City Council Special Meeting — January 13, 2026

! Collins City Council to order please join me for the pledge of allegiance !

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Will the clerk please call the roll? Will the clerk please call the roll. Orange? Here.

Francis? Here. Olsen? Here. Padianni? Here. Canonico? Here. Pina Taro? Here. Gutowski? She is absent tonight, and she is ill, and she sends her sincere regrets. So we all miss you, Susan, and thank you, and I hope you get better.

Because this is a special meeting, there will not be general public comment this evening. However, individuals are welcome to comment on the specific agenda items in person or online. There are two agenda items tonight, one for the selection of Mayor Pro Tem and one to review the District 6 vacancy applications, which will be considered after the oaths of office are administered and a reception to welcome incoming council members and a bid farewell to outgoing council members. Our City Manager, Kelly D. Martina, will read the City of Fort Collins land acknowledgement. The land acknowledgment was guided by the Native Nations Community Advisory Panelist team to recognize Indigenous peoples and their connection to the land on which Fort Collins resides and will be read ceremoniously at special events. It is not read at every council meeting in deference to its importance. City Manager DeMartino, would you please read the land acknowledgment?

Thank you, Mayor. It would be my honor. We acknowledge and honor the lands situated within the city of Fort Collins as the original homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa, Pawnee, Shoshone, Sioux, and Ute peoples. This area is an important site of trade, gathering, and healing for those Native nations. These lands are home to a diverse urban Native community representing multiple Native nations and indigenous peoples. Despite forced removal and land disposition, they continue to thrive as resilient members of our community. We are grateful for native community members and honor the rich cultural heritage they bring to our collective community. We further recognize and value their social, intellectual, economic, and cultural contributions. The City of Fort Collins is committed to supporting, partnering, and working with the native and indigenous communities.

Thank You mayor thank you very much okay these are the last words I'm gonna say as mayor of the city for Collins the city clerk will now administer the oath of office to those who are elected in November during this process I am suspending the council rules to allow for applause please go ahead

Testing, can you hear me okay? Check, check. Check, check.

All right. If you will raise your right hand, I in state your name.

I, Chris Conway.

Swear that I will support.

The Constitution of the United States. The Constitution and laws of the State of Colorado.

the charter and ordinances of the city of Fort Collins,

and that I will faithfully perform

the duties of the office

upon which I am about to enter to the best of my abilities.

Congratulations.

hi Josh hi there all right if you raise your right hand I in State your name hi Josh Fuj affirm that I will support affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States the Constitution of the United States the Constitution and laws of the State of Colorado

the Constitution and laws of the State of Colorado the charter and ordinances of the City of Fort Collins the charter and ordinances of the City of Fort Collins and that I will

FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE UPON WHICH I AM ABOUT TO ENTER TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU. I think.

You're ready. I'm ready to go.

Hold on one second. Oh, thank you.

All right. I instate your name. I, Amy Hoven. Swear that I will support.

The Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution and laws of the state of Colorado.

The Charter and Ordinances of the City of Fort Collins.

And that I will faithfully perform. The duties of the office. Upon which I am about to enter. To the best of my ability. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. The Constitution and laws of the state of Colorado, the Charter and Ordinances

of the City of Fort Collins, and that I will faithfully perform the duties of

the office, upon which I am about to enter, to the best of my abilities. Congratulations.

Congratulations, everyone. And someone is now out of office.

Let the record reflect that newly elected council members Chris Conway, Josh Fudge, and Amy Hoeven have now been seated on the dais to begin their service on city council in attendance at this meeting.

We will now recess to allow for photos in the newly seated council and to hold a reception to celebrate the incoming council members and bid farewell to those who have served our city.

