Ryan Dickey tapped for open seat on Park City Council

Ryan Dickey (right) and his wife Allison (left). Photo: Model HOA.

PARK CITY, Utah — On Thursday night, The Park City Council unanimously appointed Park City Rotary Club President and Snyderville Planning Commissioner Ryan Dickey to the open seat left after Nann Worel was elected mayor in November. He will finish Worel’s former term that is set to last until early 2024.

Dickey is also an associate broker at Windermere Real Estate and the owner and founder of Model HOA.

Following Worel’s successful election bid for mayor, an open seat was left on the council, prompting the city to follow state law to fill the vacant seat. Following an application process and public interviews, the four members of the council — Becca Gerber, Max Doilney, Tana Toly, and Jeremy Rubell — had to make an appointment by Saturday, due to state law.

Doilney, who has been on the council for two years, called it “the hardest decision I’ve had to make.” Park City Planning Commissioner Laura Suesser and Ed Parisian, who came close to winning a council seat in 2019, were other notable favorites among the members.

In his application to council, Dickey cited affordable housing, regional collaboration, and major development planning as the current top issues for Park City. He said his unique perspective is based on deep land use planning experience, strong Summit County relationships, and community connections.

In his interview, he proposed the idea of having the several county planning commissions work together and review each other’s packets.

Doilney called it “the most forward-thinking” idea proposed during the appointment process. He also highlighted how the city’s relationship with Summit County was such a big deal in the 2021 election cycle.

“Nann, it was one of the first things you said at every single public appearance,” Doilney said of Worel’s campaign pitch last year. “And the voters spoke. They said loudly and clearly that that was a huge piece to them.”

“I love that Ryan has the regional connection and the regional collaboration and he’s already been a part of what we’re trying to do with the region,” Toly said. She added that the appointment process was a tough decision for her during her first week on the council. “I really, really wish we could elect everyone,” she said.

“He brings a lot to the role,” Rubell said. “He has acted in a way that was great for the community,” he said, citing Dickey’s time on the planning commission. He said his focus in planning has been in the “aspect of if we do what’s right and preserve the community, that’s what drives value.”

“I think the skills that he brings both having worked as a real estate agent in our community and being familiar with how some of those contracts go through and how his experience with HOAs could be of real benefit to us as we work through some tricky situations,” Gerber said.

Dickey’s swearing-in will be set soon, in order for him to participate in the next council meeting.