Photo by Sawyer D Argonne / sdargonne@summitdaily.com
Memorial Day is fast approaching, and Summit County’s towns are seemingly in a race against the clock to try to fill seasonal staffing positions before the peak tourist season arrives.
But with “help wanted” signs still dangling in the windows of restaurants and shops around the county, the towns are finding it difficult to attract enough workers to their summer positions. Frisco officials broached the topic during the town’s regular work session discussion Tuesday, May 11, noting that the town has a considerable staffing shortage heading into the summer season. And Frisco isn’t the only town struggling to bring in new workers.
Photo from town of Frisco
Frisco officials asked town staff to move forward with the pedestrian Main Street concept again this year during a regular Frisco Town Council work session April 26, deciding on a planned opening June 18.
The promenade arose out of necessity last year as the town sought out new ways to help Main Street businesses stay afloat while keeping within capacity limits set by state and local public health orders. Its return will again offer businesses the opportunity to expand seating areas and retail space into the road and provide community members a pedestrian-friendly area to spread out while they shop and dine.
Photo by Sawyer D Argonne / sdargonne@summitdaily.com
Frisco officials last week approved a budget amendment that includes about $2.9 million in additional spending, attributing the change primarily to a stronger-than-anticipated finish to 2020 financially.
The Frisco Town Council approved an ordinance to amend the 2021 budget during a regular meeting April 27, and officials plan to funnel the extra funds toward hiring for unfilled positions, capital improvement projects and more. Finance Director Bonnie Moinet presented the recommended expenditures during the meeting, noting that she felt the town would still be left in a strong financial position at the end of the year despite the expanding bottom line.
Photo from Jeff Durbin
Frisco Town Council officially named Jeff Durbin the interim town manager during a regular meeting Tuesday afternoon. after 20 years with the town to pursue other options. Now, he’ll step into the role recently vacated by Nancy Kerry, who announced her resignation as town manager earlier this month with plans to move to Reno, Nevada, to spend more time with her family.
Her departure leaves large shoes to fill. During the meeting Tuesday, business owners from throughout the town tuned in to thank Kerry for the work she’s done over the past year to keep the community afloat, and Town Council members took turns lauding her efforts since her arrival.
Photo from town of Frisco
Frisco awarded college scholarships to 12 high school seniors this week and will once again be hanging custom banners on lamp posts along Main Street to honor each of the town’s 25 high school graduates this year.
Scholarship winners which must be graduating seniors who live in Frisco or nearby neighborhoods and must plan to attend a higher-education institution were selected by a two-person committee of Frisco Town Council members based on academic achievement, need and evidence of good citizenship, according to a release from the town.
Council member Dan Fallon lauded the scholarship winners’ academic prowess, athletic achievements and community engagement, and he said the group served as a reminder that the future of the community is in “very good hands and minds.”