HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 01/05/2021 - DISTRICT 4 COUNCIL VACANCY Agenda Item 16
Item # 16 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY January 5, 2021
City Council
STAFF
Delynn Coldiron, City Clerk
Carrie Daggett, City Attorney
SUBJECT
District 4 Council Vacancy.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to provide opportunity for the public to offer comments on the applicants for the
District 4 Council vacancy, to give Councilmembers an opportunity to identify finalists who will move forward to
the interview process, and to consider changes to the established process to fill the vacancy, if desired.
Applications for the District 4 Vacancy were received from:
1. Jessica Dyrdahl 5. Shirley Peel
2. Erin Hottenstein 6. Melanie Potyondy
3. Philip Jensen 7. Sidna Rachid
4. Veronica Olivas 8. William Wright
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
The Council discussed the process for filling this vacancy at the November 24, 2020 Work Session.
Resolution 2020-113 (attached) describes the agreed upon process and timeline. The items remaining
include:
January 5, 2021 - Adjourn to January 12, 2020 (may need to call special meeting instead).
January 6, 2021 - Special Meeting for applicant interviews, scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Interview specifics:
• The Special Meeting will be conducted using remote (Zoom) technology.
• Each applicant will have a time-limited opportunity to provide an opening statement in random order
determined by the City Clerk. Applicants will not be sequestered or required to leave the room during
questioning of other applicants.
• Questioning of all applicants will proceed, beginning with the Mayor asking a question for each
applicant to answer in turn, and then continuing with each successive Councilmember asking a
question for each of the applicants to answer. There will be opportunity for follow up or clarifying
questions from Councilmembers after all applicants have responded to each question. The order of
responding to each question will rotate among the applicants.
• After the completion of Councilmember questions, each applicant will have a time-limited opportunity
to provide a closing statement.
Agenda Item 16
Item # 16 Page 2
• If a large number of applicants is interviewed, Council may choose to vote to narrow the field to a
number of finalists. Otherwise, Council will make no decisions at its Special Meeting regarding the
applicants moving forward to the next step of the process.
January 12, 2021 - Adjourned meeting (may change to special meeting).
Selection process and Resolution making appointment:
• Members of the public will be invited to provide comments to Council at any time at
CityLeaders@fcgov.com or in care of the City Clerk at the address above, regarding the applicants
and the Council’s selection of an appointee.
• Council will take action to select an appointee. The public will have an opportunity to comment at the
beginning of the discussion, as on all discussion items, with the time limit for comment set by the
Mayor based on the number of speakers.
• After completion of public comment, Council will discuss the applicants.
• The City Clerk will provide a resolution with a blank for the name of the appointee as part of the
Council’s agenda materials. After discussing the applicants, Council will then, by motion, propose
appointees until the resolution with a named appointee receives a majority vote.
January 19, 2021 - Regular Council Meeting.
• Oath of office will be administered to the new appointee.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Jessica Dyrdahl (PDF)
2. Erin Hottenstein (PDF)
3. Philip Jensen (PDF)
4. Veronica Olivas (PDF)
5. Shirley Peel (PDF)
6. Melanie Potyondy (PDF)
7. Sidna Rachid (PDF)
8. William Wright (PDF)
9. Community Feedback on Applicants (PDF)
10. Resolution 2020-113 (PDF)
11. PowerPoint Presentation (PDF)
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 2
Erin Hottenstein
970-430-5370 | electhottenstein@gmail.com | Fort Collins, CO
City Council District 4 Candidate
Board governance, including oversight, budgeting, bylaws changes, hiring, visioning, planning, and
stakeholder engagement| Community building | Leadership development in underrepresented
populations | Self-directed | Meets deadlines | Extensive training and classroom facilitation | Former
government reporter
Experience
Founder | Colorado 50-50 | February 2017 - Present
Promote women’s leadership. Inspire women of all races, ethnicities, classes, abilities, and
backgrounds to apply for boards and run for office. Created, scheduled, promoted, enrolled, and
facilitated 15 programs in 8 locations for nearly 600 people over the last 3+ years.
Associate Trainer & Vice President of Operations | Public Speaking for the Professional
| February 2011 - Present
Teach presentation skills, personality styles, goal achievement, and self-esteem courses for clients in
both corporate and open enrollment settings. Coach individual clients. Schedule seminars and prepare
all materials. Oversee all business operations.
Leader | Change Leadership Inspired by Leadership Fort Collins | September 2020 - May 2021
Selected to participate in Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce program, which this year is focusing on
leadership during a time of change. Engage in dialogue about leading organizations to excellence,
diversity, equity, and inclusion, and solving problems at their root cause. Interact with area CEOs.
Associate Member | Larimer County Workforce Development Board | March 2020 - Present
Participate in conversations about training employees and economic development in Northern
Colorado. Attending meetings since spring 2019.
Water Literate Leaders | CSU Water Center | September 2019 - June 2020
Accepted into a competitive leadership program with a focus on complex Northern Colorado water
issues. Actively learned about all aspects, including agriculture, urban, environmental, recreation, and
business, via presentations, dialogue, and field trips. Interacted and discussed issues with regional water
leaders for an inside view of our water future and participated in visioning activities.
Election Judge | Larimer County | October 2018 - November 2020
Compass Advisory Committee Member | Health District of Northern Larimer County |
September 2016 - October 2018
Gave feedback and suggestions on articles for the Compass newsletter. Served as a resource for
expanding its reach and effectiveness.
Board of Trustees President | Foothills Unitarian Church | President-Elect July 2015 - July 2016,
President July 2016 - July 2018
Played a key role in developing a powerful new mission statement. Led a governance change by
evaluating our previous system, engaging members in a 2-year dialogue, and ultimately voting to
change our bylaws. Oversaw hiring of new ministers and staff, as well as budget, planning, and
program implementation.
Experience in City, County, State, and Federal Government Reporting
Gained insights and knowledge of all levels of government in the following positions. Covered 3
different city governments, 2 counties, 3 school districts, along with state and federal.
Healthcare and Technology Reporter | BizWest (formerly Northern Colorado Business Report)
Examined changes to healthcare industry. Highlighted trends involving local companies. Showcased
small businesses in profile features. Investigated multi-state Ponzi scheme.
City and County Reporter | Wyoming Tribune Eagle | Cheyenne, WY
Investigated issues and found new stories by working with people at all levels. Tracked complex
government actions and explained effects on the community. Developed new contacts and evaluated
their credibility. Related national trends to local level. Wrote daily stories on crime, lawsuits,
government, zoning, health, environment, business, and other topics.
