Summit County Housing Authority grows to seven members as Council fills new posts

Photo: TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — Citing a highly qualified field of applicants, the Summit County Council voted unanimously Wednesday to expand the Summit County Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners from five to seven seats — and filled all of them immediately.

Thirteen people applied for just two original openings, but councilors said they were so impressed by the candidates that they decided to bring more of them onboard. The change adds four new appointees from the public and formalizes three seats for sitting council members, who had initially only planned to appoint two public members.

“The pool of candidates was so incredibly qualified that we expanded to seven seats so we could pull in more of these great assets we have in our community,” said Councilor Canice Harte, who will also serve on the board.

The Summit County Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners will be responsible for guiding the county’s affordable housing strategy, overseeing project approvals, and setting policies to meet local housing needs. The board will also help prioritize and allocate funding, support housing programs such as deed-restricted and income-based housing, along with public engagement and regular reporting.

The council voted 5–0 to adopt Resolution 2025-07A, which sets four-year staggered terms, limits board members to three terms, and takes effect immediately.

New appointees to the housing authority board include:

• Kristen Schulz — term ends Feb. 28, 2030
• Jennifer Lewis — term ends Feb. 28, 2026
• Joan Meixner — term ends Feb. 28, 2026
• Rich Sonntag — term ends Feb. 28, 2026

Summit County Council representatives:

• Canice Harte — initial two-year term
• Tonja B. Hanson — initial three-year term
• Megan McKenna — full four-year term

Council member Roger Armstrong called the selection process “very, very difficult,” saying every finalist “would bring something different to the table.”

The newly seated board will work alongside the authority’s new executive director, Madlyn McDonough, a former Summit County planner appointed in April. McDonough now reports directly to Jeff Jones, the county’s Economic Development and Housing Director.

Voices on Housing

The new commissioners bring a range of personal and professional experiences to the table.

Schulz, a former government-contracts attorney who helped manage $50 million in federal Habitat for Humanity funds, said her approach to housing starts at the neighborhood level.

“Each community really has a strong sense of what they want in their immediate community, and I hope the housing authority works with residents instead of telling them what will be built,” she said.

Lewis, a general contractor and former client of a homeless shelter, said the work is personal.

“I went from sleeping on a cot in a homeless shelter to having a place of our own,” she said. “That feeling is profound and life-changing, and I want to be part of that for other families.”

Sonntag, a retired developer and former Snyderville Basin Planning Commissioner, said he’s focused on long-range planning.

“The two big problems in Summit County are housing and transportation, and now that I’m retired I want to be deeply involved in housing, where I’m most qualified,” he said.

Meixner, a CPA with a background in Manhattan commercial real estate, urged the board to prioritize transparency.

“Housing debates here are full of mixed signals,” she said. “A common dashboard would let everyone start with the same facts before we argue solutions.”

The board’s first meeting is expected later this spring.