With Election Day approaching on Nov. 2, The Park Record asked the three Park City Council candidates, incumbent Tim Henney, Tana Toly and Jeremy Rubell, to answer a series of questions in their own words on a range of topics important to voters. There are two open seats on the City Council, and voters will select two candidates.

Click here to see the mayoral candidates’ answers.

• Please describe your qualifications for the office you seek.

Tim Henney (incumbent): I hold a perspective that reflects the values, character, and culture of the majority of Park City residents and I do so with commitment, clarity, and courage. My perspective comes from a 29 year commitment to Park City and was built by participating in community visioning, serving on two Open Space Committees, the board of Mountain Trails Foundation for 15 years, Summit Land Conservancy for 5 and Council for 8. While sometimes hard to hear, clarity is an act of kindness and I am clear. I distinguish facts from fiction, beliefs from truths, and combine both my head and my heart. Anyone can listen, not everyone hears. I hear what is being said and am able to address issues with clarity. Representing Park City today requires courage. Powerful forces constantly attempt to commercialize and monetize our authentic local culture, a threat to the bedrock of our community. It takes courage to speak truth to power, stand up for community priorities and recognize every vote and decision is going to upset some people, yet doing it anyway. Finally, I am driven by curiosity. I want to understand what makes Park City special and how to protect, preserve, and perpetuate those attributes.

Tana Toly: I have 20 years of extensive career experience in leadership, partnership development, operations, and sales. My professional experience includes senior management in technology start-ups, partnership development in corporate organizations, sales leadership in the tourism and events industry, and owning/operating a mom-and-pop business.

Today I co-own Park City’s Oldest Business- Red Banjo. I am proud to serve this community on five boards and two additional committees. My commitment to the overall wellbeing of our community runs five generations deep, and I provide an unparalleled perspective of historical growth and future sustainability. I get to the heart of issues and consider them from many diverse viewpoints.

Service:

1. Vice President- Historic Park City Alliance (Present)

2. Historic Preservation Board ( appointed by the council in 2019- Current Board Member)

3. Restaurant Association Board Member (Present)

4. Leadership Park City Alumni Board Member ( Present)

5. Restaurant Tax Grant Committee (Appointed by Summit County Council in 2020- Current Board Member)

6. City and HPCA Operations Committee( Present)

7. Chamber and Visitor Bureau: Marketing Committee ( 2019-2020)

8. Kamas Valley Business Alliance (2019-2020)

9. Leadership Park City Class 17 (2010-2011)

10. Vice President- Historic Park City Alliance ( 2009-2011)

Jeremy Rubell: For almost 20 years I held senior level positions with global Big 4 consulting firms focused on highly regulated investor-owned and municipal utilities before launching an independent strategic business consulting practice. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA), a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and am also a certified Project Management Professional.

Responsibilities span leading teams, risk management, delivering complex projects, performing financial analysis, and implementing strategic plans; all including anticipating issues, and balancing risk in high stress environments. Achieving successful results requires the right temperament, creative solutions, the ability to learn quickly, and a proactive approach.

Some key concepts relevant to the City Council day-to-day include knowing the right questions to ask, optimizing value while managing cost, vast cultural experience, promoting transparency, listening to a multitude of constituents, looking at activities and/or projects in terms of their long-term impact 10/20/30+ years down the road, evaluating infrastructure capacity, applying common sense, negotiating difficult topics to agreement, and constantly keeping a lens on environmental sustainability.

My background will be a significant asset as we navigate our future. Merging skills acquired through professional experience with passion for our community is a winning combination.

• Park City has for decades struggled with the environmental legacy of the silver-mining era, engaging state and federal regulators over the years as it took cleanup steps. City Hall earlier in 2021 scrapped plans to develop a facility to store contaminated soils amid broad public resistance. Please outline your preferred solution to the storage of the contaminated soils. In your answer, please also identify a funding mechanism for your preferred solution.