●Conducted extensive interviews of human service providers and people with low-income to
illustrate the realities of poverty for five-part series.
Morning News Anchor, Producer, Reporter | CBS News Channel 5-KGWN | Cheyenne, WY
Produced newscasts. Brought in statewide candidates for interviews and debate series. Delivered live
daily reports during legislative session. Moderated live 1.5-hour Governor’s Small Business Telecast.
News Director | KUGR and KYCS Radio | Green River, WY
Researched, wrote, edited, produced, and broadcast news 12 times daily. Developed long-term
relationships with police, politicians, teachers, lawyers, and others that led to story contacts and
interviews. Tackled complicated stories requiring investigation, planning, and discretion.
Community Activities/Volunteer Experience
Volunteer | 15+ campaigns including city, county, state, federal, petition initiatives, and ballot
measures.
Vice-President of Marketing | Association for Talent Development, Northern Rockies Chapter
Education
Change Management Certificate | Association for Talent Development | 2020
Coaching Certificate | Association for Talent Development | 2017
Training Certificate | Association for Talent Development | 2017
Bachelor's Degree, Sociology and Women's Studies, Goucher College, Baltimore, MD
ATTACHMENT 3
ATTACHMENT 4
ATTACHMENT 5
ATTACHMENT 6
ATTACHMENT 7
ATTACHMENT 8
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 10:36:57 AM
Name
Alisha Zellner
Email
AlishaZellner@hotmail.com
Phone
Address
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jess Dyrdahl is an active member of the Fort Collins community. She gives back by
volunteering her time to help feed hungry individuals and families during the holiday season,
she’s been active in politics through CSU since her time in undergrad, and she’s one
of the most compassionate people I know. She wants to make this community a better place.
She’s fair, believes in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and this city would be a better place
with her on the council.
ATTACHMENT 9
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Thursday, December 24, 2020 5:22:17 AM
Name
Dr Andrew Browne
Email
andrew.browne@dbs.ie
Phone
Address
Dublin Business School
13/14 Aungier St
Dublin , Ireland
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jess was a part of our staff for one year as a senior liason for the Study-abroad programme.
During that year she was an invaluable part of our team and I strongly recommend her for this
position.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 9:43:16 AM
Name
Cam Elvheim
Email
elvcam@comcast.net
Phone
Address
Four Season's Subdivision
Ft. Collins, CO 80526
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
As a 4th district resident for 16 years my preference is for Jessica Dyrdahl to represent us. She
seems to have spent the time it takes to understand what leadership means in this community.
Thank you.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Sunday, December 27, 2020 5:49:53 PM
Name
Dakotah Brown
Email
dakotahbrown75@gmail.com
Phone
6153190121
Address
3928 buckthorn street
Wellington, CO 80549
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I am writing regarding Jessica Dyrdahl. I cannot speak high enough of Jess, she is one of the
hardest working people I have ever met. Our political views may differ from time to time but
she goes out of her way to speak to those who may share disagreements. 2020 has been a very
hard year for all, earlier this year my brother passed away and Jess personally stayed up
speaking to me and even bought me a flight back to Nashville so I could see my family and
attend the service. I know Jess would make a great city council member! Thank you for your
time
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 11:37:56 AM
Name
Everton Brossus
Email
evertonbrossus@gmail.com
Phone
302-228-6602
Address
2330 Amherst street
Fort Collins , CO 80525
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jessica Dyrdahl has served as an instrumental leader for hundreds of students in the time Iâ
€™ve known her. Through my own undergrad experience she challenged and uplifted people,
concepts and organizations on topics of equity and inclusion. She managed to be an optimistic,
high energy role model day after day without fail. I can’t imagine this was true for her, but
I’ve never crossed paths with Jess and not walked away better. As I find myself answering
the call to serve students and the university, I see some the same challenges she must of and
am still in awe of how she accomplished so much progress for and with students in a system
that is broken and resistant. Couple that with her equally as impressive dedication to personal
growth and you start to see why so many people are inspired by Jess. I strongly believe Jess
will bring those talents and skills to city council and will serve the people like she already has
been. Now more than ever we need leaders, women, and advocates of change and equity as we
tackle the copious challenges presented before us. There is no one better suited in my opinion
than Jess.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 10:33:47 AM
Name
Jennifer Johnson
Email
jennifer.jo.johnson@colostate.edu
Phone
9706892175
Address
520 N. Sherwood St. #27
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Good evening, council members. My name is Jen Johnson. I live near Lee Martinez Park in
the North Side of Fort Collins. I am here to speak about my colleague and friend, Jess Dyrdahl
and to provide support for her candidacy as a potential Fort Collins City Councilperson. I have
known Jess for many years, and this year have the opportunity to supervise her in her role as
the Primary Advisor for the Associated Students at Colorado State University. Jess’s
experience supporting student government on our campus would translate well into a role as a
Councilperson in Fort Collins. I’d like to highlight a few of Jess’s strengths as you
consider her for the vacant council seat: 1) Jess is a connector of people, resources, and ideas.
In her role as the ASCSU advisor, Jess consistently listens to the issues and goals of the people
around her. She is masterful at identifying potential solutions, linking people up to the
information they need, the resources they seek, or the human connection necessary to make a
solve. I am certain that if she were selected as a council person for the City of Fort Collins,
that she would continue to find creative solutions to community issues while accessing the
abundant human, fiscal, and natural resources around us. 2) Jess is passionate, positive, and
energetic. She brings vibrancy and life to all of her engagements and never quits. As a council
person, she’d be a dedicated and enthusiastic public servant. 3) Finally, Both as a person
and a professional, Jess consistently demonstrates values-based decision-making. When faced
with tough choices or decisions, Jess always comes back to her values, and uses these guide
her choices. Were she selected to fill the vacant council seat, I am certain that she’d bring
ethics and thoughtfulness to all of her votes. I appreciate the time to speak about Jess Dyrdahl.
I am confident that she would be a great addition to this council!
