An intriguing opportunity is available for a Parkite who wants to serve his or her community.
There will be a vacancy on the Park City Council shortly as Nann Worel rises to the mayor’s office following her victory in November. Her successor will be appointed by the remaining members of the City Council, meaning someone can serve for two years in the Marsac Building — the remainder of Worel’s council term — without the need to spend months campaigning and then best a field of opponents on Election Day.
A midterm appointment like this is relatively rare in Park City, and there will likely be no shortage of hopefuls who seek the post.
Anyone interested in filling the role, however, doesn’t have much time to waste. The city plans to accept applications Dec. 17 through Jan. 5. The elected officials plan to interview candidates then make a selection in the middle of January.
Parkites who believe they have something to offer ought not be shy about putting themselves up for consideration. While there is only one seat available, the public would be well served if the elected officials are able to choose from a pool of impressive applicants.
One of the aspects that makes a midterm appointment like this intriguing is that, unlike a full four-year term, it isn’t necessarily a long-term commitment.
For some candidates, it could be a chance to make a difference in the community for the next two years then step away, letting someone else take the seat when it’s on the ballot in 2023. That’s the route taken by the person who filled the most recent midterm City Council vacancy, Lynn Ware Peek, who took office in 2018 and opted not to run in the 2019 campaign.
Alternatively, the person chosen could instead seek a lengthier stay on the council. Being selected to fill the post offers a platform to establish oneself as a political figure in Park City, as well as the advantage of incumbency, two factors that could prove important in the next election.
There is nothing wrong with either approach, though Parkites will no doubt be eager to discover in the coming weeks who applies for the seat and learn more about the hopefuls.
The community is counting on several people worthy of filling the role — for however long — to step up. It’s an important job, and we need someone who is passionate and qualified to take on the challenge and join the other officials Parkites have chosen to lead the city.
More information about the vacancy, and the requirements to fill it, can be found at City Hall’s website, parkcity.org.