Henney: Much of the mining-contaminated soil in Park City can be capped on site in a UDEQ-approved manner or transported to an approved storage facility, both of which are commonly done in Park City to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of both residents and visitors. On site remediation is common and cost effective when project infrastructure does not require deep digging such as underground parking structures and below grade foundations or basements. In cases where soils cannot be safely remediated on site they should be transported and stored at the Richardson Flat repository as they were prior to 2010. Summit County and the EPA must reach an agreement that opens the existing repository to all contaminated soils from anywhere in the County thus reducing the environmental impacts of transporting to Tooele. Storing soils in Richardson Flat minimizes transportation costs (the largest component of soils remediation). Funding currently exists.

Toly: We need to completely exhaust all our avenues with the EPA on moving the dirt to Richardson Flats. We must start by collaborating with our county. They have continuously expressed that a joint resolution is needed. The EPA does a 5-year report. In the 2018 report, it was stated that “The county is interested in expanding the overall average of UPCM property. We all want an easy way for Park city to not have to take soils to Tooele. Summit county has capacity for OU2/3. As long as we all have the capacity, then it is ok. All needs to be considered since they are related.” We must also ensure we understand the implications of the EPA vs United Park City Mines Lawsuit (Starts Oct21). This lawsuit is to enforce an agreement for UPCM to clean up OU2/OU3 in coordination with UPCM’s earlier agreement to clean up OU1..

Rubell: This is a complex topic. The handling and storage solution options may affect our health and/or environment. I am not a scientist, physician, or hazmat expert. We must err on the side of caution, not proceed based on estimated cost savings with many open questions. I will rely on scientific studies for information regarding risks, while also examining potential benefits and encouraging public opinion.

Per my testimony at the July 15th, 2021 City Council meeting, we should leverage specialty facilities meant to handle such tailing impacted soil until there is a better option. This doesn’t necessarily mean continuing to truck the waste west of Tooele. Let’s explore lower cost, lower impact options (i.e.; closer facilities, separating the waste so as to not pay premiums for soil that is of lower or no contamination, etc.) The issue is not going away, we need to find an answer.

City Hall held bold ideas to develop an arts and culture district when it acquired land off the intersection of Bonanza Drive and Kearns Boulevard at a price of nearly $20 million. Questions, though, have since arisen about the cost of the development. Please discuss your vision for the land. In your answer please propose a rough budget estimate for your preferred use.

Henney: The district was going to be redeveloped into multimillion dollar condos and hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial space until the City found the political will to purchase the property, control the redevelopment possibilities, and provide an amazing opportunity for the community to create a space that has the potential to be a community benefit for decades to come. The form that development takes is still being debated. I am less concerned about how long it takes to develop, what structures sit in which locations, or what building uses are, than I am about creating a site that is flexible and responsive to community desires and needs. I believe it must improve traffic congestion, benefit walk-ability and transit, add to our affordable housing stock, and provide needed area connectivity. I think an additional $40 million investment in the infrastructure to enable those community priorities is appropriate and reasonable.

Toly: • Priority #1: The intersection of Bonanza and Kearns. Transportation and traffic solutions must come before any additional building by city hall. This intersection needs to be looked at by experts, and if we need to cut into the district to add a safe and efficient intersection, we start there.

• We need to allocate some of the funds we wanted to use for the district to the current Prospector and Yard Districts. These areas already house many of our local businesses. It would be phenomenal to introduce an “Arts and Culture” area.

• A transportation/ transit component.(Transit Funds)

• Connection to Other Districts: Strong connections to all of our areas is vital to our success. (Transit Funds/ TRT Funds)

• The area should be capped and we should not build underground.

• Open Space, Community Space, and Connectivity to the trails

Rubell: The estimate has grown to ~$100M, and I question the opportunity cost of using significant public funds with other critical priorities (i.e.; ~$28M for fire mitigation).

I support creating a strategic plan for the area, including Arts and much more… Prospector Square to Park Avenue, and Kearns to Iron Horse. The plan must address transit and housing, including mixed-use zoning (residential, entertainment, dining, shopping, etc.) It will reduce traffic by encouraging walk/bike/ride modes while providing a vast benefit to locals, bringing options next to neighborhoods.

Arts provide vibrancy and economic diversity. Let’s work together with Kimball Arts Center and Sundance Institute, defining win-win solutions, perhaps even better than original concepts. We can deliver the project in phases, through public/private partnerships that will keep our public costs (and risk) low while leaving development and management to those who do it for a living, guided by community benefit.