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 8:55:49 PM
Name
Juwon Melvin
Email
jumelvin001@gmail.com
Phone
Address
,
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I whole-heartedly recommend Jessica Dyrdahl for City Council District 4! Jess is an amazing
leader who deeply cares for people and the community. I have known her for more than 10
years. She has made such a positive impact over the years. I believe she will be a tremendous
asset to the City Council & the community if given the opportunity to serve in this role. Go
Jess! -Juwon
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Thursday, December 24, 2020 3:38:20 PM
Name
Keith Lippwe
Email
keithlippwe@yahoo.com
Phone
Address
1612 Quail Hollow Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jessica Dyrdahl is a well educated, dedicated, goal-oriented, and overall wonderful human that
will be running for District 4 City Council in Fort Collins. I whole heartedly endorse Jessica
for this vacancy as she will use her experienced professional background and good-natured
lived values to make District 4 a better place for everyone whether residential or commercial
habitants.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 5:08:54 PM
Name
Lauren Klamm
Email
laurenjeanklamm@gmail.com
Phone
3030-870-9972
Address
2544 Sunbury Lane
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jess Dyrdahl is very passionate about creating a strong community within Fort Collins. She is
talented at creating safe spaces to discuss politics and social justice issues. One example of
this community building was when Jess hosted a socially distant burgers and ballots party to
bring people together with varying beliefs to discuss different political issues. Jess cares
strongly about the Fort Collins community and I know she would work hard as a city
councilperson.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 8:19:42 PM
Name
Logan Keech
Email
lkeech@sqlawkc.com
Phone
816-519-9042
Address
522 NE Bitter Creek Rd.
Lee’s Summir, MO 64086
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I worked with Jess years ago and I have never forgotten the impact she had on me. There have
been few people I’ve encountered, before or since, that are so wholly invested and
passionate about what they commit themselves to. She was motivated, dedicated, and invested
in every aspect of the work, willing to challenge herself and others to ensure the focus was
striving for improvement. No one could match her commitment to progress but somehow
never hogging nor excluding herself from the spotlight. She was approachable, amicable and
attentive to her work and the people she worked with. I cannot think of a more suitable
position for her than anything she sets her sights on.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 11:47:39 PM
Name
Mari Johnson
Email
mstrombom@gmail.com
Phone
9704939543
Address
1916 Sequoia Street
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jessica’s Dyrdahl would be a wonderful addition to Counsel. She is thoughtful, intelligent,
invested in our community and has a wonderful gift for working with people across different
ideologies.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 10:31:07 AM
Name
Marissa Dienstag
Email
mjdienstag@Hotmail.com
Phone
3055466403
Address
809 Province Rd
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jessica Dyrdahl is an amazing individual who constantly gives back to her community, and
does so with a warm and welcoming personality. She is thoughtful, caring and a model citizen.
In her role at CSU, she works to develop those around her and those that report to her to make
positive change at the university and in the Fort Collins community. She is honest and fair in
everything she is a part of. She would be an ideal representative.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 8:46:30 AM
Name
Michael Ellis
Email
melliscolorado@aol.com
Phone
970.217.2226
Address
2251 Adobe Dr.
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jessica Dyrdahl comes with my very highest recommendation for the City of Fort Collins
District 4 seat. I have known and worked in various capacities with Jessica for approximately
15 years, having experienced the passion, energy, pragmatism, and big-picture perspective she
brings not just to her daily work but to everything she approaches. Perhaps most importantly,
Jessica listens carefully to gather context and understanding before taking a position, and
when she does act, both her actions and process for moving forward are based on her core
values for respect, inclusion, and meeting the needs of our community. Our City would be
fortunate to benefit from Jessica’s energy, dedication, and vision.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 11:53:24 PM
Name
Michael Katz
Email
mkatz02@yahoo.com
Phone
(732) 306-5164
Address
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jessica Dyrdahl is an incredibly passionate leader in our community who advocates for the
improvement in the quality of life for our most vulnerable. She is an attentive listener focused
making a positive impact.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Sunday, December 27, 2020 5:06:31 PM
Name
Michele Frick
Email
rmfrick@msn.com
Phone
970-402-1483
Address
105 Whitney Bay
Windsor , CO 80550
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
This is in support of Jessica Dyrdahl. I have known Jessica since she was a student at
Colorado State University and also had the privilege to work with her as a professional at
CSU. She is an outstanding woman who gives of her time, energy, and monetary donations to
so many. Her optimistic energy is contagious. She values diversity and inclusion and is willing
to work hard to insure this occurs for all. Her hard work is unmatched and I know she will
succeed at anything she puts her heart and mind to. I have no doubt that Larimer County
would benefit greatly by having Jessica on the council.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Sunday, December 27, 2020 8:15:12 PM
Name
Mike Hickcox
Email
Mike.hickcox@gmail.com
Phone
7015275171
Address
4820 Trenton Ln N
Plymouth, MN 55442
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jess Dyrdahl is one of the most motivated and kind people I've ever met. She's had high
political aspirations for as long as I can remember (she always wanted to be the first woman
president), and City Council would be a great fit for her. She will do right by the folks of Fort
Collins!
