BY KAREN BOSSICK

Hailey’s new City Administrator Lisa Horowitz will become on April 1. Horowitz has been Hailey’s community development director since January 2015.

She replaces Heather Dawson, who announced she will retire May 31.

“I have always considered it important to hire from within and with Lisa’s experience and talent, we had the perfect candidate for the job. I look forward to working with Lisa in her new role with the City,” said Hailey Mayor Martha Burke.

Horowitz has a bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois. Her career highlights include:

• Steering Hailey over the last eight years of the Great Recession into a period of high development.
• Navigating complex annexations with substantial open space protection and strides in workforce housing.
• Serving the City of Ketchum through its major comprehensive plan update, reduction in the scale of downtown buildings and additional hillside protections.
• Growth management planning in the greater Seattle metro area.

“I have greatly enjoyed my local government service, and in particular my last eight years at the City of Hailey.  As a long‐time Hailey resident, I am deeply committed to the well‐being of this community, and I look forward to serving in the capacity of City Administrator,” said Horowitz.  “Hailey is a special town, and I am committed to working with our community to foster our greatest assets and lifestyle.”

Horowitz’s predecessor Heather Dawson said circumstances in her personal life need her to prioritize her family.

Dawson served for 14 years as Hailey City Administrator. She had been promoted to that position in 2008, from City Clerk/Treasurer, which position she held since March of 1990.

Dawson served under eight mayors during her 32-year career with the City of Hailey.

“Each mayor brought differing perspectives and style to city government, and with each transition it was like getting a new job, each time with a bit more experience behind me,” Dawson said. “This work's mission has been critically fundamental, the effort fruitful and deeply rewarding. I will truly miss it.”

Burke said the city will miss Dawson: “In the mandated operations of city government, with so many required nuts, bolts, and processes, she brings a deep knowledge of people, along with so much institutional knowledge. She is highly analytical and deeply intuitional both at the same time.”