As Summit County prepares for another pivotal election, longtime County Councilor Roger Armstrong has launched a steady reelection campaign fueled by a commitment to safeguard the carefully cultivated legacy he’s helped build over the past decade.The incumbent Democrat wasn’t originally planning to run for a fourth term in 2024, but his plans changed when he saw the need to protect institutional knowledge at the county level and on the council.Armstrong is the second longest-serving member of the County Council after Chris Robinson, who was elected in 2008 as one of the original members when the government changed from a three-person commission to a five-member council. With County Council Chair Malena Stevens not seeking another term, and the other two councilors having around two years of experience with at least one new member joining next year, Armstrong felt a responsibility to ensure there’s continuity with the thread of work — particularly with the retirement of former Community Development Director Pat Putt after a more than 20-year career and the hiring of a new county manager last year.“I’ve built some goodwill amongst residents of the county for the work and positions I take to try and protect this place,” Armstrong said. “If I had stepped off four years ago … The 910 might have been illogical. The Ure Ranch might not have happened. I think that experience, those relationships, matter.”Armstrong first took office in 2013 without having much prior experience. He and his wife, Beth, moved to Aspen Springs in October 2005 from a suburb of Los Angeles, California. The couple met while Armstrong was working on the 1991 Oliver Stone-directed film “JFK.” A few months later, she moved to LA to be with him.Armstrong graduated from the University of California San Diego and considered pursuing a career in clinical psychology before pivoting to the entertainment industry. He made several attempts at acting, singing and songwriting before transitioning to public relations. Armstrong started at a small firm and later joined the company that helped launch the Disney Channel in 1983.He went on to work on TV shows such as “Fame,” “Family Ties” and “Cheers” and even spent some time working on the movie side. Armstrong also started representing a couple of companies and a few personalities. Soon after Armstrong met his wife, he wanted to leave the entertainment industry. He decided to attend Loyola Law School, with the couple living off of Beth’s salary for three years. Armstrong was never interested in practicing entertainment law, instead focusing on the environment and child advocacy for a time yet Armstrong found himself back in the business. He was named a partner at the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips firm three years later, and he spent almost a decade there.After coming up to the Park City area several times for the Sundance Film Festival, the young family found themselves drawn to the small mountain town community. Armstrong picked up a real estate guide and decided to sell his house. “We came up here for three, four days and like they say, ‘Come for the winter, stay for the summer.’ We fell in love with this place,” he said. That was 19 years ago, and Armstrong has never looked back.The Democrat’s career led him to start working with political campaigns, spurring a curiosity for local government. He wondered what it would be like to hold office, and whether politicians can actually make a difference. In LA, Armstrong thought that was impossible. But in Summit County, it could be different.There were two open seats on the County Council back then, and Armstrong thought he’d give it a try. He knocked on 1,000 doors over the campaign in an effort to meet voters, especially those living on the East Side.“The most common thing I heard from the eastern part of the county was ‘Where are you from?’ and as soon as you said ‘Park City,’ you just saw the light go out,” Armstrong explained.Since then, he made a promise to represent eastern Summit County residents who don’t feel like the county does anything for them. Armstrong said he’s spent the past decade making good on his word. He sees Summit County as a service organization designed to improve the lives of its residents, and one that’s dependent on amazing staff to keep running.For example, Armstrong referenced an ordinance he approved that would have required homeowners to acquire a permit if they were moving a certain amount of dirt. Very quickly, county officials learned constituents were unhappy about the decision. Armstrong and another council member met with East Side residents, primarily those working in agriculture, to hear their concerns and the impact the ordinance would have. He said a willingness to listen and learn, from both sides, led to the rule being changed. There have also been long discussions about what the county is doing wrong, and meetings with mayors from places like Coalville, Francis, Kamas and Oakley to better understand where they’re coming from and collaborate on issues.The nation was coming out of the recession when Armstrong first took office, and issues such as transportation, traffic and housing were just becoming concerns. However, Armstrong said growth has always been an overarching problem because it influences everything else. There’s not a dial for each individual issue, meaning everything is impacted by every decision, which can exacerbate the problem if not done correctly. Armstrong sees understaffed restaurants, crowded trails and busy streets as a byproduct.“That’s what I confronted, and that’s what I take up, and that’s what I believe the voters have asked us to do. Period. Control growth. Manage growth. Mitigate growth,” he said.The County Council made strides to address the issues, but then the pandemic hit and the issue was perpetuated. Since then Armstrong has been a staunch advocate for preserving open space and promoting responsible development. He doesn’t want to see more rooftops in Summit County unless there’s a true, compelling countervailing public interest — Armstrong did help craft Policy 2.3, after all. He also helped create more than 1,000 units of workforce housing, preserve thousands of acres of open space, develop the High Valley Transit District as well as its microtransit program, and implement the Summit County Bike Share program.He also emphasized the importance of community engagement, nonprofit work and maintaining a balance between growth and preservation, particularly in housing and land use policies.“We better be smart about what we’re doing and that’s the piece: have I been successful (in achieving what I set out to do)? Yes,” Armstrong affirmed. He acknowledged the problems haven’t been totally solved, but they are being actively addressed.The Democrat pointed to the new relationships the county has developed with the state as a sign of progress. Staff have been committed to articulating the vision of the community to the state Legislature, which often treats Summit County like a pariah. Still, he said there’s ongoing dialogue, and that’s a “big win” in such a divisive political environment. Armstrong isn’t sure party affiliation matters all that much in Summit County. He has served with two Republicans on the County Council over his tenure, and Armstrong said there wasn’t much of a divide locally or much progress made at the state level because of other pressures working against the county.“I love this place,” Armstrong said. “I’m so grateful to have this opportunity. It’s been much longer, much more of a challenge and far more rewarding than ever.”The post Roger Armstrong’s quest for reelection emphasizes continuity in leadership appeared first on Park Record.