City Council candidates try to differentiate in Q&A forum

From left: Jeremy Rubell (in the hat), Tana Toly, Jamison Brandi, Daniel Lewis, Tim Henney, Michael Franchek, and John Greenfield. Photo: Parker Malatesta

PARK CITY, Utah — Candidates for City Council took part in a Q&A forum on Tuesday hosted by Future Park City. Thomas Purcell was absent, leaving incumbent Tim Henney, Jeremy Rubell, Jamison Brandi, Tana Toly, John Greenfield, Daniel Lewis, and Michael Franchek.

The forum began with a quick group-wide Q&A session in which candidates were peppered with questions like

how did you get here today (transportation)?

• Jeremy Rubell – Car
• Tana Toly – Walk
• Jamison Brandi- Bike
• Daniel Lewis – Walk
• Tim Henney – Bike
• Michael Franchek – Car
• John Greenfield- Came in a car, left on a bike

And what was your first job in Park City?

• Rubell – Business consultant
• Toly – Red Banjo
• Brandi- PCMR snowboard instructor
• Lewis – Davanza’s
• Henney – KPCW
• Franchek – Entrepreneur
• Greenfield- Youth football referee

Own or rent?

• Rubell – owns
• Toly – owns
• Brandi- rents
• Lewis – rents
• Henney – owns
• Franchek – “owns with the bank”
• Greenfield – owns an affordable unit

The forum then entered rounds of long-form one-on-one questioning of the candidates.

First, Greenfield was questioned on the city’s role in housing and what goals should be for affordable units moving forward.

“I support more public-private partnerships as opposed to the City building units all on its own,” said Greenfield. “I think the City needs to have some part in it, otherwise it becomes more difficult.”

Daniel Lewis was asked what leverage the City Government has as more and more money pours into Park City. Lewis referenced his work in the last 20 years for local nonprofits — including Mountain Town Music, the Farmer’s Market, and Silly Sunday. “I will be asking the tough questions,” Lewis said. “The leverage is this town and the people in it.”

Jeremy Rubell expressed how the pandemic allowed him to stop traveling and work from home for the first time. “It wasn’t for a lack of interest, it was for lack of ability,” Rubell said referring to why he just now became interested in civic duty. He highlighted his experience working as a consultant with utility companies and how it is very similar to the work he’d be doing as a City councilman. “I think a key skill that I will have is being able to bridge that gap, and really bring everyone’s interests forward.”

Jamison Brandi touched on one of his campaign platforms of “sustainable tourism.”

“If you build it, they will come,” Brandi said. “I love Silly Market, I love all the events, but do we need an event every single day? You know we need to start to stagger these events and give back, give opportunity for people that are sitting here to really enjoy the local flavor of Park City.”

Tim Henney, the only incumbent who is running for a third term on Council, was asked about the City’s process that yielded the ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural on Main St. last year.

“I would imagine all of you have noticed the same thing, more black people on Main Street than I have seen in the combined 28 years that I lived here in the last one year,” Henney said. He said the mural was a clear message that people of color are not only welcomed in Park City, but they belong here.

Henney believes that the current governance of the City is an accurate reflection of the majority perspective in the community — what he commonly refers to as the “bell curve.”

Tana Toly, a fifth-generation Parkite, was asked about ways Park City can keep its charm as more people flood into town. “When it comes to representing everyone, we need to be looking outside of 84060,” Toly said. “We need to be looking at the entire Wasatch back as a whole.”

The conversation involving Michael Franchek immediately flew to his relationship with the Park City Police Department. “My 15-year-old son and I were terrorized and assaulted by members of the Park City Police,” Franchek said. He went on to talk about his opposition to qualified immunity and his efforts in removing what he sees as “bad cops.”

Brandi, Toly, and Lewis endorsed Nann Worel for Mayor.  Henney, Rubell, and Greenfield declined to answer. Franchek said “anybody but Andy!”

Ballots need to be postmarked on or before August 9. On Election Day, August 10, there will be a Voter Information Center at City Offices open 7 am-8 pm. If you lost your ballot, or are not registered, you can go into vote there.

If you have any election-related questions, you can email City Recorder Michelle Kellogg at michelle.kellogg@parkcity.org or call 435-615-5007.