JACKSON, Wyo. — Vice Mayor Arne Jorgensen announced on Sunday that he will seek reelection to the Jackson Town Council.
“During my four years in office — and especially in the last two years — I have seen the real-life stressors and pains of making ends meet in an increasingly more expensive region,” Jorgensen said in a prepared statement. “I will continue to provide a thoughtful positive voice to our dialogues in a way that improves the place that we have been fortunate enough to call home for all community members — not just the loudest in the room.”
Jorgensen is seeking his second term. He was elected to the council in 2018 and named vice mayor by Mayor Hailey Morton Levinson in January 2021.
He noted his conflicts of interest for the record upon being appointed vice mayor. He owns Hawtin Jorgensen Architects and is a founding board member of the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust,but stopped attending meetings.
“I have no ongoing effort or involvement there,” he said.
His father’s old firm, Jorgensen Associates, does a lot of work with the town but Jorgensen explained he has no involvement with the company beyond a summer job in high school and college.
In his announcement for another term, Jorgensen has highlighted the urgency of addressing growth and inequity.
“We are at a tipping point between becoming a resort only in place of a community first. We should view our discussions through this lens and be sure that we are looking to reinforce a community of people while respecting place.”