The meeting will reconvene at approximately 7 p.m. following the reception.

we will move to the selection of a mayor pro tem who will serve a two-year term and select the district six finalists for interview Thank you everyone for coming out tonight

Welcome back everyone and we are now moving on to our special meeting the first item that we have is for the election of the mayor pro tem for the benefit of the public and those who are interested in the position the responsibilities of the mayor pro tem include the following the mayor pro tem presides over council meetings and work sessions in the absence of the mayor under the city charter under city code the city manager confers with the mayor and mayor pro tem about preparation of the agenda for each council meeting and initiating and developing ordinances and resolutions and the mayor pro tem also assumes the role of acting mayor in the a vacancy in the position of mayor occurs under the terms specified in the city charter the recommended process for electing the mayor pro tem is as follows except input from the public the second is individual council members may announce their interest in the position I will request a motion to elect a candidate if the motion is seconded council move forward with the discussion

and a vote and the process continues until candidate gets four votes are

there any objections to the proposed process all right seeing none would any I assume we don't have a staff presentation we do not have a staff presentation no and it looks like we have four people signed up for public comment on this and so everyone will have three minutes and if you are online please I think everyone is in person but if you are online please raise your hand or press star nine so that we can see you and then you will be called on. All right. So usual rules. Green means you can start. Yellow is you have 30 seconds. And red, we will kindly ask you to stop. So the first person we have is Colin and then folLod by Jenny.

Good evening, Mayor and Councilmembers. My name is Colin Garfield, and I live in District 1. I'm here tonight to express my support for Councilmember Pina Taro as the next Mayor Pro Tem. I've had the privilege of knowing her for nearly 15 years across multiple workspaces, as a friend and as a fellow resident who is deeply committed to the well-being of our community. I'm speaking as an individual who has witnessed her leadership up close. I've engaged with the city in a variety of capacities. I've served as the campaign lead for ballot measure 2B in 2016 and 2017 which ultimately paved the way for connection and I participated in the huge civic assembly in 2025. Drawing on these experiences with expand multiple councils, I strongly encourage this council to select Julia's mayor pro tem. She consistently demonstrates the quality this role requires, including thoughtful leadership, well-prepared and insightful questions, and a commitment to understanding complex materials each week. Specific to the role and duties of mayor pro tem, her depth of institutional knowledge is truly invaluable. She brings focus and respect to every issue before council, not just those within that align with their own personal platform and i know her experiences can be leveraged in this role to help accelerate the newly seated council as they get to work thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening and congratulations to the newly seated council members thank you next we have jenny and then folLod by angie

hello i'm jenny bramhall and i am a local business owner i've lived in fort collins for I don't know, 30 many years. I am here to support Julie Pignotaro's candidacy for mayor pro tem.

I think Julie's longevity here living in this city is a great factor. She's seen lots of change and

has seen the way our community grows and changes over the years. She's expressed interest in three

of the biggest issues that are facing us, which are affordable housing, environmental

stewardship, and transportation. And I think Julie will be someone who we will all look forward to working with and I think should be a great mayor pro tom. Thank you. Thank you. Angie?

Hi there. My name is Angie Dixon and thank you for allowing me to speak in support of Julie Pignotaro as mayor pro tem.

Julie is my district representative for city council. And just through my experience with Julie, she has been very responsive and always very engaged and aware in all the issues that are facing our district in particular and including city council.

I think she is very, has demonstrated deep commitment to her community and constituents. And much has been said tonight is very,

dedicated to continuing to make sure that our city continues to thrive. So I just want to throw my support for Julie and thank you and congratulations again tonight. Thank you. Next we have Matthew online. All right, go ahead, Matthew.

Hi, can you hear me?

Yes, go ahead.

Okay, thank you. I also want to support Councilmember Julie Pignotaro. She is my council member and also a dear friend. Many people may not know that before she was elected to City Council that she volunteered with the League of Women Voters to make sure that all appropriate city public notices and open meeting laws were being folLod, which is kind of the job of Mayor Pro Tem. and also our kids played on the same soccer team. I was her son's soccer coach and I can attest that she always had a calm demeanor on the sidelines, which is a unique trait in Fort Collins and also a very important trait of Mayor Pro Tem. She is very fair. Her values are aligned with the city of Fort Collins. She's passionate about environment and affordable housing and she is extremely savvy and would make a great mayor pro tem and I hope that she receives council

support. That's all. Thank you. That is everyone we have signed up for this item. So now we'll turn it back to council. Are there any council members interested in the position? Yes, council

