Calling it his darkest moment, the mayor of Eagle Mountain on Thursday admitted to lying about having a master's degree.

A year before being elected mayor last fall, Brian Olsen had been appointed to fill a vacant City Council seat. On his application for that seat, he said he had a master's degree in public administration.

That, he now admits, is "a terrible falsehood and something I regret."

On Wednesday the Daily Herald received an e-mail stating Olsen had lied about the degree. The e-mail purported to be from five Eagle Mountain city employees who did not identify themselves.

During an initial interview on Thursday, Olsen said he had completed a 45-week public management course while working as a Utah Highway Patrol trooper in 2003, and that a campaign volunteer had mistakenly called the course a master's degree in a campaign ad last fall. At no other time had he claimed to have a master's degree, he said. He later took that back.

City Councilman Vincent Liddiard said Olsen told him many times, in both public and private forums, that he had a master's degree. Liddiard said the mayor had breached the trust and integrity of his office.

Councilman David Blackburn said Olsen told him, too, in both public and private forums that he had a master's degree. Blackburn said he now questions Olsen's integrity and his decision in March to fire city manager Chris Hillman, who has a master's in public administration. Blackburn said Olsen also lied about the degree on his application for City Council.

On the application, dated Dec. 30, 2004, Olsen wrote, "I have a background which ideally suits the needs of our city. I have a master's degree in public administration."

Confronted with that information and the comments of councilmen Liddiard and Blackburn, Olsen admitted to lying.

"This is the darkest moment of my life," he said.

Olsen said he had initially believed the public management course would give him credits toward a master's degree. After completing the course, he said he began explaining the certification to people by comparing it to a master's degree, eventually just telling people he had a master's degree because it was simpler, he said.

"Representing that I have a master's is a lie," he said. "I have made a terrible mistake and I hope that the people of Eagle Mountain will forgive me for letting them down. I hope they will give me the opportunity to prove myself as I finish out my term.

"I want to step up and prove to them that I am their mayor, that I'm well-suited for the position and my heart and soul is in it."

Olsen, though, said he never used his fictitious master's as justification for firing Hillman. He says he can regain the trust of residents and City Council members.

"They deserve an apology from me and they definitely have it," he said. "If they will give me the opportunity to accept my apology and allow me the opportunity to prove myself as their mayor, then yes, I believe we can overcome this trust issue.

"I feel terrible. I've literally let my friends and the good people of this community believe I have a master's degree. ... I'm totally responsible for this."

Liddiard said he believes turmoil during Olsen's term, including the firing of the city manager and subsequent departure of two department heads, could negatively affect the city's bond rating. Partially based on the stability of the city government, the rating determines the interest rate the city must pay on bonds.

Nonetheless, "I like the guy, and I'm willing to forgive him," Liddiard said of Olsen.

Councilwoman Linn Strouse said that every administration "from time to time makes dumb mistakes. We have so many successes and so many important works to do, let's get this over with and get back to work."

Caleb Warnock can be reached at 443-3263 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it