Normally when one hears about a spat between a Utah County mayor and a city council Provo comes straight to mind. But this time it's Lehi, where the power struggle between the executive and legislative branches is creating a din that can be heard around the valley.

The Lehi City Council, miffed by what members see as Mayor Howard Johnson's going over their heads, is proposing an ordinance that would divest Johnson of some of his power and give it to a city manager. The mayor would still preside at council meetings and cast deciding votes, but hiring and firing city employees would be in the hands of the manager.

The call for change comes after Johnson told City Administrator Ed Collins that he would not reappoint him; Johnson informed some other city department heads know that they may be heading out the door as well.

The mayor has accused the council of making a power play and criticized the body for throwing him and the public out of a meeting that was convened to discuss personnel issues. It was after that meeting that the council proposed the change in government.

It is a little hard to say who is right and who is wrong in this matter. There seems to be enough blame for both sides to share.

First, Johnson does not seem to grasp the concept of checks and balances that prevent one branch of government from seizing control. In this case, the council wants the mayor to give up some of his administrative powers, viewing his personnel moves as motivated by politics rather than the good of the city.

Under the proposed new structure, the mayor would still have the ability to break council ties and represent the city as its chief elected officer, but the day-to-day management would be handled by a city manager. This is how things work in Orem and many other cities in the state.

A council-manager form of government is not necessarily a bad thing, especially for a city that is growing like a beanstalk. It is no longer a sleepy hamlet dominated by the Lehi Roller Mills. With the growth, Lehi needs someone with city management experience. Elections are not the best tool for finding good managers.

The presence of a professional city manager might eliminate some of political rancor when adjustments are made to staffing or other aspects of city government. A good manager will make decisions based on what is best for the organization and not just to fulfill a campaign promise. A city manager also acts as a firewall between the elected officials and city staff.

Elected officials do not give up their accountability in such a system. The city manager serves at their pleasure, and has to give the council an accounting of his or her stewardship.

While the Lehi council's intention for changing the system may be good, its methods leave something to be desired. If it used the closed-door session to discuss changing the form of government rather than solely to discuss personnel issues, it violated both the spirit and the letter of the law. Utah's Open and Public Meetings Act only allows public bodies to go behind closed doors to discuss personnel matters, litigation and negotiations.

By having a closed-door meeting where even the mayor was kept out, the council created the perception that it was planning a coup in secret. That may not be the case, but the perception that something untoward went on in the meeting taints the process.

Next week, a public meeting is scheduled to discuss the issue. Perhaps some of the damage can be reversed as everyone gets a chance to unload. As it stands today, however, the behavior of both Johnson and the council suggests that egos are getting in the way of public service.