member Pegg-Hard. Well, believe it or not, I'm actually interested. Thank you for those that came out and spoke in support of me for this position and I hope I will have the support of council thank you great is there anyone else all right seeing none

are is there a motion I move council to designate counts

Council Member Pignataro to Mayor Pro Tem. To elect Mayor Pro Tem. Second. Great. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Yeah, go ahead. Yeah, I just, I wanted to say why I support. I think Council Member Pignataro has some really great experience on council. How many years do you have now? Seven years. And like was mentioned in the public comments, keeps a cool head. Super analytical i just uh really value the perspective you can you bring and i am excited to support you in your quest for this position yes council member conway yeah i just wanted to echo a lot of the

sentiments that we heard in public comment and just say that you know i've known um julie councilman your council member pinotaro for a while um both has been as an advocate and as a friend and i've just seen her do the two things that I think are really important in being an amazing elected official which are listen to constituents and listen to different viewpoints and then also at the end of the day you just got to make tough decisions and stand behind them and she has shown that capacity in spades so that is why I will be supporting her today.

great councilmember fudge I'd also like to happy to support councilmember pinotaro for the role I met her running for this office and she provided some great advice and I look forward to learning from her a lot and anyone who can keep their cool as a soccer parent definitely deserves our support great

any other comments yeah councilmember home I echo what everyone is saying Council member pig notaro has been a huge mentor of mine. I've learned a ton from you You're extremely knowledgeable. You're extremely dedicated and I really look forward to working with you

Well, I will also be supporting council member pig notaro not only because she's the only one interested But because Julie and I were first elected together and I've had the pleasure of serving her with her for over Almost seven years, and I think she'll be an excellent person and I look forward if this motion passes to working with you All right. Will the clerk please call the roll?

Francis. Yes. Hoven. Yes. Paddyandi. Yes. Fudge. Yes. Pina Taro. Yes. Conway. Yes.

Great. That passes 6-0. And congratulations. And we will move on to item number two, which is determining the finalist to be interviewed for the District 6 Councilmember vacancy. Is there a staff presentation on this item?

We do not have a staff presentation, but we are happy to answer any questions.

Okay, great. We do have public comment on this item, and so those members will also get three minutes as well. So we will start with Jill and then go to Caleb. Once again, green means you can start, yellow is 30 seconds, and red, we'll kindly ask you to stop your comments. So with that, we will start with Jill.

Thank you for this opportunity. I'm Jill Barron. I've lived in Fort Collins since 1981, and I have the privilege of knowing Liana Warren since 2020 when she joined my research team at Colorado State University as a student hourly. This was the beginning of COVID, as you remember. We spent many hours talking in the car and walking on the trail, and since then, about her life and her goals. My respect for what she's already accomplished is enormous. So Liana's story is a true tale of American success, showing what one determined and very optimistic person can accomplish. Liana grew up in Houston in a family that did not, does not, value education. She disagreed and struck out on her own to get the education that she wanted. She started first in community colleges in Texas. She came up to Front Range Community College where she earned her bachelor, her associate's degree. And in 2020, she got a Wolves to Ram scholarship to complete her degree at Colorado State University. She supported herself doing whatever she could during the time as a research assistant, a climbing instructor, doing Instacart, doing a lot of dog sitting and various other odd jobs to pay for her rent and living expenses, but she's still found time to volunteer for both conservation projects and political campaigns. She worked for Beto O'Rourke's campaign in Texas and most recently for Emily Francis's mayoral campaign. Liana's passion for environmental conservation is matched by her passion for working towards social justice. For her, there's no difference between the two. In order to achieve equity and dignity for underserved communities, you must also provide clean air, clean water, clean air, clean air, and thriving ecosystems in order to make them both survive. So she's used her education to ground her knowledge and give her the knowledge she needs to succeed. But education for her own sake, for its own sake, was never her goal. She continues to learn and has recently apprenticed with Larimer County Commissioner Kristen Stevens. She wants to be a public servant. She is a public servant right now working for the Colorado Energy Office, but because she never wants to stop, she wants to do more. Her ambition to make the world a better place has driven her collaboratively to gain the skills and experience that she now has to serve on city council. And I know that if she were able to get this opportunity, she would serve the city very well. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next we have

