I want to offer my enthusiastic support for Team Kind: Ryan Dickey for mayor, and Tana Toly and Diego Zegarra for City Council. Serving in local government is not a career path to wealth or fame.
We elect our friends and neighbors, and once they are done serving, they return to their normal lives. There are no memoirs to write, lobbyist jobs, or paid speaking engagements. You serve because you want to make your community better, and it is both an honor and a sacrifice.
The best elected officials lead with clarity, build trust, and find alignment. They do not need to be aggressive or cynical to be firm. Firmness is conviction. Too often meanness and cynicism are confused with intelligence.
Moreover, fiscal responsibility should be a minimum job requirement, not a platform. Listening is critical, but it’s just the beginning. Good leaders can listen, build consensus, articulate solutions, and then motivate. They also able to balance empathy with progress. Diego, Tana and Ryan are those type of leaders.
Ryan is kind but firm, contemplative but courageous. He is deeply embedded in Park City, having built both his business and family here. He will personally feel the impact of many decisions made by the city — and that’s a good thing. We want people with skin in the game making the hard decisions.
He has a track record of service and is liked and trusted by his peers, city staff, and community partners. As mayor, he will continue to build trust locally and grow regional relationships.
Tana is a Park City native and local business owner that brings a valuable and rooted perspective. In her first term she has worked hard to listen, learn and understand the issues. She is approachable and active, always out in public and lending a hand.
Her board seat on the Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT) is meaningful. Park City has little standing with the state government (regardless of our leadership), but the ULCT has great influence. Building friends and allies among our peer cities is critical.
Over the past decade I’ve enjoyed working closely with Diego Zegarra. He is a tireless advocate for the underserved and a leader among his peers. Diego’s big smile and casual wit make him easy to underestimate, but if you want something done, you give it to Diego.
He is smart, effective, caring and motivated. He sees a problem and wants to fix it. He’s a skilled facilitator that’s proven as both a relationship builder, and as a consensus builder.
He will bring a thoughtful, informed, and organized approach to decision making. He will lead with conviction and urgency. He will be the spark and the glue to make this Council more effective!
I recently had the opportunity to see all three side by side at an event. The mutual respect was evident: They seamlessly shared their hopes, their ideas, and their deep belief in Park City. It was collaborative, joyful, and refreshing. I’m tired of hearing “what’s wrong with Park City.”
I want leaders that will work together and move us forward. I urge you to join me and vote to elect Ryan, Tana and Diego.
Andy Beerman
Park City