Park City Mayor-elect Dickey Prioritizes City Manager Recruitment

On January 2, Park City Mayor-elect Ryan Dickey said his first 100 days in office will begin Monday and that he is scheduled to take the oath of office that afternoon. He identified hiring a city manager as his immediate focus, calling the recruitment process "absolutely my top priority" and saying it will be "an active process in which I’ll be heavily engaged."

The city has been seeking a permanent city manager since Matt Dias left the post in mid-September. Deputy city manager Jodi Emery is serving as acting city manager while City Hall has retained a recruiting firm to assist in the search. Officials expect a selection will not be made until at least early spring, reflecting the broad responsibilities and influence the city manager holds across municipal operations.

Dickey framed the hire as central to the new administration’s direction. "The start of any new administration is about building the team, and the new city manager is our team’s most important hire," he said. "We’ve talked a lot about defining our vision and shaping our city culture, and we’ll be looking to the new manager to help facilitate and lead."

During last fall’s campaign, Dickey emphasized that he wants a candidate with proven organizational leadership. He told voters he was seeking someone with "a demonstrated record of organizational leadership and culture change and bringing a team together. Because we’ve got work to do in our organization to rebuild trust between elected officials and our staff."

Beyond staffing, Dickey signaled the early agenda will tackle several concrete local issues. The administration will weigh options for municipal acreage in Bonanza Park near the intersection of Bonanza Drive and Kearns Boulevard, where a major mixed-use development that could include housing remains under discussion. The S.R. 248 entryway and preparations tied to the 2034 Winter Olympics also figure among near-term priorities. Dickey is expected to join the state delegation for fact-finding at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy.

Dickey brings experience from local government and the private sector. He served on the Park City Council, including a partial term after a midterm appointment, and was a member of the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission. He has lived in Park City for 15 years and co-owns a homeowners association management business with his wife, Allyson. He will succeed Mayor Nann Worel, who is leaving office after a single term.

For Summit County residents, the city manager hire will influence everything from permitting and community relations to how Park City coordinates with countywide planning, affordable housing efforts, and visitor management. With a recruiting firm involved and the council indicating a willingness to move quickly on key development and Olympic-related matters, the next months will be a pivotal transition for municipal leadership and local policy direction.