Caleb. All right. Good evening. Jill said it way better than I did. So I'll try to keep this short. My name is Caleb. My wife and I have been homeowners here for the last two years. We're in District 6 and we've been here for about 10 years. And I just wanted to show support for Liana Warren as a potential candidate for the vacancy here in District 6. We've known her for a couple years, like I said. We've been neighbors with her. And both her and her partner have been awesome neighbors. And I think there's a few things that would be really good reasons for her to fill this role. First thing is that she has really fostered a sense of community and has been really actively engaged with all of our surrounding neighbors from things like the annual HalLoen parties to board night games or board game nights and just really reaching out to us and being actively engaged. She's, you know, with the windstorms and tree branches are falling down, she reached out and made sure everyone was okay and, you know, nobody got any damage or anything like that. Second thing is that I've just seen her be really passionate in driving positive change in her community. She has really stepped up and did a lot of volunteering. I've seen her do with like musicians festivals and the campaign work she's done for Emily Francis for her mayorship. And I've just seen her professionalism and her just drive and how much she cares about the people around her. Yeah, I think that she's really just driven and she would be an awesome representative for the younger demographic in Fort Collins. And I think you should consider her for a candidacy. So, yeah, thank you for your time.

Thank you. Next we have Tori remotely. Go ahead, Tori.

Thank you for the opportunity. I'm Tori Pappas and I recommend Ann Nelson to fill the vacant seat in District 6. Out of respect for council's time, Ann felt it important to have just one person speak on her behalf. So with the input and support of many others, I'm here to share why Ann is exceptionally well-suited to represent District 6. What stands out most about Ann is her character and how she leads.

She's thoughtful, measured, and deeply prepared. During the PSD school closure attempt, Anne created a detailed analysis of historical school infrastructure funding that helped the school board better understand current facilities' issues. And her ability to ground today's choices in historical and financial context is a real strength she would bring to city council. Anne's leadership shows up in how she engages during complex discussions. She listens carefully, weighs multiple viewpoints, and asks questions that keep conversations grounded and productive. I've seen her navigate disagreements by maintaining focus on shared goals and clear constraints, helping groups move forward constructively. Anne is uniquely qualified to address one of Fort Collins' most pressing challenges. affordable housing. As an architect, she brings extensive practical knowledge of how housing actually gets built, from zoning development codes to design and construction. She also prioritizes energy-efficient, climate-responsive design in her work and translates policy goals

into real-world results that expand access, maintain quality, and strengthen communities.

Beyond her technical expertise, Anne brings governance experience that closely mirrors city council responsibilities. Through her work on the Historic Preservation Commission, the PSD District Advisory Board, and the Housing Catalyst Board, she navigates long, complex meetings, balances competing priorities, and oversees significant budgets. This combination of experience and commitment gives Anne the perspective and judgment needed to make thoughtful, effective decisions on city council. Professionally, Anne manages large teams, multiple clients and projects ranging from small scale to multi-million dollar budgets.

Through this work, she's built strong relationships across city staff, bringing both institutional knowledge and collaborative experience.

I hope you will appoint Anne not only for what she knows, but for how she leads and whom she serves. She brings integrity, rigor, and a steady commitment to the public good. I strongly recommend her for the District 60.

Thank you. Thank you. Next we have Tate, and then folLod by Sandra.

Hello, my name is Tate Williams and I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. First, I should say congratulations to the newly elected council and mayor. Tonight

