Lehi Mayor Howard Johnson plans to send a letter to Lehi residents addressing four issues: city hall, city government, city employees and the city's power company.

He read the letter, which he plans to deliver before the Nov. 6 election, to the City Council on Tuesday night. He said he's going to pay for the mailing, not the city.

The letter addresses four controversial issues -- the mayor's proposal to study building a new city hall, a proposed change of Lehi city government, city employee job security and voting rights and the sale of the city's power company, which he says he does not intend to do. He told the council the letter is not politically motivated.

"I just want to communicate," said Johnson, who also writes the monthly Mayor's Corner in the Lehi Ledger, which is in city utility bills.

Some City Council members, who don't always see eye-to-eye with the mayor, weren't pleased with the letter.

Councilman Johnny Barnes, who is in his third term and not up for re-election this year, said the letter makes it look like the mayor is trying to influence the election.

"There seems to be a resurfacing of innuendo of corruption, dishonesty and stuff like that in the department, and I'm a little concerned that we are insinuating that a group of candidates are needed to come in and take care of that," Barnes said.

In the letter, Johnson wrote, "During an election year it becomes necessary to clear any rumors or concerns about the job security of our city employees if a challenger is voted in." He wrote that Utah law prohibits the council from removing people from their jobs because of political or religious beliefs, or incident to changes in elected offices, governing body or department heads.

Referring to the mayor's statement "if a challenger is voted in," Barnes said, "I get a feeling here that you are trying to incite the residents, that there is corruption in the city going on. But to go to the press and get the residents involved looks like you are trying to influence the campaign."

Johnson also wrote, "I will work with the City Council to make sure our city employees enjoy the same voting rights as all of our citizens."

When asked by council members how he knew employees were being threatened, the mayor said he had no idea.

"I just put it in there," Johnson said. "I have reason to believe it has occurred."

Barnes said he's been trying to do what's best for the city.

"I've been trying for two years to keep you out of trouble and do what's best for the community," he said to Johnson. "We've tried really hard. ... There are some certain things in here, to insinuate something, I don't think we have the right to use our office to sway the voters."

Councilman Stephen Holbrook asked if the mayor could wait until after the Nov. 6 general election to mail the letter.

"No," Johnson said. "Then that would be a political motivation in the other direction."

Johnson said he has gotten bad press and when he does, he hears from the neighbors.

"I get chewed on for not fighting back," he said, adding that he considered for months how to express his sentiments.