• A Provo firm is currently engaged with the Park City Planning Commission regarding a large development proposal at the base of Park City Mountain Resort with the possibility the proposal could eventually be put to Park City’s elected officials through an appeal. In your estimation, is the proposal appropriate for the land? If so, why? If not, please describe how you would weigh the proposal against the development rights attached to the land.

Henney: As a sitting member of the Council I could jeopardize the City’s, and therefore the community’s, legal position if I were to provide specific land use answers on the Park City Mountain Resort base application. Obviously it would be irresponsible of me to do that. But I will address the application from a high level process and policy standpoint. I have confidence in the Planning Commission’s ability to properly process the PEG proposal and arrive at a decision that reflects the legal entitlements of the property by either approving a version that complies with the Land Management Code or a denial based on an inability to do so. From a policy perspective, any exceptions or variances from existing rights granted in a planning commission approval must clear a high bar of proven community benefits that result in a substantially and significantly better development for the residents of Park City.

Toly: I will abstain from answering this question as it may be appealed and the city council is the appeal board. I will say that I have listened to almost every planning commission since this started over a year ago and am well-versed and researched on the proposal.

Rubell: Given the legal process of an appeal and considerations provided by City Hall regarding potential ramifications including requests for recusal from an appeal, I do not find it appropriate to comment on the pending application.

That being said and speaking in generalities, any project should provide community benefit and comply with our relevant master plans/development agreements/codes, also supporting our strategic priorities whenever possible. The concepts exist for a reason. There are cases in which exceptions to these are appropriate (possibly driving updates to the code), and other cases when they are not. We also have to be realistic regarding our municipality’s tools regarding development in light of Utah State Law relevant to development rights as we determine appropriate solutions.

I look forward to navigating complex, multi-faceted issues such as these and will bring my significant international business experience, including negotiating solutions with stakeholders of diverse motivations.

• Park City traffic remains one of the top annoyances for residents and visitors alike, even after improvements have been made over time like the expansion of bus lines. Describe your preferred plan for the Park City transit system over the next decade, and does that vision include aerial transit like a gondola system? How would you balance the needs of Parkites and the workforce with those of visitors?

Henney: Congestion is Park City’s traffic problem; too many cars cripple the flow of traffic. Day trip visitors who drive cars are the greatest peak time contributors to congestion and the number of people entering Park City is only going to grow, even during non-peak times, given the tens of thousands of entitled housing units in the surrounding region. The mode of transportation visitors take will be critical to whether or not traffic congestion overwhelms locals. In order to intercept those day trip visitors and reduce cars on roads free parking needs to be at satellite lots outside City limits with express bus service using dedicated lanes. Only paid and permitted parking inside City limits. Currently there is no Federal or State funding for $60 million aerial transit. The return of the Olympics to Salt Lake City might present an opportunity to tie Olympic funding to community goals such as transportation.

Toly: Our city needs a comprehensive transportation system that connects every district.

1. Repair our broken relationship with the county and work on a Land Use and Transportation Plan. Include Wasatch Back in regional planning.

2. Start by Fixing our broken main intersections

3. Stop removing parking in town without a plan of how to move people in and out.

4. Work with Expert Planners who understand the complexity of the community and the solutions it takes to move thousands of people a day

5. Buses are not bold solutions, and we need to look to the sky, underground, trackless rail, and streetcars. Our General Plan introduced the idea of Street Cars connecting our districts; this is something to reintroduce.

6. We need to figure out what solutions make people want to get out of their cars before coming into town. Buses are not a behavioral change that many will make.

Rubell: Traffic is more than an annoyance; it interferes with our community’s quality of life and the tourist experience. The solution includes a cultural mode shift away from motor vehicles.

We need to promote walking and biking through initiatives improving safety of those modes, and convenience is just as critical. Park City’s seasonal weather must also be considered. I’m not supportive of using penalties such as higher parking fees, congestion pricing, and eliminating parking without a comprehensive strategic plan that includes solutions for ramifications of doing so while also addressing social equity impacts.

The transit system can do much better in serving our neighborhoods and providing access to local services (grocery, medical, retail, etc.) We should explore solutions such as micro-transit, neighborhood circulators, aerial gondolas, and incentive ridership programs. Let’s partner further with the Chamber of Commerce and businesses to promote tourist use of shuttles and the transit system.

