S’mass History: Meet Mary Drake

In a November 1978 Aspen Times article about the newly formed town of Snowmass Village, we meet Nancy Drake, the first employee besides the newly elected Mayor Jack Schuss.

“Bit by bit, the departments have been taking shape. At first, Schuss and Mary Drake, town clerk, handled everything. Drake, from Carbondale, had worked for former Aspen Police Chief Marty Hersey and was a friend of Aspen City Clerk Kathy Hauter before she was hired,” the article stated. “She started Jan. 3, 1978, and is responsible for elections as a deputy clerk for the county. She issues business and sales tax licenses, liquor license applications, goes to board meetings, and is responsible for records, publishing and posting, correspondence, setting up interviews, and paying bills. In the early days, Mayor Schuss used to tell visitors, ‘She runs the town.’ Sometimes, Drake said, it still seems that way.”