out of the city and a conviction on a felony charge are the only two instances in which a mayor or council member is automatically removed under state law, Yorgason said.
“No council has the ability to fire the mayor,” he said.
Yorgason said the council could take a vote of no confidence, but it would have no legal effect.
Taylor did not attend the meeting. In a letter to the city dated Tuesday, Taylor apologized for the embarrassment his arrest brought to the Canyon County city. He said he would take “a few days off” and asked for any city communications that he would normally handle go to Middleton Administrator Becky Crofts.
Council President Rob Kiser, who is acting mayor during Taylor’s absence, said he did not know how long Taylor planned to stay away. A resolution memorializing Wednesday’s vote will be presented to the council at its March 20 meeting, Kiser said.
“Our job is to move the city forward, work on projects and take care of our employees,” Kiser said. “That will be our focus.”
Middleton resident Tyson Sparrow urged the council to seek Taylor’s resignation.
“Obviously, he has stuff he has to focus on as far as his family goes,” Sparrow said. “First and foremost, that’s more important than city business.”
If someone wanted to launch a recall campaign against the mayor, there would be only about a month available to collect signatures to get it on the May ballot, Yorgason said. Recall elections are allowed only in May and November, he said.
The mayor’s seat is up for election in November.
Middleton resident Renee Williams said she has filed to run for the job. She said she was planned for a year to run, but Taylor’s arrest led her to file her paperwork now.
A group of residents attempted to recall Taylor in 2012, alleging that he engaged in “various unethical or ill-advised decisions,” according to previous Statesman reporting.
This story was originally published March 6, 2019 at 10:44 PM.