• Park City symbolizes the corporatization of the ski industry with Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort under the umbrellas of two of the main competitors in today’s ski industry, Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company. Please discuss the opportunities and the drawbacks you see of corporate ownership of the resorts. Describe the sort of relationship you would like to build between City Hall and the two ownership firms.

Henney: The sale of our two family owned resorts to corporations is a fundamental change. Now more than ever there must be a clear and shared understanding between the community and the corporate sector of how we in Park City define “Corporate Citizen”. Opportunities arise when commercial interests understand how to be contributory to sustaining and perpetuating authentic community and local culture. Perils arise when they do not and attempt to define the landscape and terms of engagement. Friction is inevitable between private sector organizations driven by profit motives and the community goal of protecting and perpetuating our vital authentic local culture. Our two resorts must, at a minimum, be reminded and possibly educated as to their role in building a shared sense of community between full time residents, visitors, and workforce. The obvious opportunities are affordable/workforce housing, transportation, and sustainable tourism each of which the resorts bear meaningful responsibility.

Toly: It is important to remember that a corporation owned PCMR before Vail and corporate ownership’s benefits and drawbacks correlate to how the city manages their relationship with each entity, not by the umbrella term “corporate ownership.”

Park City Municipal needs to have a strong, transparent, and cohesive relationship with both of these resorts. PCMC must have the ability to negotiate with the resorts to ensure optimal benefit for residents. The city and resorts must create strategic plans in cohesion for transportation, fire mitigation, worker housing and infrastructure that support community goals/visions and support our General Plan.

Rubell: Transfer of ownership brings change, especially when it’s no longer a local entity. The mountain resorts in Park City are special to us, from a business perspective and our emotional connection. We can lament at times gone by, or embrace the reality and work together, in good faith, towards community benefit. While acknowledging there are some impacts of significantly increased marketing and visitation, I choose to focus on the future.

The resorts have offered programs that benefit our youth, support our local non-profits, promote public trail use, and have a vested interest in the magic of Park City. I support collaboration and look to succeed together, while acknowledging each other’s priorities.

City Hall and the resorts must be in a place of positive synergies, not conflicting negotiation. Let’s not make suboptimal compromises and instead seek solutions for our mutual benefit. Our interests are more similar than different.

• Park City has invested heavily in Old Town over the years, rebuilding streets, assisting owners of historic houses with upgrades and acquiring the Treasure land in a high-dollar conservation deal, as examples. Will you continue to prioritize investment in Old Town? Moreover, please identify one project or program valued at $1 million or more you pledge to propose in the municipal budget sometime during the next four years for the benefit of Park Meadows and one such project or program for the benefit of Prospector.

Henney: Old Town will continue to be a significant focus with allocation of many millions of dollars toward the rebuild of Park Ave., the Woodside II affordable housing project, stair re-builds to connect residential streets, and installation of additional Main Street bollards. In Park Meadows I support walk-ability and connectivity projects, such as sidewalks, bike lanes, traffic slowing measures and an expansion of transit to protect and prioritize pedestrians as well as grant programs for accessory dwelling units and nightly rental deed restrictions. In Prospector I will continue to support additional funding to improve the use and utility of the rail-trail, prohibit cut-through traffic, add connectivity and walk-ability features to improve resident safety, intersection improvements to enable safe ingress and egress for residents, and acquisition of housing to deed restrict and add to our affordable housing stock. Project investment will exceed $1 million over the next four years in these neighborhoods.

Toly: 1. Overall cohesive transportation and land use strategy for the entire city that prioritizes connection

2. Continue improvements to the Old Town and Main Street Areas- however, these should be in cohesion with an overall connection plan.

3. Revitalization of the Prospector Business District with a multimodal connection to other districts and trails.

4. Park Meadows needs a transit solution- start a micro-transit pilot program

5. All Neighborhoods not just Park Meadows and Prospector need an overall study to review:

a. Fire Mitigation

b. Excessive “Non Neighborhood traffic by people trying by-pass traffic

c. Total Road space for multimodal transportation

d. Bikelanes/walklanes/ebike etc… and right of ways

e. Street repair, sidewalks, gutters, storm drains

f. Placement of signage and any restrictions to visibility

g. Overnight Parking

h. Overall Safety of the neighborhood

i. Strain on utilities due to continued growth and potential unforeseen growth from Accessory Dwellings.

