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Anita Lewis Awarded Professional Citizen Of The Year

Park City Rotary

Park City Rotary has given its Professional Citizen of the Year Award to Anita Lewis, who has been a familiar face at the Coalville Courthouse, and a source of institutional knowledge, for three decades.

Lewis, who retired from the county earlier this year, received nominations for the Rotary honor from 15 people, including many former elected county officials.

Born and raised in North Summit, she comes from a family that’s been in the county for over 100 years. She married her high-school sweetheart Kyle Lewis and lives on her family’s Blonquist Ranch, which is preserved under a conservation easement.

Sally Elliott, a former County Commisisioner and Council member, said that everyone in the audience had been touched by Lewis’ accomplishments.

“The truth is that, until we got the form of governance changed and hired professional management, Anita absolutely ran every aspect of the county,” Elliott continued “and had her finger in every decision that was made. And she did a damn good job, don’t you think.”

Bob Jasper, the county’s first manager under a Council format, said Anita was on hand during a challenging time.

“And then the county changing its form of government, and I think, to many, becoming too much like Park City,” Jasper explained. “So, here’s Anita in the middle trying to implement this. Here’s a person who’s progressive, and by progressive I don’t mean liberal or politically progressive, just somebody who has progressive thoughts, trying to make something work. And it didn’t always sit well with her Coalville neighbors.”

Shauna Kerr, now a Justice Court Judge, was the first woman Summit County Commissioner, and said that Anita took her under her wing. She joked that their unofficial conference room was a stall in one of the ladies’ restrooms.

And she showed off a chart that was another valuable tool—Anita’s family tree of long-time county residents.

“She knew where all the bodies were buried,” Kerr said. “And furthermore, she knew the Summit County tree. One day, when I was first new Commissioner, I said something about someone. And she said, “Well, her husband works over here. And then Anita said, and my husbands at the sheriff’s department. And so, she started just like, connecting, well, this person’s married to this person—oh, well this person used to be married to this person—oh this person’s son works in this department. And it became something like this, that was my guide, so I didn’t step where I shouldn’t step, and I didn’t say what I often would have been inclined to different people. Because she knew exactly all of the connections of the county historically.”

She said Lewis has been a vital part of Summit County.

“This county lives in Anita’s veins—the land, the people, the legends,” Kerr continued. “Your mom and dad are so very proud of you today. And I am so proud to be your sister from a different mister. Neither of us ever had a sister, so we adopted one another. But you truly are Ms. Summit County. And all of this is your queendom.”

In her remarks, Lewis said she has reflected a lot on the two liver-transplants she received in 2016.

“I’m so thankful for those that chose to donate their organs, once they passed,” Lewis explained. “After the transplants, I sat and questioned to myself, why did one female who had a family, and then another female who was starting a family—why did they pass so I could live. And it’s a hard thing to live with. But I want to thank you today, because this really helps me, as I have retired from Summit County, and I know, now going to my next chapter of life, or my next term of life, to figure out what it is I can do to continue to serve.”

Known for getting all the facts right, as well as his distinctive sign-off, Rick covered Summit County meetings and issues for 35 years on KPCW. He now heads the Friday Film Review team.
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