Hideout mayor resigns after 7 years in office, applications open to the public

HIDEOUT, Utah (ABC4) — The search for an interim mayor is underway after the Hideout mayor announced his early resignation this week.

Hideout Mayor Phil Rubin released a statement saying he is resigning as of April 14 due to health issues. The announcement was publicly shared in a press release on Wednesday, April 16, with a request that anyone interested in serving as mayor submit their name by May 8.

Rubin served as the town’s mayor for seven years with him first being elected in 2017 and again in 2021. In his resignation statement, he said he wishes the town “continued success” and appreciates “all the wonderful progress made by staff and elected officials while I was Mayor.”

To apply for the position of mayor, candidates must submit their names to Alicia Fairbourne, town recorder, by email. In order to qualify, candidates must have lived in Hideout for the past year and will need to complete a conflict of interest and financial disclosure form.

As applications roll in, Town Council Member Chris Baier will step in as Mayor Pro Tempore. The town council will then interview each candidate in a public meeting on May 12 at 6 p.m.

The chosen interim mayor will serve until the end of the year. The next mayor will be elected in the November 2025 general election and will begin their four-year term in 2026. Anyone wanting to run for office will need to declare their candidacy in the Hideout Town Hall in early June.

“Town officials expressed their gratitude to Mayor Rubin for his contributions to the long-term success of Hideout and wished him improved health as he enters the next chapter of his life,” a press release read.

Hideout is a newer town founded in 2008 and located in the Wasatch Mountains near Jordanelle Reservoir. The town reports more than 800 residents while other data companies estimate the population to be between 1,100 and 1,700.