Rubell: The answer is not to de-prioritize Old Town investment, it is to holistically prioritize investment across our neighborhoods based on need. It would not be too dissimilar from the City’s existing budgeting for outcomes concept, just applied differently.

There are many opportunities. Park Meadows (and PC Heights, Thaynes, Deer Valley, Aerie, etc.) would be a huge benefactor from transit improvements; the main bus line does not reach most of the neighborhood and topography makes reaching existing stops difficult. Additionally, the MARC could use aquatic facility improvements. Prospector should be considered in the arts district plans. It has great potential to be a local hub for mixed-use activity with its connection to the Rail Trail and central location in town. I also support initiatives that would lessen the thru traffic in neighborhoods, it is only going to get worse unless we take action. We cannot lose (and must support) our neighborhoods.

• Park City reignited quickly after the spread of the novel coronavirus shuttered the economy in the spring of 2020. Are the spectacular economic numbers the city has enjoyed sustainable and what role does City Hall play in attempting to ensure they are? If not, please describe one step the municipal government could take to guard against a drop in numbers.

Henney: Unless asked to take an active role in providing a platform that enables, facilitates, or creates improved conditions, City Hall stays out of the way of the way of local businesses and commercial interests. In response to past direct requests we enacted a cap on the number of national franchise stores in the Historic Main Street District, closed Main Street to vehicular traffic on Sunday’s during the last two summers as well as manage existing parking resources to provide patron parking. These actions provide support, but it is up to the individual businesses to capitalize on the platform provided. The Chamber Bureau which lists 1000 small local businesses in its membership and the HPCA play a more direct role in providing the mechanisms and means to build sustainable economic vibrancy. City Hall will continue to work on an ever-improving canvas and leave the painting to the individual businesses.

Toly: Marketing is not the city’s job. The city can support tourism efforts and collaborate. Still, the actual job belongs to the chamber in cohesion with our business districts. The city’s job is to partner with small businesses and create an environment that brings about economic growth in collaboration with the needs of local residents.

One area that the city could play a role in is bringing the chamber/small businesses directly into the conversation of the long-term sustainability of the economy and environment. The city can again collaborate to address the challenges (aka workforce housing, employee shortage). The city can put mechanisms in place to divert the negative aspects of development.

The city must include more small business voices in our vision going forward. Many in the business community feel they were left entirely out of vision 2020. Those small businesses are not well represented in the city’s community pillars.

Rubell: Yes, the numbers are sustainable, and in fact will likely continue to grow through our business community. The question should be at what cost does the City roll out the red carpet to encourage economic activity. The government does and should partner with commercial interests. However, our municipal focus must remain local. We are not a theme park; we are a community. This is our home.

Park City’s FY22 shows total resources of ~$261MM, deducting the starting balance, bond proceeds, and interfund transactions gives us ~$143MM. We have ~8,500 permanent residents (service population of ~40,000). We are in great financial shape, more is not always more.

Fiscal responsibility is ingrained in my professional background with global Big 4 firms. I will focus on spending money wisely, be skeptical of new debt, and ask the right questions to achieve the cost/value sweet spot for every dollar spent.

• The 2030 Winter Olympics are expected to be awarded during the political terms on the ballot this year, with Salt Lake City appearing to be one of the frontrunners to be the host and Park City being key to the plans for a second Games in the state. Please discuss your priorities for another Olympics and how a Games could advance the community’s broader goals. Will you pledge that an Olympics would be staged at no cost to the taxpayers of Park City?

Henney: I support Park City being a host community for a future SLC Olympics and will work to ensure it is beneficial for Park City residents. Many desired and essential community capital projects are beyond the scope and capacity of the municipality, county and state. Prohibitively expensive infrastructure projects like pedestrian tunnels, aerial transit, intersection improvements to remove cars from roads and build connectivity may become feasible as a result of receiving Olympic funding. Other opportunities include athlete housing repurposed to affordable housing as well as showcasing sustainable tourism, zero waste, and a green Games to expose the world to Park City values and what is possible. I believe it would be short sighted to take existing tax funds off the table when a small local match might be required, then leveraged to secure Olympic linked funding for critical community priorities. I pledge no NEW taxes to cover Olympic related costs.

