Kevin Bennett is a believer in preventative maintenance.

That has shown in his work as the civil attorney for American Fork City.

Soon after he took the position in January of 1994, the city was named in several lawsuits. The first was related to impact fees, he remembers. Today, there are no lawsuits pending.

Taking those measures is the part of his job that Bennett said he most enjoys.

"I work with the pre-planning meeting for the Planning Commission and the Board of Adjustments," he said. "We try to solve problems before they become worse, for both the applicant and the city."

Bennett is joined at those meetings by the city planner, an engineer and at least one member of the Planning Commission. He said they may disagree, but work things out in the end.

"We can get brutal, then shake hands and go off to lunch," he said.

Bennett paid tribute to those he has worked with.

"The journey has been a tremendous one, with some really neat people," he said.

Although he has worked for the city as its civil attorney since 1994, he had an earlier start.

"From 1980 to 1982 I was the assistant city recorder, Planning Commission secretary and the accounts payable officer," he said. "I was a government intern at BYU, then I got hired."

He had flexible hours and was able to do his work on his own schedule.

On occasion, he found himself at City Hall on a cold, windy early morning, sometimes 2 or 2:30 a.m., getting bills ready to be paid.

Bennett said the varied duties helped him.

"I had exposure to a bunch of different things," he said.

The experience he had may have helped him obtain a different position. He has resigned from American Fork to take a position in LaVerkin, in southern Utah.

When he started his attorney work for American Fork, the city was embarking on major building and expansion.

"We had just broken ground for the (LDS) temple and there were issues with that and water," he said. "We were having some land use issues."

LaVerkin is anticipating a similar building boom and said Bennett's experience will be helpful.

"They figure they will probably double their population within the next 10 years," Bennett said.

LaVerkin's location also provided a draw for him.

Seventeen miles from St. George and 22 from Zion's National Park puts it in one of his favorite areas.

"My hobby is exactly why we are going down there," he said. "My family has called Zion's 'Kevin's back yard' for years. It is my oasis."

During his off hours, Bennett enjoys working with Scouts and playing the piano.

"I go in and go to work on the piano when I have had a hard day," he said. "The harder the day, the louder the sound. It works."

Bennett said he would miss American Fork and its people.