I'd like to speak in favor of Leanna Warren's candidacy for the vacant district 6 council seat. I first met Leanna Warren in graduate school when she was completing her master's in political science at Colorado State University. While there, she specialized in public policy, American politics, and environmental policy. I first knew her as a departmental colleague, but this engaging, passionate, and determined person quickly became a close friend. I would love to speak to her professional qualifications for the city council seat, but the impressive application materials listing her experience with the Colorado Energy Office, electoral work, community advocacy, and advanced education are already publicly available to council. It'd take far too long to list the multitude of ways she's engaged with her community here in Ford Collins. Instead, I'd like to tell you about how Liana Warren lives her values. You might have heard her say that she supports sustainability, but as someone who has used the compostable kitchen sponges and repurposed jars in her home many times, I can guarantee she goes beyond talking about sustainability in her day-to-day life. Sure, you'll have heard Liana describe her passion for community and mobility, but in the heat of summer, I've biked with her to events rather than driven many times, despite the sweating complaints from myself. You may have heard her say that she wants to create a sense of belonging in the city, but I've been there, yawning and tired, at a venue with Liana and friends because she's adamant we can't only watch the first band of the evening, that the last band is herbs to feel supported and welcome, that we need to stay for them too, and she does every single time. You'll hear her say she prioritizes ambitious policy goals while understanding Council's challenge of resource constraints. As someone who has lost to her in many, many Games of Catan, a ruthless board game of resources and construction, I can confidently say she is uniquely capable of managing long-term priorities within the context of short-term limitations. In fact, I think she's beat me every time. While compostable kitchen sponges, bikes, last bands of the evening, and board games may not appear directly relevant in isolation to the requirements of the vacant city council seat, there are just few of the very many ways my friend and former colleague, Liana Warren, lives out the values which would directly make council a more sustainable, community-oriented, affordable, and just place. I want to live in that city, the one that Liana wants to help Fort Collins become, and I know she'd be very capable in doing so. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Sandra? And folLod by that, we'll have Sean.

Hi. My name is Sandra. I'm used to being called Sammy, so that's how I'll introduce myself to you. I've known Van Doherty for about five years or better, and in the course of this time, I've learned he is a man of conviction, compassion, and community. He's a tenacious

man focused on doing the right thing, guided by a strong moral compass. The importance of building and maintaining a strong community, respectful of differences it can contain, and guided by a desire to bring community together for the good of all. I know he will strive to accomplish that,

maintaining respect for differences, and informing a cohesive and united community. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Next we have Shawn folLod by Sarah. Next we have Sean folLod by Siri.

! Hello everybody. I don't know why after even 20 years of doing this this is still intimidating to stand up here. ! Good evening new and returning City Council members and Ms. ! Thank you for your service to this wonderful community. ! My name is Sean Dougherty. I'm a local realtor. I've been a member of the local legislative affairs committee for with the Chamber of Commerce for 14 years. And I've participated in many city and county commissions committees and workshops over 20 years. 장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님장님 committees and workshops over 20 years. I'm here tonight to speak about my son Van Dougherty and his interest in the vacant District 6 City Council seat. When Van asked me about throwing his hat in the ring for the vacant seat, I knew that he could be a very good City Council person with his knowledge of the people of the city and their wants and

needs. He has been actively watching the trials and tribulations of City Council that has had on their plates for the past few years. What I wasn't aware of was the depth

of his research. When I read his application I was pleasantly surprised at how much knowledge

he has about so many different city policies. It's really neat to watch his curiosity lead to researching what affects him and his community both good and not so good and how he can get involved for the betterment of the community. I'm thrilled to see it as we need more people

who are interested in participating. I'm not asking you to just blindly support Vance's desire to serve on City Council but I am asking you to please put him forward for an interview tomorrow evening I think his answers to your questions will be well thought out and intelligent and if he earns your vote to be appointed it would give you another fresh voice and demographic on the Fort Collins City Council thank you very much thank you next we have Siri

all right hello my name is Siri Williams I would like to introduce myself to you all I haven't met many of you and I'm in fact applying for the district 6 position and with that I just want to share a little bit about myself and my view of Fort Collins and I want to do that with a story when I was in my mid-20s I was a field biologist I was traveling all around going to all the sorts at different cities across the Western US. And I'd love Fort Collins to do this. And every city I got to had a little quirk to it. When I came back to Fort Collins, it had been a little bit of time. And it was really, it's like, what is the thing that's about Fort Collins that is like the heart of the city? And I ran into someone who taught yoga at the jail. And that, to me, was the quintessential Fort Collins spirit.

This idea of watching the reality of life and trying to boost it up by people volunteering their time and serving.