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 12:16:44 PM
Name
Pamela Norris
Email
pameladnorris@gmail.com
Phone
9706908393
Address
1913 OVERLOOK DR
FORT COLLINS, CO 80526
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I have known Jess for over 10 years. Most recently I have had the privilege of working with
Jess as she served as a Program Coordinator for Leadership Development and then as the
Assistant Director for Student Government at Colorado State University's Student Leadership,
Involvement & Community Engagement office in the Lory Student Center. She is an absolute
delight and I consider myself quite lucky to work with her. Jess is an incredible person with
many outstanding qualities. Outspoken, confident, intelligent, dedicated, and armed with a
wonderful sense of humor, she simply excels at being a person. Though the words one can use
to describe Jess may be used to describe many others, the difference between those “many
others†and her is that Jess is a living example of what those words mean. She is not just
confident; she carries such confidence that not one person in the room leaves it unnoticed. And
such is the case with all the qualities she embodies. She possesses a magnetic personality, is a
trustworthy individual, a role model for her peers and she exudes character. It is not only her
originality that will make her such a good choice for our City Council, but also her deep
dedication to her work. As her supervisor, I have benefited from her constant dependability,
resourcefulness, and commitment to both the task at hand and to the team effort often required
to achieve organizational goals. Jess works with a wide variety of constituents including
students, administrators, faculty, alumni, state legislatures, and community members. Jess is
exceptional at working with all people. She takes the time to fully understand individual needs
and always follows through with commitments. She is a natural leader, and her wide variety of
experiences at CSU has only enhanced her ability to be effective in leadership roles. She
certainly models a servant leader in the eyes of many. She is able to envision the future and
also has the skills necessary to implement ways to reach that vision and lead and delegate to
others to build a team approach. Working with Jess and knowing Jess has been one of the
greatest pleasures of my career. Jess radiates enthusiasm and life. She is conscientious, bright,
capable, professional, and is an organized person. Jess is also aware of social issues in the
world around her. She intently reflects on these issues and works at creating positive change
and general awareness. She is concerned with the welfare of others. She seeks out
opportunities to learn about other cultures and traditions and challenges herself and others to
expand their knowledge and acceptance. It is through this meaningful exploration that she has
developed a mutually beneficial and vast network of colleagues and friends that she manages
through her powerful and endearing life force. It is my observation that Jess instinctively
knows how to engage those around her. She is genuine, optimistic, kind, and has enormous
energy. She is also extraordinarily talented. I have observed Jess in both small and large group
settings. She is an active listener and is attentive to others’ issues and opinions. She is an
independent thinker; however, she draws energy from working with a team. As one who
works best under pressure, she can manage multiple commitments simultaneously while
maintaining her sense of humor. Jess is dedicated and sincere. Whatever she sets out to do, she
accomplishes. She is willing to take risks and works hard to do her best. I believe she
definitely possesses the attitude, aptitude, and work ethic to be a valuable addition to the Fort
Collins City Council as the District 4 Representative. Thank you for your time.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 11:16:30 AM
Name
Richy Lynn
Email
richy_lynn@hotmail.com
Phone
9703083154
Address
2608 Kansas dr
E133
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I am writing to provide feedback on applicant Jess Dyrdahl. Ms. Dyrdahl is a fine human
being whom I have had the pleasure to know for the past 15 years. She deeply loves and fights
for this community. Additionally her advocacy on Council would allow her to represent the
students and non academic faculty of CSU in regards to city matters. Please consider her as an
asset to the city and council.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 12:16:45 PM
Name
Sarah Olson
Email
sarah.olson.08@gmail.com
Phone
509-475-7847
Address
2602 Avenger Pl Unit 2
Fort Collins , CO 80524
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I have known Jessica for several years and I was thrilled when I heard that she was running for
City Council. Jessica is the kind of person we deserve to have represent us. She is a great
listener, strategic thinker, and she has great intercultural competency. She respects people
from all backgrounds and has a really special ability to connect with any person she meets. In
a time in our country where there is great division, I believe Jessica would bring people back
together. She is the best choice.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 6:57:06 AM
Name
Silas Frasier
Email
elpaquettetotal@gmail.com
Phone
Address
816 Rocky Road
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I have lived in and loved Fort Collins for more than 20 years. For much of that time I have
known Jessica Dyrdahl. Jessica is one of the most thoughtful, compassionate, and caring
people I have ever met. She is a candidate full of energy that is exactly what the City Council
needs. In the time that I have known Jessica I have come to understand that her values align
with what I expect from a public official. She genuinely cares about equity, inclusion, the
whole person, and ensuring Fort Collins is a place where all people feel welcomed and valued
as integral members of the community. In conversations with Jessica I know she has a passion
for providing affordable housing to the most vulnerable populations. With the loss of Kristen
Stephens to the County and the looming loss of Wade Troxel to term limits I feel it is
important to get a candidate like Jessica on City Council. She is a candidate with strong,
established ties to CSU and to the City of Fort Collins. The loss of Wade and Kristen weakens
that tie that has seen a fair amount of tension in the past year. Jessica can help strengthen that
connection.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 10:49:14 AM
Name
Susan Taylor
Email
susie.taylor0@gmail.com
Phone
702-556-6612
Address
3701 Le Fever Drive
3-307
Fort Collins, CO 80528
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Jessica Dyrdahl would make an excellent addition to the City Council. In the time I’ve
known Jessica, she’s demonstrated time and again high levels of discernment and the
ability to balance multiple, differing perspectives. She’s fair and calm even knows the face
of crisis. I believe she would bring this fairness to the most important challenges facing our
city, finding equitable and sustainable solutions. Jess sees beyond political leaning, she sees
people. She has a huge heart for others which is well balanced by pragmatism. I recommend
her confidently for this role of looking after our city.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Sunday, December 27, 2020 7:01:37 PM
Name
Thea Rounsaville
Email
thea.rounsaville@gmail.com
Phone
720-327-0132
Address
4436 Starflower Dr
Fort Collins , CO 80526
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I'm writing in today in support of Jessica Dyrdahl. I've know Jessica since we met our
freshman year at CSU in 2002. She is passionate about serving and bettering her communities
in any way that she can. She strongly believes in the importance of inclusion, respect, and
honesty. She's one of the most reliable and accountable people I've ever know. Although she's
spent a lot of time traveling the country and the world, Fort Collins is her home and she's
committed to growing all of the things that make this a great city and improving upon the
areas of opportunity for Fort Collins. She's an excellent communicator and advocate. She
values the opinions of others and never puts herself or any kind of agenda ahead of those she's
working for. She would be an excellent city council member and we would be fortunate to
have her representing us.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 1:13:43 PM
Name
Tiara Marshall
Email
tiara.marshall87@gmail.com
Phone
8152809892
Address
1120 City Park Avenue
C103
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I would like to provide comments for Jessica Dyrdahl for the District 4 vacancy. I have known
Jessica for 5 years and have worked with her closely at Colorado State University (CSU). We
were instructors in the same program at CSU and Jessica is one of the most kind-hearted and
intelligent people I know. In the program we taught in together, she was the coordinator of the
program as well, and lead all of the instructors in weekly meetings and trainings. Her
leadership skills are unmatched and our instructor group was always organized and prepared
to teach the content for the following week. I was able to experience her leadership skills first-
hand. Also, as a Black woman living in Fort Collins, I have always felt safe and comfortable
confiding in Jessica about what I'm feeling and what I've experienced. She always provides
great feedback and insight as well as resources to help. A few years ago, Jessica invited me to
an Involvement Fair hosted by an organization she was in called Leadership Fort Collins. At
this fair, I was able to sign up as a mentor for the Partners Mentoring Youth program here in
Fort Collins. Later that same year I was partnered with a young Black girl also living in Fort
Collins, that I mentored for a year. This was one of the most impactful experiences of my life,
and that experience has now influenced my current doctoral research. Jessica has been an
amazing resource for me and others at CSU and in the city of Fort Collins. She has also been a
great friend. She would be an invaluable addition to the District 4 City Council.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 3:30:13 PM
Name
Travis Annameier
Email
tannameier@gmail.com
Phone
Address
,
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I give my highest recommendation to Jessica Drydahl for this seat. She is a person of very
high character, very well connected around the Fort Collins community, as well as CSU, and
is a bridge builder. I am very pleased that she is running and hope to see her on City Council.
