On Thursday, Nov. 14, Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson announced he was stepping down from the office of mayor, effective immediately. A statement sent out from the city included Stevenson’s resignation letter.

Allegations of an extramarital affair with a city employee prompted the mayor’s abrupt resignation. The mayor’s wife Nikki Stevenson filed a complaint with the city’s Human Resource Department, council members and city recorder, accusing her husband of inappropriate conduct with a subordinate.

In the complaint, she stated her husband, “knowingly engaged in misconduct and willful negligence which constitutes multiple violations of municipal code, internal policy and procedures, breach of fiduciary duties and Oath of Office.”

Elected to the position in 2021, Stevenson was 27 years old when he became mayor and dedicated himself to creating inclusion within the city. City councilmember Paul Glover, who represents District 2, will serve as Mayor Pro Tempore.

“After much consideration, and with a heavy heart, I’m submitting my resignation as mayor of Midvale City,” Stevenson wrote in his resignation letter. “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.”

A statement from the Midvale City Council read, “The Midvale City Council accepts Mayor Stevenson’s decision to resign. Though we are deeply disappointed by the circumstances surrounding his departure, we remain committed to moving forward with integrity and accountability. 

“Our priority now is to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. The city council has taken swift and deliberate action to maintain the stability of city operations and continue serving our residents with the high standards they deserve. 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.”

“Serving as mayor has been the most rewarding and challenging experience of my life,” Stevenson wrote. “I truly cannot thank our community enough for giving me the opportunity to serve in this capacity.” 

According to Utah law and the Midvale Municipal Code, the Mayor Pro Tempore will take over the duties and functions of the position until the Midvale City Council selects a successor within 30 days.

The city council will appoint a new mayor to fill the rest of Stevenson’s term, up until January 2026, at 6 p.m. on Dec. 10 at City Hall in a special city council meeting. The deadline for interested applicants was slated for Dec. 5.