Park City Councilor Nann Worel on Tuesday announced she will mount a campaign for the mayor’s office, challenging incumbent Mayor Andy Beerman for the Marsac Building’s top elected position.

Worel has served on the City Council since 2016 and was reelected in 2019. She is the former executive director of the People’s Health Clinic, a nonprofit that provides services to uninsured people, and held a seat on the Park City Planning Commission prior to becoming a city councilor.

In a prepared statement announcing her campaign, Worel said she is running because a change in leadership is needed at City Hall.

“There is no arguing the challenges facing present-day Park City and our community’s future include traffic, housing, affordability, sustainability, and inclusivity,” she said in the release. “What is lacking, however, is an environment where diverse opinions are welcomed with civility and without judgement. What is needed is a more transparent and collaborative process driven by those who elect my peers and me to represent and advocate for our residents.”

Worel did not immediately respond to an interview request. Her campaign will almost certainly address City Hall’s proposal to build an arts and culture district in Bonanza Park, and will also likely touch on topics that are frequently the focus of Park City municipal elections, such as affordable housing and traffic.

It is rare for a sitting member of the City Council to challenge an incumbent mayor, and it seems likely that a contest pitting two elected officials who have proven popular with voters against one another will draw even more attention than a typical mayoral campaign. Beerman, who is in his first term as mayor, said in late April that he will seek reelection.

Beerman and Worel, who have served alongside one another for more than five years, are the only people known to have entered the mayoral race. If more than two candidates ultimately campaign for the post, a primary election would be held to whittle the field to two for Election Day in November.

The filing window for candidates to formally declare for municipal races runs from June 1 to June 7. To be eligible to run, a person must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old on Election Day and registered to vote in Park City. They must also have lived within the Park City limits for at least 12 consecutive months before Election Day.