She is a leader, caring, and I think will represent the interests of our city well.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 1:15:46 PM
Name
Will Reutemann
Email
will.reutemann@gmail.com
Phone
5183669851
Address
1115 Juniper Ct Apt A
Fort Collins, 805213712
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I strongly support Jessica Dyrdahl for City Council District 4 seat. I had the pleasure of
working alongside Jessica for a number of years and her passion and dedication to community
is unparalleled. Her depth and breadth of experiences over the past few years have prepared
her to serve her community. Jess is an engaged collaborator, and takes the time to educate
herself on issues pressing our community, and most importantly a listener. I know with great
confidence see would a great asset to the council and our community.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 10:52:15 AM
Name
Michael Buttram
Email
buttrammichael@gmail.com
Phone
9702197165
Address
2937 Stage Ct.
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I would like to offer a few reflections in support of City Council applicant, Jessica Dyrdahl.
For the past four years, I have worked closely with Jess in the Office of Student Leadership,
Involvement and Community Engagement (SLiCE) at Colorado State University. In addition,
we have served together as Adjunct Faculty for the President's Leadership Program and over
the course of working and teaching with her, I have come to know her as a close and respected
co-worker and personal friend. As a resident of Fort Collins who cares deeply about the future
of this community as an inclusive, economically stable and environmentally conscious home
for my growing family, I can think of no individual more well suited for the role of City
Councilperson than Jess. Jess is, above all, a woman of integrity who cares deeply about the
individuals and communities she works with. She invests in relationships with a fervor and
sense of commitment that are all too rare in our rushed and often surface-level society. It is
because of this investment that Jess follows through... whether that means listening to and
supporting a student in need, showing up during a snow storm to distribute food for Rams
Against Hunger (the program I coordinate), or actively participating in the many local events
that call upon our most active citizenry. Knowing her as I do... having seen her work ethic and
values displayed close up... I would be comforted knowing Jess was in this role. She's a person
who will do her homework, come to the table prepared, and consider each issue through an
empathetic and open-minded lens. As we look to the future of this rapidly growing
community, it is critical that decisions made now invite and support a more diverse population
who can actively engage with all the opportunities this area offers. The issues our Council
Members are called upon to address are complex and require thoughtful and intentional
listening, as well as engaging leadership. With folks like Jess on the Council, I have I have
confidence that Fort Collins will steadily move in the right direction as a truly inclusive, safe
and strong community for all who live here.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Thursday, December 24, 2020 2:37:46 PM
Name
Marna Shillman
Email
marnashillman@comcast.net
Phone
Address
716 Cherokee Drive
Ft Collins, CO 80525
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Here is my relative, applicants' rating, based on their listed top three priorities compared with
mine; in one case, I ranked based on my volunteer work with the person:: ++Veronica
+Jessica + Eric - Shirley - Melanie -Sidna Thank you, Marna Shillman
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 1:29:01 PM
Name
Mary Lindquist
Email
idesignjohn@comcast.net
Phone
612 209 3400
Address
2465 Sheridan Hills curve
Wayzata, MN 55391
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
She is a true leader, full of vitality!. Also has a happy face, which is contagious.
From:Andrea B
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] In support of Erin Hottenstein for District 4
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 1:20:43 PM
Hello there,
My name is Andrea Bazoin and I am a Fort Collins resident and business owner. I wanted to
voice my support for Erin Hottenstein to fill the recent City Council vacancy for District 4. I
have known her for about five years, as business owners and members of Foothills Unitarian
Church. She is capable, community-driven, and diplomatic. She is also a very hard worker
who knows how to keep a level head in times of crisis.
Best of luck with the process.
Warmly,
Andrea
Andrea M. Bazoin (say "Bah-Zwah"), M.Ed.
Founder, everHuman, LLC
Love technology. Be yourself!
(970) 459-7400
Meet me at www.everhuman.io!
Schedule time with me.
everHuman empowers technology users and teams to confidently manage and preserve digital assets,
utilize productivity software, and navigate an ever-changing digital landscape through coaching,
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From:Cathy Watson
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Endorsement for City Council
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 1:31:04 PM
To Fort Collins City Council:
>
> As long-time residents (40+ years) of Fort Collins we would like to submit this letter endorsing Erin Hottenstein
for City Council. Our professional interactions with Erin have been extensive as she has been engaged in many
leadership positions at Foothills Unitarian Church.
> We first worked with Erin in her role as part of the Stewardship Committee. She helped to transform the
philosophy of giving at Foothills from “give if you want” to “giving as a community responsibility”. Because of her
efforts we substantially grew both participation in giving as well as the overall funds raised. This allowed us to not
only grow the staff of the Church, but give more of the offering to our community partners (Habitat for Humanity,
Food Bank, La Familia, etc.)
> We also worked with her on the Board of Directors during a very trying time as we were recruiting and
transitioning to a new Senior Minister. Her ability to maintain a steady head during contentious issues and bring
along the whole congregation made us much stronger as a force in the community.
> In summary, we would love to see Erin on the City Council and know she would be a valuable asset.
>
> Sincerely,
> Larry & Cathy Watson
>
> Cathy Watson
> 970-567-8895 (C)
> 1439 Catalpa Ct.
> Ft. Collins, CO 80521
From:Jane Everham
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Letter of recommendation
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 8:08:44 AM
Attachments:Letter of Rec on Erin.docx
Dear City Leaders, December 29, 2020
It is my great honor to write a letter recommending Erin Hottenstein to be selected to
fill the vacancy on the Fort Collins City Council left by Kristen Stephens. I have known Erin
for over a decade. Through my church activity I have observed Erin take on one leadership
role after another. The one I want to highlight is her role on our Foothills Unitarian Board of
Trustees.
Our church was growing and going through numerous transitions including hiring an
assistant minister, hiring interim ministers after our beloved senior minister retired, and then
calling (hiring) a new senior minister. Erin was instrumental in all those decisions. When she
was president of the Board of Trustees, a highly regarded employee had to be let go. This was
very disruptive to the congregation. Erin led multiple meetings to inform and listen to
members anger, grief, concerns, and to answer questions. At an All Congregational meeting,
many members of the congregation were emotional, and Erin maintained her composure,
professionalism, and leadership throughout. My respect for her skills as a leader at least
doubled.
