Although the Carbondale Board of Trustees has likely selected a top choice for the next town manager, The Sopris Sun was informed that the decision will not be made public until close to the next regular meeting, June 24, when a contract is voted on. Until then, we share in the suspense.
On Thursday, June 12, the public was invited to meet four finalists at the Third Street Center. The following day, the Board of Trustees conducted interviews with the candidates alongside a panel of community members: Andrea Stewart, Jamie Abbot, Niki Delson, Hollis Sutherland and Brion After. The public was also invited to share feedback based on the meet and greet.
Ryan Hyland most recently served as the town manager for the Town of Silverthorne. He has 28 years of experience working in municipal government organizations. Hyland holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a Bachelor or Arts in Political Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Shannon Kelly-Fong is the current assistant city manager for the City of Lacey, Washington. Her over 10 years of experience in municipal government includes serving as the senior policy analyst for the City of Lakewood. Kelly-Fong holds a Master of Science in Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Washington.
Sara Ott most recently served as the city manager for the City of Aspen until February of 2025. Sara has 22 years of experience in municipal government. Ott holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansas and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Government from Ohio Wesleyan University.
Kara Silbernagel is the current deputy county manager for Pitkin County. She has 15 years of experience working for public sector organizations. Silbernagel holds a Master of Public Administration and Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration emphasizing statistics from the University of Denver.