Park City Council appoints Molly Miller to vacant seat after split votes, mayor breaks tie

Molly Miller was appointed as a new councilmember on Thursday. Photo: Courtesy of Molly Miller

Park City Mayor Ryan Dickey broke two tie votes Thursday night to appoint Molly Miller to the City Council, filling the vacancy left by his seven-vote mayoral victory over Jack Rubin after a closely watched meeting

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City’s newly seated mayor, Ryan Dickey, broke a tie Thursday night to appoint Molly Miller as a new city councilmember as the City Council worked through the process to fill the council vacancy created by Dickey’s narrow election win.

Dickey defeated Jack Rubin in November’s mayoral election by just seven votes. Because Dickey previously served on the council, his election to mayor left an open seat. Rubin and nine others applied for the vacancy, and nine candidates were interviewed during a special council session Tuesday.

Following discussion among council members, the first round of voting resulted in a 2–2 split between Miller and Rubin. Councilmembers Tana Toly and Diego Zegarra voted for Miller, while Bill Ciraco and Ed Parigian voted for Rubin.

Because the first round did not produce a council majority, the city was required to proceed under state law to a second round of voting between the two finalists, with the mayor eligible to break a tie.

November’s election results loomed large in the deliberations. Ciraco and Parigian acknowledged the unusual political context of the appointment given Rubin’s strong showing in the mayoral race. Ciraco said ignoring the election outcome would be a mistake, arguing that if the vacancy had been filled through a special election, Rubin would likely prevail. Parigian echoed that sentiment, citing Rubin’s body of work, temperament and near-win as reasons for his support.

Councilmembers backing Miller pointed to her consistent presence at council meetings, service on boards and commissions, and what they described as a perspective currently missing from the dais — including representation from Prospector, a high-density neighborhood without current council representation.

Gender representation was also discussed during the meeting. In her council application, Miller highlighted the importance of female representation, writing, “Research is clear: communities benefit when women serve. We prioritize collaboration over confrontation, which leads to more frequent consensus.”

Parigian addressed what he called an “elephant in the room” regarding gender representation on the council, but said his decision was based on experience, temperament and prior election results, adding that gender alone was not a determining factor for him.

After the tie vote was read into the record, Dickey said Miller had been his top choice entering the meeting.

“I think she brings a really important perspective,” Dickey said. “I think Molly has been showing up both on boards and commissions and in council chambers — before the election, during the election, after the election — more than anyone else. I feel very confident about her. I just feel really in alignment with her priorities and her values.”

In the second round of voting, no councilmembers changed their votes. Dickey again cast a vote for Miller, resulting in a 3–2 majority in her favor.

During public comment earlier in the meeting, multiple residents urged the council to appoint Rubin to the vacant seat. After the final vote was announced, a participant in the council chambers shouted, “Shame on you three,” prompting the mayor to call for decorum.

Miller joins the council after running in the August primary election, where she finished seventh in a crowded field of eight candidates.

Throughout the discussion, councilmembers repeatedly emphasized the distinction between being elected and being appointed, a point several said was critical for whoever filled the seat.

“This is an appointment and not an election,” Ciraco said, noting that appointments can require a different approach and mindset.

Dickey encouraged Rubin and Planning Commissioner John Frontero, another contender who received council support, to consider running again in the future, praising the overall strength of the applicant pool.

Miller will serve the remainder of Dickey’s unexpired term, which ends in January 2028.