Kerry Moves back to Reno

Frisco Town Manager Nancy Kerry announces resignation | SummitDaily.com

Frisco Town Manager Nancy Kerry publicly announced her resignation Thursday in what she called a “very difficult decision” to step down from the position to spend more time with her family.

In an interview with the Summit Daily News, Kerry said she loves her job, but the infrequency with which she was able to visit her family over the past year due to the pandemic has been difficult. After the sudden death of her sister-in-law, Chrissy, who she called a “bright light,” Kerry decided it was time to move closer to family.

“It was a difficult decision, and it takes a lot of thought,” Kerry said. “COVID certainly kept us all away from our families, and for me, it kept me away also from my immediate family. That was weighing on me, and I thought it would get a little better. But then my sister-in-law died. It kind of brings home the point that if you’re waiting to live, at some point you need to start living.”

Kerry plans to move to Reno, Nevada, where her husband, George, lives. The move will also allow her to be closer to her daughter and granddaughters who live in San Diego.

Kerry said there’s a certain disappointment in leaving, knowing that she won’t get to cut the ribbon on town projects she’s poured work into over more than two years, like the joint workforce housing project with the Colorado Department of Transportation and planned improvements to the Frisco Bay Marina and Peninsula Recreation Area. Though, she did voice pride for her accomplishments in the position, including helping to realign the town’s strategic goals and guiding the community through the pandemic.

Town officials also lauded her performance, along with her quick assimilation into the community.

“It was really difficult when she told me it was time for her to move on to different things and be with her family out West,” Mayor Hunter Mortensen said. “What I really value about Nancy, working with her and her time in Frisco, is she’s really, truly cultivated the potential that Frisco had and made us flourish. … You can see that from the marina to the peninsula to our economic stability as a town. I can attribute a lot of that to her really being able to see the potential and come in and organize us, support us and inspire us to get where we are.”

The Frisco Town Council held a special meeting Thursday afternoon, which officially kicked off the search for a new town manager. The council ultimately decided it would appoint an interim town manager and retain Kerry to assist in the search for her eventual replacement.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for the council to thank her for her service.

“Thank you so much for really showing me how well government can work, how it can be efficient, organized, responsive, proactive and ultimately so supportive and plugged into the community,” council member Dan Fallon said. “… I really am proud of the body of work and how it was done. Thank you so much for coming in and bringing that to our community.”

“Thank you for teaching us so much along the way,” Mayor Pro Tem Jessie Burley added, “and for helping us stand up for our town and protect ourselves in terms of, we’re only this big in Summit County and yet we’re a growing force. A lot of that is thanks to you. In terms of what we can and cannot do to move the needle, we’ve learned a lot under your leadership.”

Kerry said she was leaving “on top” and that the town was in good hands with quality staff throughout the ranks. She also noted that she’d take pieces of Frisco with her, whether trinkets from local shops or her dog, Bella, who she rescued from the shelter in town.

She also thanked the community for welcoming her more than two years ago and ever since.

“The community has been kind, caring, welcoming,” Kerry said. “They’ve been clear about their expectations. They ask for help and tell us how we can be better, which gives us an opportunity to do that. … I just want to thank everybody for a great experience and really the highlight of my career.”