I'm a trained scientist. I've worked in field biology. I've worked in agriculture.

I'm a geneticist. I'm now working in astrobiology, trying to find a metric for life in space, which is a really fun project.

My plan is to take this skill set that I have and come here, and hopefully apply it to being a really good city council member. I'm very good at digging into data. I'm good at analyzing things. I'm going to ask him questions and also solving problems. So with that, I just want you to know that I care and I would be very happy to be able to serve. Thank you so much. Thank you. Next, we have John folLod by Amy.

Hello. Thanks for your time. My name is John Gaffney. I've been a resident of District 6 here in Fort Collins for going on 17 years. and I'm here tonight to express my vigorous support for Jen Fieldhack for the District 6 vacancy. My wife and I have lived over in Hannah Farm since about 2012, 2013, and Jen moved in about seven years ago. In the last six to seven years, we've become very close, and I've had a chance to really get to know her and really appreciate the breadth and depth of professional and personal experience and talents that she has. Just to speak to a few of those things, Jen is a passionate volunteer and cares very much about our community. I see her walking the Animal Friends Alliance dogs. I see her fostering those dogs for the last five to six years. My wife happens to be a veterinarian in town, and animals are very dear to our heart, and that's something that's drawn us very close to Jen and her family. I believe you can tell a lot about a person by the way they volunteer and treat animals. Another thing that Jen is very passionate about in this community is the affordability crisis we have truly happening right in front of our eyes in the city. And I think she's got a ton of ideas and a ton of professional experience that will help bring some new perspectives and ideas to tackle those things. in the interest of not going taking too much more of your time I'll let you look at her resume and I would encourage you to give her an interview tomorrow I think she would be an amazing asset not only to the residents of District 6 but to the city at large as well as city staff and the rest of City Council it's good to see you all I congratulate all the new members and Mayor Francis thank you for your time have a great New Year thank you next we have Amy and then folLod

by Sue. Good evening, Mayor and City Council members. My name is Amy Burnett in District 6.

I'm speaking to show my support for Jen Fieldhack for District 6. The way Jen engages with people in

our community, she's the embodiment of the oft-overused phrase, think globally, act locally. She loves Fort Collins and her passion for it is contagious.

I met Jen through a mutual affinity for fostering shelter dogs. If you've ever fostered, you know that there are few more selfless acts of service than voluntarily inviting an unknown homeless pup into your home, assuring them that their life is about to get better while they howl in frustration and pee on your rug.

Although it's a big stretch from reassuring a scared dog to speaking with disgruntled constituents, I imagine that some of you in this room can relate to the challenge of meeting the diverse needs of individuals, assuring them that you have their best interests in mind, while earning and

keeping their trust. Jen is your person for that. I may be biased, but Jen is the person that I want in my corner when issues arise. She's a problem solver and an expert listener. She'll make you feel like you're the only person in the world when she listens. In both her friendships and in her

business client world, she works to not only solve a complaint, but goes above and beyond to help

people live their very best lives. And isn't that all why we all live here? Talk about quality of

life. I know how passionate she is about this opportunity to serve our amazing city. Any

community would be lucky to have her on its leadership team and I'm glad she's running for my district thank you for your consideration thank you next we have sue

hello my name is sue McShane and I've lived in Fort Collins for about 26 years now and I am privileged to know Jen Fieldhack. I'm here to highly recommend her for the District 6 rep. She's my neighbor. She lives a few doors down. The first time I met her, I was struck at

her passion just for Fort Collins. Like she's my go-to person if I want to know what's going on in Fort Collins. She knows everything, what music is playing, where to go. She knows a lot of people

and she's really great at bringing people together. She also, if I could describe her in three descriptive words,

dynamic, charismatic, and passionate. She's the most passionate person I know.

She loves animals. You'll see her walking down the block fostering dogs every day. She deeply cares about people.

She deeply cares about environmental sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion,

and also I think I already said environmental sustainability. I don't want to repeat myself, but she is just an amazing person. She's a great friend. She cares deeply about people and the environment. She's a great listener. She is the life of the party as well, and she's a great leader. She'll be great at bringing people together. Also, I think she would be a fantastic asset as a council rep for District 6, and I highly

recommend her. Thank you.