Then in 2017, Erin recruited me to Colorado5050, an organization she founded with
the mission of helping create gender parity in elected offices, boards, and commissions. She
led a small group of peers to organize information meetings for women interested in elected
office. She has provided training for future candidates and people just interested in learning
how to support campaigns. She has brought in national organizations to provide more in-depth
training. She provides ongoing recruitment and support to women during their campaigns and
invites volunteers to donate and give their time to these candidates. Erin maintains a
Colorado5050 website to keep followers up-to-date on non-partisan political developments in
Colorado.
Erin Hottenstein is smart, well organized, highly motivated, mature, articulate, a
willing learner, and she has extensive leadership experience. She is eager to serve her
community as an elected public servant. This position on the city council is perfect for Erin to
demonstrate her leadership skills. Erin will be a huge asset to our city council and when she
completes her tenure. she will continue to look for opportunities to serve. I strongly believe
that she will be recognized and noticed, and her name will become known. Her elected service
career serving the citizens of Colorado will always be known as having started with the Fort
Collins City Council.
I am available to answer more questions as needed, do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Jane Everham
2825 Dixon Creek Lane
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526
970-222-9709
janeeverham@gmail.com
From:Jennifer Iole
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Erin Hottenstein
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 4:17:53 PM
Dear City of Fort Collins Officials,
I have known Erin for over 20 years and have seen her in various leadership
positions within the community. She is thoughtful, pragmatic, insightful and very
dependable.
Erin would help Fort Collins remain the best place to live and raise a family and
look for ways to improve our community.
We love FoCo and only want the best for our wonderful home town.
Jennifer Iole
From:Karen Johnese
To:City Leaders
Cc:Erin Hottenstein
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Erin Hottenstein for city council
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 2:25:30 PM
Dear City Council members:
My name in Karen Johnese. I am a semi-retired corporate leader, grant maker and nonprofit executive. I have been a
city resident for over a decade and have known Erin in many capacities; as a fellow board member of our church,
through her involvement in her children’s school, where my grandchildren also attended, and as a building project
leader. Erin is a most thoughtful leader, listening to all participants carefully, before developing her response. She is
patient, inclusive and a big picture thinker. Erin is passionate about community concerns and at the same time,
handles details thoroughly. As the leader of our church of 800, she oversaw a total overhaul of our governance
structure, a job I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and did so methodically and with great diplomacy. She believes in the
potential of Fort Collins to become an even more inclusive and vital city and will bring resourceful solutions to the
city’s challenges. I urge you to select Erin. You should not miss this opportunity to add her collaborative style,
organizational skills and steadfast commitment to the talents on your council.
Sincerely,
Karen Johnese
5103 Country Squire Way, Fort Collins, CO 80528
724-612-3562
From:Melissa Abrams
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Erin Hottenstein
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 2:16:07 PM
Hi!
Erin is a great person to have on a team. I worked with her on a couple of Presidential
elections at CSU and have been in a women’s group with her for quite a while. She has a big
heart, is organized and a very thoughtful, thinking woman. I know she has been interested in
getting even more involved in the community than she is already which allows me to
wholeheartedly support her candidacy for city council. Hopefully you all will feel the same
way.
Sincerely,
Missy Abrams
Sent from the all new Aol app for iOS
Erin Price
4200 Monmouth Court
Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
December 27, 2020
Dear Fort Collins City Council,
I am pleased to offer a recommendation for Erin Hottenstein for a position on City Council.
I have known Erin for over fifteen years and worked closely with her for five years in developing
a standing stewardship committee at Foothills Unitarian Church, something the church
previously lacked. Starting a committee virtually from scratch is no easy feat. It required us to
create a system of policies and procedures, to identify a vision for the work of the committee,
to convince the Board of Directors of the necessity for the very existence of the committee, and
to handle concerns expressed by various stakeholders about sensitive financial issues. And
then, of course, we had to actually go out and raise a lot of money. Erin’s skills at balancing the
minutiae of everyday operations, while also envisioning the potential of the committee, which
we knew would take years to develop to its full potential, was instrumental in our success.
Erin is an incredibly focused and hard-working individual. I remember clearly one instance
where Erin was tasked with writing the fundraising letter which would go to the entire
congregation. She had written multiple drafts but just wasn’t happy with it. I finally left the
office, where she was still pecking away at the computer. Hours later, I got a message from her.
She had cracked it, coming up with a beautiful story and metaphor for the fundraising letter. I
can still remember the excitement in her voice and her satisfaction at how her persistence had
paid off. And the church was the beneficiary, raising more money than we ever had before.
One task which Erin always took lead on was developing and implementing the training
program for volunteers who were doing in-person fundraising asks. It is not easy to ask people
for money. This is one of the core challenges for any fundraising program. Erin created an entire
workshop to help people learn the process and overcome their fear. With her at the helm, the
committee was able to educate and deploy an army of volunteers, which contributed to the
success of our program.
One skill I’d like to highlight is Erin’s ability to handle interpersonal conflict. Maybe it’s her
history in offering workplace training for companies, but Erin has an almost magical ability to
cut through interpersonal conflict and help people with opposing opinions see one another’s
side of an argument more clearly. As you can probably imagine, when discussing financial
issues, things can become heated. There were committee meetings where people had vastly
different opinions about tactics and financial goals. I have seen Erin step into a heated
discussion, calmly clarify people’s concerns in order to help them feel heard, then find common
ground between folks, de-escalating a contentious situation. As I said, magical.
I have also watched Erin create Colorado 50-50, a volunteer-run organization dedicated to
increasing gender parity among elected officials statewide. This is a non-partisan organization
which provides women with training on how to run for political office. Again, this is an area
where Erin’s unique skill set comes into play. She handles the minutiae of daily operations and
does media outreach including social media. (I’m certain her history as a news anchor comes in
handy in this regard.) She also orchestrates big educational events where she’s creating and
implementing educational content and making sure everyone has a box lunch, so they don’t
lose steam halfway through the day. It’s a lot to handle, but that juggling act doesn’t seem to be
a problem for Erin. And I want to highlight the fact that this organization is truly non-partisan.
