Entering his third year at the helm of Leadership Park City, Scott van Hartesvelt wants to expand the program’s reach.
The majority of Class 32 lived and worked in Park City proper or the Snyderville Basin, although applications are open to anyone who lives or works in Summit County.
“I start recruiting for Class 33 on July 5, and I really want to get into Kamas and Coalville and some of the eastern parts of the county,” van Hartesvelt told the Summit County Council June 10.
Leadership is a year-long program that aims to help local residents and workers to get involved in the community.
Monthly classes impart personal leadership skills or cover community issues like growth and development. They give participants facetime with Summit County nonprofit, government and business leaders.
The curriculum culminates with an annual class trip to another mountain community called “City Tour” and a class project.
Projects vary in scope, but Class 4’s was one of the most ambitious and successful: it created the nonprofit land trust Summit Land Conservancy.
County Councilmember Tonja Hanson of Coalville was in Park City Leadership Class 7. She was pleased to see county employees from the east side participate in this year’s City Tour to Vail and Breckenridge.
“They said, ‘You know, before we came, we had no idea what this is about,’” Hanson said. “And they were blown away. And I'm hopeful that both of them will apply next year.”
Van Hartesvelt asked Hanson to help connect him with leaders in eastern Summit County. He’s already spoken with at least one eastside mayor and said it would be a “much richer experience” if a wider swath of Summit County participates.
Some of the county’s mayors said at the June 1 Council of Governments meeting that they’d never heard of Leadership Park City, despite its three-decade run. Hanson indicated to Kamas Mayor Matt McCormick that City Tour is an opportunity to steal ideas and best practices from other mountain towns.
Leadership Park City is tuition-free, but participants must cover lodging and personal expenses during City Tour. Applications aren’t open yet but are typically available in July and August.
