Ketchum's Urban Renewal Agency has two new members on its controlling board, Trish Wilson and Mark Eshman, diversifying a board that previously consisted only of City Council members and the mayor.
Several Ketchum residents have advocated this expansion for years because the URA is technically not part of the city government. Critics have said the elected officials' monopoly—if they should be there at all—creates a shady conflict, even though state law allows city leaders on the board.
A city creates a URA to rehabilitate deteriorating areas and promote development of barren properties within its limits. Any development within the URA increases property-tax collections because it leads to higher property values. That increase is handed over directly to the URA instead of being split among the city, county, School District and other taxing districts. The URA then puts the money back into URA areas by creating infrastructure to promote more development. To accomplish all of that, the city needs to appoint a URA board, which can include anyone living in the city.
The City Council unanimously approved Mayor Randy Hall's recommendation of Wilson and Eshman at Monday's meeting at the Presbyterian Church of the Big Wood.
Wilson has operated her own "head-hunting" firm, Success Management, since 1994, helping local companies such as The Valley Club with their search for employees. Wilson spent the preceding 27 years in banking; her last job in the business was as vice president and service manager for Bank of America in Ketchum. While in banking, she also worked in human resources, corporate communications, advertising and operations.
Wilson said she attended a liberal arts college for two years, taking classes in accounting, analyzing financial statements, commercial lending, law and banking. She has volunteered extensively in the Wood River Valley, currently serving on the advisory council for the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and The Center Wine Auction Committee.
Eshman is co-founder of investment-management firm ClearRock Capital and has 30 years of experience in financial services. He oversees the core investment strategies of the firm. In 2000, he opened a branch office for Smith Barney in Sun Valley where he managed portfolios for private families, nonprofit organizations, trusts, estates and retirement plans. Prior to that, he joined Dabney/Resnick/Wagner, a boutique broker-dealer, in 1990, where he was a partner responsible for private clients. In 1981, Eshman joined the Beverly Hills, Calif., office of Drexel Burnham Lambert where he became a vice president and shareholder.
He has served on nonprofit boards for more than 25 years, currently sitting on the executive committee of the board of directors for the Community School. He earned a bachelor's degree in public policy from Duke University and studied economics and art history at the University of London.
Trevon Milliard: tmilliard@mtexpress.com
The Ketchum City Council approved Mayor Randy Hall’s recommendation on Monday to add two new members to the Urban Renewal Agency board. From left, Councilman Curtis Kemp, Councilman Larry Helzel, Mayor Randy Hall, Councilman Baird Gourlay and Councilwoman Nina Jonas. Photo by Willy Cook
