As part of municipal elections happening across the county, voters elected Chris Carran, Erin Young, Kelly Baldwin and Tim Applegate to serve on Silverthorne Town Council for the next four years.

In this election, 851 voters submitted ballots. In addition to council members, Silverthorne residents also voted to raise the lodging tax from 2% to 6%. The ballot question specified that taxes would go to any legal municipal need. The town has not voted to raise lodging taxes since 1998.

Carran received received the most votes in the race, 502 in total. Following behind was Erin Young with 487 votes. Incumbent Kelly Baldwin and Tim Applegate received 393 and 351 votes, respectively.

Mayor Ann-Marie Sandquist ran unopposed for the mayoral seat, which means she will continue to serve as the mayor of Silverthorne for the next four years. She received 602 votes.

A resident of Summit County for over a decade, Applegate said he wants to prioritize community growth and infrastructure, traffic and transportation, and outdoor recreation as a Silverthorne Town Council member.

Applegate, a restaurateur who owns or operates eight restaurants in the county such as Sauce on the Blue, said during the candidate forum that he’d like to increase wildfire mitigation efforts, including working with other stakeholders who can help present additional climate change strategies.

“I just got off of a planning commission meeting a half hour ago, so it’s kind of funny to think of the stuff that we can do … and I’m excited about it,” Applegate said Tuesday night. “I think development in town is the first thing I want to focus on. Making sure that it’s done the right way is going to be key for us in the future.”

Young, who has previously served as a Summit School District Board of Education member, said she would prioritize workforce housing, child care and open space management.

Young said during the forum that she wants to “make climate change cool” so other community members become more engaged in the issue. She said she’d like to see how developments can encompass various sustainability initiatives in a way that’s good for business and that the town should look at its transportation initiatives and wildfire mitigation.

“I’m excited. I think there’s a lot of great opportunities that the town is looking at and just happy to be a part of the work,” Young said shortly after results were released. “My main priorities are still to focus on making sure that the people who live here have a place to live in and people who are staying here have a place to raise their children in and that the businesses that are here have an economy that’s thriving and supportive — and to do it in a way that’s sustainable to our environment.”

Carran, the owner of Locals Liquors in Silverthorne, prioritized locals, infrastructure and the environment.

During the Town Council forum, Carran said she supports the pay-as-you-throw program, which encourages residents to limit their waste, and said she’d like to focus more on educating visitors about sustainable practices. She said she’d like to see more bus routes added to the Summit Stage and that these could go a long way in getting visitors to local ski resorts. She also said she wants make sure Silverthorne has the infrastructure to support residents and visitors.

“We need to provide an opportunity for people to live, work and raise their families here,” Carran wrote in her introduction at the beginning of campaign season. “Unchecked growth will be the demise of our community. As a member of Town Council, I will bring an understanding of the challenges of raising a family and running a business in Silverthorne and Summit County.”

Baldwin is the only incumbent who vied for a seat on the Town Council. A 16-year resident of Silverthorne, she is also the owner and operator of Elevation Bookkeeping, a bookkeeping and consulting business.

During the forum, Baldwin advocated for programs like electric vehicle charging stations, sustainable building codes and other policies that will “follow the science,” especially since Summit County’s economy depends on its environment. During her campaign, she focused on workforce housing, emergency services and traffic.

“I want to ensure that Silverthorne residents have adequate fire protection and EMS services close to home,” she wrote in her introduction. “We live in the midst of a wildfire zone, and wildfire season is growing longer and stronger. Silverthorne residents deserve to feel confident that in case of an emergency, they will have both fire and EMS protection and support that is rapid and that they can rely on.”