Erin is dedicated to increasing diversity among elected officials, not just those who share her
particular political beliefs, and she works closely with others from all along the political
spectrum to bring this goal to fruition.
I believe Erin Hottenstein would be a stellar addition to the Fort Collins City Council. Her work
ethic, her ability to negotiate conflict, and her dedication to bringing diverse voices to the table
would all benefit the residents of Fort Collins.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Erin Price
Jane Everham
2825 Dixon Creek Lane
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526
Dear City Leaders, December 29, 2020
It is my great honor to write a letter recommending Erin Hottenstein to be selected to fill the
vacancy on the Fort Collins City Council left by Kristen Stephens.
I have known Erin for over a decade. Through my church activity I have observed Erin
take on one leadership role after another. The one I want to highlight is her role on our Foothills
Unitarian Board of Trustees.
Our church was growing and going through numerous transitions including hiring an
assistant minister, hiring interim ministers after our beloved senior minister retired, and then
calling (hiring) a new senior minister. Erin was instrumental in all those decisions. When she
was president of the Board of Trustees, a highly regarded employee had to be let go. This was
very disruptive to the congregation. Erin led multiple meetings to inform and listen to members
anger, grief, concerns, and to answer questions. At an All Congregational meeting, many
members of the congregation were emotional, and Erin maintained her composure,
professionalism, and leadership throughout. My respect for her skills as a leader at least doubled.
Then in 2017, Erin recruited me to Colorado5050, an organization she founded with the
mission of helping create gender parity in elected offices, boards, and commissions. She led a
small group of peers to organize information meetings for women interested in elected office.
She has provided training for future candidates and people just interested in learning how to
support campaigns. She has brought in national organizations to provide more in-depth training.
She provides ongoing recruitment and support to women during their campaigns and invites
volunteers to donate and give their time to these candidates. Erin maintains a Colorado5050
website to keep followers up-to-date on non-partisan political developments in Colorado.
Erin Hottenstein is smart, well organized, highly motivated, mature, articulate, a willing
learner, and she has extensive leadership experience. She is eager to serve her community as an
elected public servant. This position on the city council is perfect for Erin to demonstrate her
leadership skills. Erin will be a huge asset to our city council and when she completes her tenure.
she will continue to look for opportunities to serve. I strongly believe that she will be recognized
and noticed, and her name will become known. Her elected service career serving the citizens of
Colorado will always be known as having started with the Fort Collins City Council.
I am available to answer more questions as needed, do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Jane Everham
2825 Dixon Creek Lane
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526
970-222-9709
memo
To: City of Fort Collins
From: Tim Clouse
Date: 23 December 2020
Re: Recommendation for Ms. Erin Hottenstien for Fort Collins City Council
I am pleased to recommend Erin Hottenstien for the Fort Collins City Council. I have
known her for many years and has demonstrated remarkable leadership, empathy,
learning, and communication skills.
I first encountered her as the Board President of my church (Foothills Unitarian
Universalist). We were in the process of deciding on if we should become a
sanctuary congregation. This was a controversial step for the church, as we did not
have the facilities, there various legal issues, and potential community concerns.
Erin convened small group meetings where we could discuss these issues and come
to a consensus. She was polite, an empathetic listener, and kept the meetings on
track while allowing all concerns to be heard and addressed. This was an excellent
example of good communication in a “low‐trust, high‐concern situation.”i When the
time came to vote on the proposal, it passed with an over 90 percent margin.
I also got to know her during her campaign for a seat on the Larimer County Health
District in late 2019‐early 2020. She held listening sessions here as well and showed
an equal degree of empathy.
In addition, she proved to be a very fast learner and showed a quick grasp of public
health issues: she was able to grasp the central points of any issue and did not get
distracted by points that may have been interesting to here but not directly
relevant. It has been my experience that that is a rare quality in any decision‐maker
and I fully expect that she will continue to be able to focus on the significant issues
regardless of question put before the council.
If you have any questions for me, I can be reached at:
(970) 682‐0409
or
tlclouse6@gmail.com
i I am retired risk analyst for USDA. Much of my involved communicating various types of public health
risks in these types of situations.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Sunday, December 27, 2020 11:51:13 PM
Name
Alison Jane Basile
Email
janebasile@comcast.net
Phone
970-214-3290
Address
2406 W Vine Dr
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
This is in support of Veronica Olivas for the vacant Fort Collins City Council seat. I have
known Veronica for approximately 26 years on a personal level. I know her to be of
outstanding character, having the highest of ethical standards. Veronica has an extraordinary
ability to learn new material and has enviable recall and ability to put information into
perspective. She has often been called upon to find creative solutions to difficult problems
within the context of her employment over the years, and Veronica gravitates toward a mix of
pragmatism and thoroughness in finding appropriate solutions. As her application indicates,
equity is important to Veronica, and she would be an excellent addition to the Council given
her diverse experiential and ethnic background, combined with honest concern for the
community she serves. I would unreservedly recommend Veronica for this position, in the
knowledge that she will gladly bring energy, intellect, and perspective to the job.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Saturday, December 26, 2020 10:37:16 AM
Name
Donn Hopkins
Email
donn.hopkins@atlasprep.com
Phone
19702150217
Address
1300 Green Gables Court
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I met Veronica Olivas in 1985 when she was a student at CSU. She worked in my department
as a student and later as a state classified employee. Veronica has a passion for helping people,
directly through her many contacts in the community, or championing a cause for those that
need a voice. Her honesty and integrity are above reproach. She is considerate of others and
has strong decision making skills. Veronica comes from a fine Fort Collins family, growing up
in north east Fort Collins. She and her husband Bill have a legacy of pubic service in the
community. I believe Veronica would be a passionate representative of her district and the
City would benefit from her service on council.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Sunday, December 27, 2020 8:35:15 PM
Name
Lena Kabeshita
Email
lkabes42@gmail.com
Phone
Address
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Some questions I have for specific candidates: To Veronica Olivas: - As someone who
identifies as a hispanic woman with training/background in law enforcement, what is your
stance on Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police/Defund CSU PD? - Do you believe there
is systemic racism in the United States' policing system and prison system? - What is your
stance on undocumented immigrants in our community? Will you support undocumented
immigrants during COVID/COVID relief, as they are not recipients of the recent US
government stimulus packages? To Sidna Rachid: - What kind of volunteer work were you
involved in with the Northern Colorado ACLU chapter? - What kind of work do you do with
the League of Women Voters in Larimer County? - How will you, as a city council member,
incorporate social justice into your platform? - What is your stance on police brutality?
