Fayette mayor calls it quits

Fallout from the Fayette Town misappropriation of funds case continues to affect the town, with the resignation of the mayor being the latest consequence. At the Town Council meeting on February 7, Councilman Brandon Jensen announced that Mayor Brenda Liefson had turned in her keys and all documents associated with her position as Mayor. Leifson took office on January 1, 2018, and was the first person to discover discrepancies in town finance records that led to the discovery of over $300,000 in misappropriated funds by former town clerk, Tracy Mellor. An independent audit performed by the State Auditor’s Office upheld Leifson’s suspicions, but it appears criticism from the community was key in her decision to step down. The council is scrambling to find enough citizens to fill all the positions suggested by the Auditor’s Office, including separating Town Clerk and Treasurer duties and finding a new mayor. They will advertise the position and hold a public hearing to choose a new mayor sometime within the next 30 days.