In a world where government officials often don’t return calls, don’t answer questions or speak in legalese when they finally do, Jack Whitson is an exception.
The Park City administrator returns calls promptly — even providing his cellphone — answers questions and speaks like a normal human.
“If I have a question, he has an answer, and he’ll get me the answer if he doesn’t know,” said developer Lou Robelli, who owns Air Capitol Delivery & Warehouse. “He helped me through . . . the hoops to get started in Park City,” Robelli said. “He’s done a lot for Park City.” That includes helping incorporate the city in 1980.
The Nashville, Tenn., native came to the area through the Air Force and couldn’t believe how affordable housing was in what was then the Park City Improvement District.
He and a couple of other members of the Jaycees club needed a project in 1979 and decided to take on incorporating the city due to how others in the county were treating the area.
Whitson said zoning requests that weren’t approved elsewhere seemed to be sent up to the district.
“The people up here were very upset,” he said. “We felt like if we became our own city, we could deal with those issues.”
Whitson said former Wichita Mayor Bob Knight wasn’t happy about it. Then Bel Aire “jumped on board and wanted to create a city of their own.”
“The city of Wichita said, ‘Whoa, now wait a minute. Enough’s enough.’ ”
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)