Thank you. That is everyone. We have signed up for public. Oh, we have one more. Sorry, Tom. Go ahead. Sorry about that, Tom.

Good evening. My name is Tom Livingston. I was born and raised in Fort Collins, and I'm here tonight to speak in support of Ted Shepard to fill the position. And when I read in the paper on Sunday that he was a candidate, I was just so beside myself to think of what a wonderful opportunity it is for you in the council positions. You have such an important and a big job. and Ted has had a 20 year plus 25 almost 30 year career plus here in in planning with the city Fort Collins and for you to have him on your city council as a resource to collaborate with on all of the most important issues that I think you're faced with today he's had a first hand in he's been involved in his years as a planner working with all the different utility companies the neighborhoods, hearing the people's input from the community to help create value through developments. I personally had a long-term and still am active in the real estate development business. Very early on in my career, I started about the same time Ted did. I became very comfortable collaborating with Ted and asking him for his ideas on different projects that I was asked to pursue. And I can't tell you how much I appreciated that relationship through my entire career. And I feel like it made a substantial difference in the quality of the projects and the developments that I was able to be part of in this community. So I'm just so excited for the prospect of you guys having him on your team. I can't imagine how much You will someday thank yourselves if you do select him for his Value add to what you're trying to accomplish here and making Fort Collins a better place. Thank you very much. Thank you

All right now that is all the public comment we have for this evening. Thank you everyone for coming out Before I turn it back over to council

I just want to take a moment and thank everyone who applied for the vacancy I think even just putting your name forward and and And taking the leap is a big step in wanting to serve your community So I just want to thank you and also acknowledge that many of us know many of the applicants And so it is a difficult conversation to have and so I just want to acknowledge that and and thank you again for your application So with that, I will turn it over to council for any questions or comments

Council member Pignettar

I'm happy to start um I want to echo, um, thank you all so much, uh, for filling out the application and yes, it is a big step just to put your, um, name in the ring. So we ended up, uh, with 13 applications to read. All of you obviously spent time thinking about it, um, and on all your answers and all, um, yeah, just very much appreciate that. But, um, there are so many ways to go about this.

And as a reminder, Melanie Patiandi is a member who was appointed back way back in 2021. It was pandemic times. And then we had, I think, nine applicants, if I remember correctly. And so for me, and I'll do this similarly as I did then, is the first step for me is to think about those that actually took the further step to reach out to everyone on council and meet with them. I think that showed a lot or shows a lot of foresight and making sure you want to know who you'll be serving with for the next two years. So in this case, five people did reach out. one of them decided she did not want to run because she didn't wasn't sure the workload

was going to work with her life so I would like to put forth at least four of those and that is the four that reached out are Emily Galichette, Ann Nelson, Kat Steele, and Liana Warren

and then I will stop there so we can continue the conversation I also want to add similar to the mayor like we really start these new council members off with a tough decision to make and one that you have to do verbally for two nights in a row so I wouldn't say it's easier after this but it gets different so

Thanks. Thank you. Council Member Paiondi. Yeah, thank you both for starting out with thanking all the applicants. We were, I was impressed with the amount of really rocking applicants we had with a wide variety of experiences from lived experience to, you know, education to owning businesses. We've just had a lot of choices. And again, thank you for all the time. I'm going to echo Councilwoman Pina Taro. Gosh, we're like real informal tonight. Councilwoman Pina Taro's recommendation of Kat Steele and Nelson Emily Gallasho and Leanna Warren I think those are folks that really stood out to me and in addition I would like to put forward Ted Shepard as a potential fifth candidate I think just the level of experience that he's bringing is Worthy of an interview tomorrow night. So I'd like to put that name in the conversation as well Thank you other council members

Yeah, council member foot

Thank you. Yeah, I agree with the other council members who have spoken and congratulations on Yeah, I agree with the other council members who have spoken and congratulations on applying for this role. ! I know how that can be and there were a lot of great applications, a lot of very diverse experience. ! I too met with four members and they've been mentioned earlier and so I'd like to put them forward as well. ! I would also like to put in a plug for Van Doherty because of his experience and diversity of experience and outlook. ! I think he might be a good candidate to interview as well. Thank you.

