Frisco Town Government: Frisco, Colorado
Town Council Members
Hunter Mortensen
Title: Frisco Mayor
Tel: 970-227-5163
Email
Lived in Frisco Since: 1978
Career Information: Professional Ski Patroller
Town Council Terms Served & Serving: Council Member: April 2014 – April 2022; Mayor April 2020 - April 2024
Educational Background: BA degree in English Colorado State University
Comments:
I ran for Frisco Town Council because it is my time to give back to the community in which I grew up. I now find it to be the perfect time to run for Mayor to help continue a positive community and environment first philosophy. As a native of Frisco I bring a unique perspective that the Council has not had before. I not only remember where we have come from but I also represent the future of this community. As a council member I would have nothing to gain personally, my interests would be that of the town and its residents. The town is poised for important decisions in the coming years. With the foundation that the past councils have built, Frisco will be looking forward to a new set of challenges, growing tax revenue, infrastructure repairs and upgrades, town improvements to accommodate future growth, all while maintaining the spirit of the Town of Frisco and the reason why we all have chosen Frisco as home. As a working resident who has committed to my current job for the past decade and a half, I bring years of community involvement including sitting on the Board of Directors for the Summit County Rescue Group and as a founding board member of the Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment 501c3. I have made a commitment to making Frisco home and look forward to the opportunity to help be an active part of its future.
Jessica Burley
Title: Frisco Town Council Member
Tel: 541-350-8089
Email
Lived in Frisco Since: 2011
Career Information: Sustainability Officer, Town of Breckenridge (Present); Community Programs Manager, High Country Conservation Center; Adjunct of Sustainability Studies, Colorado Mountain College
Previous Participation in Town Boards or Committees: Peak One Neighborhood HOA
Town Council Terms Served & Serving: April 2016 – April 2024
Educational Background: M.A. International Development, University of Denver; B.A. International Studies and Anthropology, Emory University
Comments:
It didn’t take long to realize that Frisco was the community I wanted to settle down in and be a part of. After moving into the Peak One Neighborhood, I set out to become more involved in the community, and as a Town Council Member, my goal is to help guide the future of our small mountain town so it remains friendly and accommodating to the locals who give it so much character.
As the Town looks toward future development, a focus should be on maintaining the organic nature of the community and its amenities. In addition, I believe we should seek to balance future development with meeting the needs of the local workforce and our natural environment. Frisco is special because of our amazing environment, and we should strive to have a mutually beneficial relationship with it. As our community continues to rank among the top mountain adventure towns in the west, we need to ensure we live up to our reputation. Since being in office, I have helped lead the adoption of the Climate Action Plan, 100 percent renewable energy goals, multi-modal community development, single use bag fee program, and zero energy ready home program. These are cutting edge policies that set the foundation for a more sustainable, healthy, and thriving community. We can no longer wait and see about the impacts of development on our small town, but rather we need to guide that development with smart decisions for Frisco’s future.
Rick Ihnken
Title: Frisco Mayor Pro-Tem
Tel: 970-389-0530
Email
Lived in Frisco Since: 1995
Career Information: Summit Fire & EMS as EMS Division Chief- currently; Former Station 3 Captain, West Metro Fire Rescue- 22 years; Part-time ski patroller, Arapahoe Basin; Former Flight for Life Flight Paramedic
Previous Participation in Town Boards or Committees: Peak One Neighborhood HOA; Former Board Member for other HOA boards; Rotary Community Dinner Volunteer, High Country Conservation Zero Waste Warrior
Town Council Terms Served & Serving: May 2016 - April 2024
Educational Background: Pursuing B.A. Fire Service Management, Columbia Southern University; Public Safety Leadership Development Program, University of Denver; Paramedic Training, Rutgers University; A.D. General Studies, Colorado Mountain College
Comments:
I have served on the Frisco Town Council the past four years. While on council we have updated the building code, hired two town managers, completed the BIG dig and tied the budget to our strategic plan. Additionally, we have adopted and approved the 2019 Community Plan, Trails Master Plan and prioritized a Parks Improvement Plan. We are working on phase two at the Marina and in the process of creating a master plan for the Peninsula Recreation Area. I have worked to create partnerships with CDOT, community groups and other local municipalities. One of my future goals is to identify dedicated funding for town programs, instead of using the general fund.
Three issues facing Frisco are: Housing, Exit 203 and infrastructure needs. Workforce housing is a challenge in Summit County and in the Town of Frisco, 1,000 units are needed in the Ten-Mile Basin alone. We are using the work of the Housing Taskforce to get something out of the ground on several sights. Exit 203 is on the CDOT list of projects. Silverthorne and Dillon have identified Exit 205 as their priority. Frisco has partnered with Silverthorne, Dillon and Summit County to bring one voice to the table to get these projects started. Infrastructure in Frisco needs to be evaluated, the Public Works team does a great job and deserve support through funding. As we see a higher full-time and seasonal occupancy rate more strain will be placed on infrastructure. We need to be forward thinking; growth will continue in Frisco I would like to be a steward for our community.
