A Surprise Honor for a Lifetime of Service to Fallon

Fallon City Councilwoman Kelly Frost knew something was up when Mayor Ken Tedford and Chief of Staff Bob Erickson insisted she leave a conference in Reno for an important meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Oct. 22. Especially since neither would tell her what the meeting was about.

When she arrived, Erickson took her to the mayor's office, where Tedford explained that he wanted a photograph with her in the council chambers before she left office in January.

It sounded perfectly reasonable. Until she walked through the doors.

Frost said it didn’t take long for her to realize that she was not there for a meeting after all. "The mayor and chief of staff, Bob Erickson, pulled one over on me," she said. Waiting inside were U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, city employees, colleagues, and members of Frost's family, all gathered to honor her nearly 13 years of service to Fallon.

Cortez Masto presented Frost with a commemorative letter recognizing her contributions to Fallon. "It was very touching and moving," recalled Frost, who added that the surprise was complete, right down to her family, who had managed to keep her in the dark about the senator’s visit.

“My family kept it totally quiet,” Frost said. “I had no clue.”

For Frost, who was born and raised in Fallon, the recognition was especially meaningful. Yet even as she talked about the honor, she was quick to acknowledge the countless others who give their time to the community. She noted that the senator could have recognized hundreds, if not thousands, of other people who volunteer and work to make Fallon a better place to live.

"I've just been truly… humbled and honored to be able to serve," she said, reflecting on her years in office.

Frost's connection to the community began long before she joined the City Council. She spent 26 years teaching at Churchill County High School, primarily teaching American government, after beginning her teaching career in Battle Mountain.

In March 2014, she was appointed to the City Council to fill a vacancy left by former City Councilwoman Rachel Dahl. Frost continued teaching while serving on the council until her retirement from the school district in 2018, although now, she is not sure how she managed both for four years.

After nearly 13 years in city government, Frost is preparing to leave office because of term limits. She said her tenure with the city has been rewarding, particularly having been given the opportunity to help people directly, which isn’t always possible in higher levels of government service.

"I've enjoyed working in local government because it seems like you have more of an impact," she said. "If a constituent comes to you with a problem. We work on a solution and try to remedy that problem."

Over the years, Frost has watched Fallon grow and has been involved in projects that have helped shape the community. She recalls working with the senior citizens coalition during the development of the William N. Pennington Life Center and seeing the Pennington Youth Club become a reality.

She is also proud of improvements to the city's parks and recreation facilities, including the Splash Pad and the pickleball courts at Oats Park, as well as the nearly finished fitness court at Laura Mills Park, an idea she brought back after learning about a similar facility in Lovelock.

Her work in tourism has been another source of enjoyment. A self-described cheerleader for Fallon, Frost has spent years encouraging visitors to discover the community and supporting events that bring residents together.

From the annual Christmas tree lighting and ice skating to the city's Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony, she appreciates the traditions that make Fallon feel like home.

Not every accomplishment is something residents can necessarily see, she said. Improvements to the city's electrical and water systems may not draw the same attention as a new park or community building, but they are just as important. "That's not as exciting or glamorous,” Frost said. "But when you don't have it, you notice it."

Her years in office also brought challenges, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when city leaders struggled to balance the needs of businesses and employees with public health concerns.

But some of the hardest moments were more personal, including saying goodbye to city employees who retired, moved on, or died.

Through it all, Frost said she has been fortunate to work alongside people who care deeply about Fallon. She credits Tedford, Erickson, and the late Mike Mackedon as mentors who helped her learn the many responsibilities of city government.

She also acknowledges her family, especially her husband, Russ, for supporting her through years of meetings, conferences, and community obligations.

Their daughters, Allison and Samantha, attended the surprise celebration. Allison is pursuing a master's degree in speech pathology at the University of Nevada, while Samantha teaches kindergarten at Lahontan Elementary School. Their son, Dawson, was unable to attend.

As for what comes next, Frost hasn't made many plans. She enjoys traveling and playing senior softball, which she affectionately calls "old lady softball," and looks forward to having more time for both.

This time, retirement may actually mean retirement.

After retiring from teaching in 2018, she was still on the go as much as ever. “I had the city council,” she said, referring to the responsibilities of serving as an elected city representative.

Still, she isn't ruling out finding another way to serve. "I don't know what life will bring," Frost said. "If I see something that I think I can make a positive impact on, then I may jump at that opportunity."

For now, she is enjoying the memories, the friendships, and the unexpected honor of having her years of service recognized by a United States senator.

And perhaps the sweetest part of the surprise was discovering just how many people wanted to be there to say thank you.