as well thank you great other council members council member conway yeah um i think um this was a tough start to being a council person because um as i found when i was running for city council you know fort collins is just filled with um such a depth of experience and intelligence and and passion and commitment to the city and to the community that lives in that city. And so, you know, I was just really impressed with all the applications that came in. You know, I think council member Pat Yandy, you know, started on it, but we had scientists and public health people and business people, environmentalists, educators, all different kinds of folks throw their name in the ring. And, you know, I thought a lot about, you know, the ability to communicate clearly to the public and how to listen to the public. And then also, can you, you know, can people work in a group? And I thought so many people, I think, demonstrated that ability and it made it a tough choice. I think I in reading the applications I thought the names you know I also met with the four that were mentioned and I agree that I want to move those four along and then I would say given the you know given the challenges that this council is going to face moving forward with affordability I'd also like to put in a plug for Ted Shepard as well I think that experience can't be ignored and So I just like to thank all the applicants and appreciate everyone who came and testified.

Thank you. Council Member Hoffen. Thank you. I echo everything that everyone on council has said. I greatly appreciate the four candidates who reached out to me that also met with other council members to share your story. It was very impactful. I also then reached out to a few more of the applicants because I had just questions and I wanted, because their applications were so impressive that I wanted to learn a little bit more. And so I thank those applicants as well for sharing their story. and I will go ahead and move forward. Ann Nelson and Emily Gallagher, Leanna Warren and Kat Steele. And I do echo what Council Member Conway said. I'd like to push forward, as difficult of a decision it is for me, I'd like to push forward Ted Shepard to the experience. You stated it well, that it's undeniable and I appreciate it very much. So thank you.

Well, it's really helpful to hear everyone's opinion and review of the applicants. I think, you know, I just felt an immense sense of pride

representing District 6 for almost seven years and then seeing the quality of the applicants who are interested in filling the vacancy.

So again, just a big thank you for District 6 for stepping up and wanting to be involved and giving back to your community.

I would agree with the four not only because they reached out to me because I just think that when I think about the needs of the district they are well matched and I would agree that Ted Shepard has a great understanding of district six as well and has a good background and experience with the city and serving on planning and zoning and I think he would be a great fifth edition.

Any other discussion. Is there a motion for the item.

Okay. I move approval of resolution 2026-007 determining the finalists to be interviewed for the District 6 Council Member vacancy, filling in the five slots with Ted Shepard, Kat Steele, Liana Warren, Emily Galichot, and Ann Nelson.

Second. Great we have a motion by councilmember Pignotaro and a second by councilmember Pat Yandy. Is there any further discussion?

Yeah, just to wrap it up everybody has said how incredible it is that you threw your hat in the ring I also wanted to for those who are not moving forward with an interview Please know that I think all of us think you've got leadership Skills or you would not have put your your hat into the ring for this you're clearly devoted to this community I think this is probably the beginning of the journey for a lot of you. So, again, thank you for your application. Thank you. Anything else?

Yeah, Council Member Fingert. Yeah, well put, Council Member Patiandi. And I also want to add, just as a reminder, that this, because this is an appointment, it's only a two-year seat. So for those that may not move to the interview tomorrow, you could start planning your campaign now because it's only two years away. So thank you.

An unfortunate side effect of filling a vacancy is having to run back to back I will also remind everyone that boards and commissions will be accepting applications so those who are not selected to move forward or if you Aren't the finalist tomorrow night. I highly recommend applying to our boards and commissions So with that will the clerk please call the roll

Hovind Yes, patty on D. Yes fudge. Yes pinatero. Yes Conway. Yes, Francis. Yes

that motion passes 6-0 the meeting is now adjourned but please note that council will be meeting tomorrow at 6 p.m. for a work session to hold interviews for the finalists selected tonight folLod by a special meeting to appoint that person to the 6-6 vacancy so thank you everyone thank you for coming tonight and good night Fort Collins

Thank you.