Ryan Dickey was confirmed as Park City mayor Nov. 24 after candidate Jack Rubin requested a recount in the seven-vote race.
Dickey, who sits on the Park City Council, said one of the hardest parts of running for mayor was giving up his vote on the council. The mayor is the chief executive of the city and only votes to break council ties.
“I'll be the person who is looking at this broad set of issues, things that are sitting before us, all these opportunities we have, and really figuring out how to harness the organization,” Dickey said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Friday.
Dickey said he’s excited about the leadership role and enjoys helping teams effectively work together.
Dickey will be sworn in Jan. 5, 2026, along with returning Councilmember Tana Toly and new Councilmember Diego Zegarra.
One of Dickey’s first tasks will be helping the council choose someone to fill the seat he’ll vacate in January. Then, Dickey will appoint a new city manager.
He said he’s looking for a candidate with government experience and a track record of organizational leadership.
“Someone who has really shown they can sort of take the reins of an organization and rebuild a little bit of culture,” he said. “I want to see us shift our culture a little bit to empower our staff to take some more risks.”
Dickey said that’s because he’s seen what’s possible when city staff feel supported and empowered to work on big ideas. The city plans to extend offers in February.
He said he'll prioritize progress on the 5-acre Bonanza Park neighborhood once he's in office. He said he hopes to have a clear vision during his first 100 days.
That could be an art-centric, mixed-use housing public space project the council has most recently discussed.
“In four years, if we are looking at that same plot of dirt with nothing happening, it's just completely unacceptable,” he said. “So we just got to get to a decision, and I want that decision soon, in my first year.”
Traffic improvement on state Route 248 is another item on Dickey’s shortlist. When the Re-create 248 study is complete, he’ll help the council decide next steps.
He said the project could get funding priority from the Utah Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration since state Route 248 upgrades would support the Olympics’ return.
On top of implementing infrastructure improvements, Dickey wants to create a detailed plan to make the Winter Games memorable as the city welcomes the world again in 2034.