Toly: In theory the Olympics is something that the people should decide on and I support the idea of it being on the ballot. However, we have to be cognizant that this isn’t Park City’s Olympics. This event impacts most of Utah and has many decision-makers and stakeholders.

What we do have a choice in is how we reap the benefits.

Three examples where we can benefit

1. Infrastructure Opportunities: Innovative Transportation Initiatives that would not be paid for by residents

2. Future opportunities for our kids: We are one of the only places in the entire world that has kept our facilities and used them to enhance opportunities for local athletes.

3. To keep with our Global Environmental Initiative, it makes sense to hold it where the facilities already exist. Building new infrastructure is a huge drain on our finite resources, no matter where it is in the world.

Rubell: I have been discussing this topic in our community. There are very mixed feelings. Some are adamantly against the idea, some are passionately for it. We must listen, balance our priorities, and propose what is best for us as a whole. Using our “SEAT” strategic pillars as the measuring post for community benefit, it will be a high bar. That is part of the transparent, proactive conversation yet to be had. It is also safe to assume even if there aren’t events held within Park City limits we would have spillover from venues in neighboring areas that would require infrastructure, policing, have traffic impact, etc.

Making a pledge without knowing the facts or what the options are is unrealistic. This would also not be a unilateral decision. However, I can pledge that I will be vigilant in the pursuit of such a goal and put our local community first.

• Please differentiate yourself from your opponents.

Henney: I am running for Park City, not against Park City. My relationship with this town is not transactional, I do not believe in buying my way into office. What you read and hear comes from me, not paid staff. I am a public servant, not a politician. As a 29 year resident I have a record of devotion and commitment to Park City. As a two term member of Council I bring a body of work, experience and institutional knowledge which provides context and greater understanding for how we have arrived where we are. I understand and acknowledge the good work done by those who precede me. I know the policy role of Council, the community vision expressed in the General Plan, the utility of the Land Management Code in making that vision applicable, the land use compliance role of the planning commission, how staff supports these roles in implementing community goals and the need to ensure effectiveness and collaboration to be productive and get things done. I have a proven record of commitment, clarity, and courage as both a resident and public servant. I serve at the pleasure of voters and residents, which I believe is a tremendous honor.

Toly: 1. I am a natural investigator and learn best through curiosity and looking at alternative views before making decisions.

2. I do the research and I always ask WHY.

3. I will look at the broader community impacts of any decisions

4. I think critically while simultaneously being innovative and compassionate

5. I will be a conscious listener and even if I don’t agree with you I will never label, insult, disrespect or scream at you

6. I will keep open and transparent conversations with the community.

7. I embody Grit, Dedication and Hard work

8. I will look for solution-based plans not ideologies

9. I will Lead with civility

10. I will inspire and empower our youth to become more involved in the community

11. I will work with our seniors to ensure their wisdom is part of the conversation.

12. I will foster a safe space for local experts and innovative ideas to blossom

13. When I dont know the answers I will find experts

14. I will ask the community for honest and cohesive feedback and use this to be a better representative of the community

15. Our community’s success is a responsibility that I take seriously

Rubell: My background and approach are unique. Professionally, clients include global giants, Fortune 500 organizations, and municipal governments. Utility expertise is timely given our sustainability goals, water projects, and infrastructure concerns. Effective leadership with humility and ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders are necessary skills to get things done. I have no agenda or special interests except ensuring Park City is the best we can be, which we all share.

Sitting on the City Council is no easy task. I embrace challenges and care deeply about our community. Some highlights… the only candidate who gathered signatures for the ballot instead of writing a check; had a measurable impact on topics such as the Trolley, Arts and Culture District, Soils Remediation Facility, and more; public opinion written for each Council meeting in advance; endorsed by a Park City Councilor, County Councilors, Park City Firefighters Local 4892, previous officials, and many more of varied affiliations.

Our community deserves to know who I am, what I stand for, and how we can succeed together. That is why I’m proving action, right now. As a leader I commit to putting locals first.

Please visit http://www.VoteRubell.com. Hopefully my transparent, inclusive approach earns your vote.