Andrew Aerenson
Title: Frisco Town Council Member
Tel: 302-229-6464
Email
Lived in Frisco Since: 2015
Career Information: Real estate/ business entrepreneur, real estate/business attorney; Business law college professor; Full-time ski instructor, Breckenridge Ski Resort; E&J Gallo Winery salesman - Summit County, Vail and Aspen
Previous Participation in Town Boards or Committees: The Summit Foundation Board of Trustees; Rotary Club of Summit County; Summit County Board of Equalization; Red Cross Disaster Supervisor; Breckenridge Heritage Alliance; CMC Mountain Scholars mentor
Town Council Terms Served & Serving: April 2020 - April 2024
Educational Background: Business Degree – Marketing major, University of Denver; Dickinson School of Law, Pennsylvania State University
Comments:
My wife Marci and I live in Frisco for the same reason we hear from so many other residents… we value community. Starting last summer, I have been meeting with many of Frisco’s residents, business owners and community leaders. What I heard again and again is that we want Frisco to remain a small town with a big sense of community (almost like a neighborhood). When addressing locals’ issues like housing, childcare and wages, or issues affecting both locals and tourists like short term rental regulations, events and recreational facilities, Council needs to focus on how these decisions impact the character of our Frisco community. Fundamentally, Council needs to identify and nurture the very best ideas and opportunities, plan ways to manage our popularity, integrate environmental thinking, and ensure that all residents share in the successes of our thriving town.
To effectively manage the issues in Frisco, we need a Council with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The perspective I offer comes from my years as an entrepreneur, businessman and real estate/business attorney. My professional expertise for 20+ years was advising and helping individuals, corporations and charitable organizations navigate the challenges of buying, selling, owning and managing businesses and real estate.
Family, friends and clients describe me as extremely reasonable, logical and respectful. Decisions only get made after exploring all sides of an issue. These are skills and perspectives that will serve Frisco Town Council and Frisco’s residents well as we continue to guide and preserve our spectacular mountain town community.
Andy Held
Title: Frisco Town Council Member
Tel: 970-333-1972
Email
Lived in Frisco Since: 1987
Career Information: Owner, Held Joinery
Previous Participation in Town Boards or Committees: Frisco Planning Commission: June 2018 – April 2020; Summit County Wildfire Council Representative; Make Frisco Arts Council Committee Member
Town Council Terms Served & Serving: April 2020 - April 2026
Comments:
A resident of Frisco for 33 years, I am a passionate, active citizen and business owner. I will champion the issues that matter most. Housing, short term rentals, infrastructure, sustainable smart design, support the arts and remain a diligent force to protect our town from wildfire. If the good people of Frisco see fit to elect me, it would be my honor to fervently serve their needs.
Elizabeth J. Skrzypczak-Adrian
Title: Frisco Town Council Member
Tel: 970-389-5304
Email
Lived in Frisco Since: 1995
Career Information: Small business owner and commercial property owner at Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters, Town of Frisco seasonal flower attendant; Town of Frisco Historical Park and Museum; Town of Frisco Information Center
Previous Participation in Town Boards or Committees: Special Education Partnership Committee, Make Frisco Art Collective, Women’s Prison Book Project, Voice Space community expression event host
Town Council Terms Served & Serving: April 2022 -April 2026
Educational Background: AA degree – Colorado Mountain College, Breckenridge, CO. 2006; BA degree Ethnic Studies – University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.2011; BA degree English Literature – University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. 2011; MA degree Geocriticism Literary Theory – Prescott College, Prescott, AZ. 2021
Comments:
I have built my life in Frisco and I am now creating a place for my children to grow up. As a local resident for since 1995, I am looking forward to being a part of the collaborative group that makes up Frisco’s Town Council. Some of our current top issues of workforce housing, staffing shortages, childcare opportunities and thriving small businesses will need continued and thoughtful attention from people with longevity in the Frisco community. As a part of a thriving community, I feel a sense of connectedness. There is a place and a role for each person. Frisco’s strong community is always evolving. We are not immune from tough circumstances, instead we adapt and become stronger as we work together. Effective communities embrace conflict and diversity by working through differences of opinion and making space for civil discourse and the learning that occurs from appreciating multiple points of view. I look forward to applying myself in service to the Frisco community.
Lisa Holenko
Title: Frisco Town Council Member
Tel: 973-452-3133
Email
Lived in Frisco Since: 2012
Career Information: Owner, Next Page Books & Nosh; Teacher- High school English, Dover, NJ, 2003-2012; Ran home daycare for 6 years while pursuing teaching degree; Worked retail in New Jersey for 11 years
Town Council Terms Served & Serving: April 2022 - April 2026
Educational Background: B.A. English Literature and teaching certificate, William Paterson University
Comments:
I have lived and worked in Frisco for almost ten years, owning a small business for over five. I’m running for town council because the Town of Frisco has given us so much and I feel strongly about giving back to this community to show my appreciation and to be a part of bringing this tremendous town into the future, for tourists, but most importantly for the citizens of Frisco. For almost a decade, I have watched the growth and change in Frisco. As a business owner I have benefited from the expansion, but also have suffered from the affordable housing crisis. My employees have had a tremendously difficult time finding homes, as so many other hard-working locals have. As a resident I have felt the impact of thriving tourism, both positively and negatively, but it is my nature to embrace change and to work with others to create positive results. During my time as a high school English teacher, I learned to work on committees successfully; to listen to co-workers, administrators, students, and parents to find solutions. I learned from all of the fore-mentioned, as I do from my staff, and will continue to listen and learn. As Council Member my focus will be on making sure the perspective of locals is taken into consideration as we continue to navigate growth in Frisco. Tourism is incredibly important to our ability to live and work in Frisco, but locals and our small businesses are our lifeblood that make it all possible.