FRISCO — Republicans are vying to regain a seat on the Summit Board of County Commissioners this year, with local business owner Kevin Mastin tossing his hat in the ring for the District 3 seat, currently held by Karn Stiegelmeier.

The Democrats have controlled the board for several years, since Tom Long termed out.

“I feel that the current make up of the board of commissioners doesn't accurately represent the make-up of the county in general,” said Mastin, who announced his candidacy Tuesday at the local Republican caucus in Frisco.

But Stiegelmeier says the board isn't a partisan body and that the commissioners' job is to represent the interests of the county, not to play party politics.

“The decisions we make are common sense, what's best for our community,” Stiegelmeier said. “Bottom line, I don't think the position is partisan and, therefore, having a Republican voice (on the board) is not something that would create better government.”

Both Stiegelmeier and Commissioner Thomas Davidson are up for reelection in November. So far there are no announced contenders for Davidson's seat.

Sustainability and the budget

Budget issues will likely be a key topic for both sides in the race for District 3, as the county government faces a 17 percent decline in property-tax revenue in the aftermath of the recession.

Mastin criticized Stiegelmeier's record as a commissioner, saying she allows an environmentalist agenda to influence her decisions too heavily.

“Karn is very passionate about her environmental issues,” Mastin said. “I look at the commissioners' job as a little more practical than Karn. She has her ideologies that she likes to see happen, but I think we need somebody who is maybe a little more nuts and bolts.”

Stiegelmeier deflected the accusation, saying the board has made decisions over the last four years based on what was best for the community.

“When I ran almost four years ago, I definitely had a platform of environmental protection and quality of life for sustainability,” Stiegelmeier said. “However, I do not think we've made decisions that are environmental verses common sense.”

Over the past year, the Board of County Commissioners, along with other local municipalities, has expanded its use of solar, installing arrays on several public facilities and beginning negotiations for a community solar garden. Stiegelmeier said dedicated, voter-approved funds supported those projects, which will ultimately save the county government money in energy costs.

Right for the job

Mastin said his business background and experience working with various county departments prepare him for the role of commissioner, while Stiegelmeier touted her four years' experience in the job.

“Being an incumbent and having gone through that learning curve does make me a better candidate in terms of hitting the ground running once the elections are over,” she said. “I think we have worked really hard during an extremely difficult time, an unprecedented time in terms of the extreme drop in property values and planning ahead for that drop. … I think we've had our nose to the grindstone a lot more than any other group of county commissioners.”

Mastin is a small-business owner and 20-year resident of Summit County. A cartographer, artist and graphic designer, his company, Mastin Group, works with local resorts, real estate developers and government agencies producing maps and project plans. He is a past president and former board member of the Summit Chamber of Commerce and also past president of the board of the Summit Elks Lodge. He and his wife have two daughters and own a small ranch near Ute Pass.

“When you look at the northern half of the county, I definitely feel like I'm a better fit for it,” Mastin said.

Stiegelmeier, a mother and long-time local, was elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2008, besting two other Democrats in the primaries before going on to win the general election over former commissioner Tom Long's wife, Peggy Long, a Republican, and independent Steve Swanson. Prior to her election, Stiegelmeier served as chair of the Blue River Sierra Club group.

Commissioners are elected by the county at large, but represent a specific district. District 3 encompasses the Lower Blue River area.