Park City Council candidates debate leadership style, voting blocs at forum

Park City Council candidates sit before voters at a forum put on by KPCW and the Park Record at the Jim Santy Auditorium October 16, 2025. Photo: Marina Knight // TownLift

Rubell defends staff turnover, Toly questions his approach; candidates trade accusations about council dynamics

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City’s council race took a pointed turn at a recent candidate forum as challengers questioned incumbent Jeremy Rubell’s leadership style and allegations of voting blocs on the city council during a portion of the discussion.

Tana Toly, also an incumbent, opened the forum segment when candidates were given the opportunity to ask one another questions by confronting Rubell directly about staff departures during his tenure.

“Over the last two years, we’ve lost some of our most experienced and talented staff, and several of them have directly tied their departure to your behavior,” Toly said. “We’ve also have key partners and stakeholders step back from working in Park City and pointed to your approach as a major reason.”

Rubell defended his record, attributing the changes to necessary organizational evolution. He noted the city now has its lowest staff attrition rate in five years and highlighted the appointment of an all-female executive team and Park City’s first female mayor in its 140-year history.

“Organizational change is hard no matter where you do it,” Rubell said. “Nobody was run out of town. We did lose some people — I wish we didn’t — but that’s normal in any organization.”

Diego Zegarra took a lighter approach, asking Rubell why his campaign yard signs changed from “be kind” four years ago to “no special interests” this cycle.

Rubell explained that about a third of his signs still carry the kindness message and that the change was initially a printing error. He emphasized that kindness remains central to his vision for the community.

“We can disagree together. We don’t have to have arguments, we don’t have to turn our backs to each other,” Rubell said. “That’s what Park City is. That’s the fabric of this community.”

Rubell then turned the tables on his opponents, addressing claims that he and council members Bill Ciraco and Ed Parigian form a controlling voting bloc. He cited voting records showing that of hundreds of council votes, only 22 were split decisions, with Rubell, Ciraco and Parigian voting together on just six — less than 2% of all votes.

He questioned how Toly and Zegarra, would avoid creating their own three-vote majority if they win and appoint a replacement for council member Ryan Dickey, who is running for Mayor.

“How is this not the undemocratic control that we’ve been falsely accused of?” Rubell asked. “After these attacks disrespecting Ed and Bill, how will you collaborate effectively with them?”

Zegarra pushed back on the premise, saying he and Toly disagree regularly despite their collaborative approach. Toly also expressed frustration with the current council dynamics.

“There’s a lot of meetings that I walk into, and I feel like the vote has already been decided before I get there,” Toly said, “and I would never want to actually do that again to anyone else.”

The exchange highlighted tensions over governance style and council relationships that have become central themes in Park City’s mayoral and council race.

Voters have described the race as being divided into two different teams. In August, the Park Record Editor published a column outlining how the race for council has come down to “Team Nice” and “Team Mean” and one forum attendee Wednesday night was overheard asking “Are these two on some kind of a team?”

In follow-up interviews, both Rubell and Toly addressed questions about whether candidates are running as coordinated teams.

Rubell pointed to campaign finance disclosures showing that candidates have contributed to one another’s campaigns and held joint campaign events.

“Draw your own picture, right” Rubell said.

Toly acknowledged she has donated to both Zegarra’s and council candidate Ryan Dickey’s campaigns, while Zegarra has donated to hers. However, she rejected the characterization that they are formally running as a ticket.

“I don’t think you’re voting for a team,” Toly said. “I’m very vocal of who I am voting for, but that doesn’t mean I’m saying to people, you have to vote as a team.”

Toly referenced the Park Record’s August column, saying the newspaper put them into teams months ago. She also said the team dynamic is a natural progression in local elections, noting similar groupings emerged in the 2021 race.

“This is what happens organically. I’ve seen this happen in every election that I’ve ever seen,” she said. “It’s just sort of the progression of the way things go, especially when you have incumbents and newer people.”

Voters will elect a mayor and two council members on Nov. 4.

The full forum can be viewed below. Tune in at 35:46 to see the portion of the forum this story is about.