Five-year Ketchum resident Charles Conn will replace former Councilman Ron Parsons on Ketchum's City Council, Mayor Randy Hall announced Thursday. Parsons resigned from the Council on July 2, citing health concerns.
Under Idaho code, a vacancy on the City Council is filled when the Mayor nominates a candidate who is then confirmed by a majority of the City Council. Hall has placed this item on the August 4th City Council agenda for Council consideration.
"Charles has served the Ketchum community well in a variety of roles," Hall said. "His insights reflect broad experience in service and business, as well as a deep knowledge that will benefit the City and its business issues. His unique background will be of great benefit to the City as we move forward with our current initiatives."
Conn is scheduled to serve the remainder of Parsons' term, which ends December 2009.
He comes to the council at a hectic time: With the two proposed hotel applications, the Warm Springs revitalization program and the Thunder Springs affordable housing project, Conn is sure to have his hands full. He'll be working with Hall, who is under threat of a voter recall initiative.
Conn has served on the boards of the Community School, Idaho's Bounty, Leroy's and Trout Unlimited. He is also a member of the "Energy Solutions Team" of the Community Development Corporation.
"I am honored to be asked to be part of the council," Conn told the Mountain Express Thursday. "I think this is an incredibly important time in the town's history in terms of the decisions that are in front of the people and the council and I hope I can make a contribution."
Additionally, Conn is a senior advisor to the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation where he focuses on conservation projects such as the Foundation's wild salmon ecosystems initiative, the Palmyra Atoll research station and western public lands energy development.
Previously, Conn was an entrepreneur and business consultant. He co-founded Citysearch, the online tourism and urban amenities guide. He was also a partner with McKinsey & Company, the international management consulting company. In 2001 he was selected as a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute.
Conn is a graduate of Harvard Business School, Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and Boston University.
Charles Conn
