Pitkin County commissioners appoint Kara Silverknuckle as county manager
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Summary
Pitkin County's board voted to appoint Kara Silverknuckle as county manager after hearing staff and public remarks; commissioners praised her leadership and highlighted recent county bonding, grant wins and infrastructure plans.
Pitkin County commissioners approved a resolution appointing Kara Silverknuckle as Pitkin County manager at a special meeting on April 1, 2026.
The board took up a single agenda item: the resolution appointing Silverknuckle. Commissioner Patty Clapham moved to approve the resolution and Commissioner Greg Postman seconded. After brief comments from board members and staff, the board approved the appointment by voice vote, with commissioners present voting "aye." The resolution formalized the board's selection following a 90-day interim period.
The chair summarized Silverknuckle's recent work for the county, citing capital and program accomplishments the board associates with her leadership. Highlights included work on a planned 65-year expansion of the county solid-waste center with a well-subscribed bond issuance (the chair described a 10-to-1 bid-to-cover ratio and a double-A rating), purchases to bolster flows in the Roaring Fork River, nearing construction of the Bridal Whitewater Park, and ongoing housing and comprehensive-plan work. The chair also told the board the county expects roughly $34,000,000 in funding to protect and preserve land around Snowmass and that the board would sign a roughly $9,600,000 FAA grant for the airport runway; he said the county filed for nearly $15,000,000 in terminal funding and requested $5,000,000 in congressionally directed spending.
County staff member Lainie Sandoval, who said she has worked with Silverknuckle for eight years, praised Silverknuckle's performance during the COVID-19 response and said she had long predicted Silverknuckle would be the next county manager. "Watching her through COVID was incredible," Sandoval said. Commissioner Greg Postman said Silverknuckle has been part of long-term county efforts and called for outreach so the public can get to know the incoming manager.
Silverknuckle thanked the board and staff and described the appointment as "a surreal moment," saying she did not take the role lightly. "This is the place I call home," she said, noting 12 years of county service and crediting county employees for the work the board highlighted.
The board presented Silverknuckle with a name tag and offered informal congratulations. The meeting adjourned later the same day.