Defunding the police? Supporting undocumented immigrants? - I also see that you worked for
Maersk Oil Qatar. What is your stance on fossil fuels and renewable energy? To William E.
Wright: - I appreciate that you're focused on food insecurity in Fort Collins. How do you plan
to help undocumented immigrants with food insecurity? - What is your stance on police
brutality, Black Lives Matter, and defunding the police? - What are your thoughts on 'food
apartheid,' and the understanding of access to food as political? - How do you see food justice
and social justice working together? - How do you, as a white passing male, see your privilege
in Fort Collins? - How do you plan to advocate for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and other
marginalized racial/ethnic/tribal groups? - You state in your application that you have worked
with "persons with disabilities" and that you are a "strong supporter of the LGBTQ
community." What specific plans do you have to help folks with disabilities in Fort Collins?
What specific plans do you have to support and aid the LGBTQ community in Fort Collins?
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 10:44:50 AM
Name
Lynn Schwebach
Email
lschwebach07@gmail.com
Phone
9702190257
Address
2220 Sweetwater Creek Dr.
Fort Collins, CO 80528
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I highly recommend Veronica Olivas for the District 4 City Council seat. I have known
Veronica for 25 years. In the entirety of those years, Veronica has shown me and my family
compassion and empathy. During times of emergency, I could count on Veronica. She always
knew city resources and people for me to contact for help. In addition, as we became closer
friends, I saw her reach out to families of all income levels to help them locate services they
needed. Just as in our friendship, she was always there for those going through traumatic and
difficult times and listening to them—at times the only person willing to sit and hear internal
and external struggles. I have only known one person in my life so dedicated to her
community and the people who live within it and that is Veronica Olivas. And I truly admire
Veronica's integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness. Without exaggeration, Veronica
exemplifies the personal dedication to better her community and to be an honest and trusted
friend to those living within it. I have had long conversations with Veronica about the needs
for those living in her district—as well as in the other communities within Fort Collins. Her
lifelong residency means she knows Fort Collins better than most and understands how Fort
Collins has changed over many years. This means she grasps the positives and negatives of
such growth and the effect on both the residents and the environment. Again, I highly
recommend Veronica Olivas to fill this city council seat.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 8:33:39 AM
Name
Roger Smith
Email
y2kgrand@msn.com
Phone
970 223-3845
Address
3507 Patterson Ct
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I work for the Poudre Fire Authority as a Fire Safety Inspector in the Fire Prevention Bureau. I
have worked with Veronica in her role at CSU as the Housing & Dining Services Safety
Coordinator for 15 years. She has always been extremely dedicated to the safety of students
and staff in the Residence Halls. Our main interaction has been conducting fire drills.
However, Veronica would frequently contact me about various fire code issues that she had
questions about. I have rarely known anyone with her dedication and foresight regarding the
role of fire safety. As a native of Fort Collins, Veronica takes great interest in not only CSU,
but the community as a whole. She is very organized and has the ability prioritize short and
long term priorities. I strongly believe she has the experience to be a City Council member.
She is a problem solver and takes balanced measures to resolve the issues of her customers,
which in this case would be all citizens and constituents of Fort Collins.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 11:10:39 AM
Name
Adam Lovell
Email
mr.adamlovell@gmail.com
Phone
3035066486
Address
135 S Sunset St
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I want our new council member to be aware of the historic social context of our community,
and therefore acknowledge the radicalized systems that effect the daily lives of Fort Collins
residents. DO NOT HIRE SHIRLEY PEEL, she is unfit for this job and represents a white
supremacist point of view.
From:Barbara Hickman
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Shirley Peel
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 6:29:43 PM
Dear Council Members,
It is my honor to support Shirley Peel for the above position of District 4 Council person. I
have gotten to know her over this past election period and find her to be efficient, concerned
and purposeful in her duties.
Shirley has raised 4 children in the Fort Collins area over the last 20 years and has been
actively involved in education as a teacher as well as a school volunteer. Shirley has also
mentored CSU students.
I understand that Shirley started two schools - one for children Pre K through 8th grade and
another for underprivileged children on the Mexican border.
Thank you for your consideration.
Barbara Hickman
931 Alexa Way
Fort Collin 80526
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 10:41:33 PM
Name
Elizabeth Fabatz
Email
bethfabatz@gmail.com
Phone
7192317050
Address
512 YUMA CT
FORT COLLINS, CO 80525-7033
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Hi, My name is Elizabeth Fabatz and my address is 512 Yuma Ct., Fort Collins CO 80525. I
am in support of Shirley Peel for the City Council District 4 appointment. I have known
Shirley Peel for three years now, working alongside her guidance at Christian Core Academy
(CCA). Shirley's teaching career spans 20+ years. Throughout this time, she has been a
passionate educator and dedicated to reaching young hearts and minds to be strong leaders in
this world. Her community involvement has been a powerful model and influence for her
family. All of her four children have attended local schools and are now serving the
community in their service jobs as well. Shirley has a heart for service within her community.
Over the years, she has contributed to many volunteer hours in her children's schools, filling in
for teachers and administrators. In 2007, Shirley started CCA, a PreK - 8th-grade private
school, which she continues to be an active volunteer and board member, taking on various
responsibilities to keep the school operating smoothly. In addition, Shirley currently serves on
the Larimer County Citizen's Review Board to assist with disputes between families and
health and human services. Additionally, she has served as a mentor for college-age students,
including victims of abuse. Shirley's experience working with culturally diverse professionals
on committees and boards will add a well-rounded perspective when contributing to
discussions and decision making. Equally important, her involvement in starting a preschool
for underserved children on the Mexico border has opened up many opportunities to help
children grow physically, academically, and social emotionally. Shirley is an effective
communicator, focusing on solutions and effective practices. She strives to build bridges and
make deeper connections with her surrounding community relationships. Through her
experience, knowledge, and awareness about current issues facing Fort Collins, Shirley would
be an excellent choice for the City Council Appointment 4 role. Thank you, Elizabeth Fabatz
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 8:52:14 PM
Name
Nancy Eason
Email
neebiz@naturalverities.com
Phone
9704937588
Address
1909 Turnberry Road
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I am writing in support of Shirley Peel. Her calm demeanor, common sense, and experience as
a businesswoman and community member all point to her qualifications to serve on City
Council. She has time and flexibility to do a good and thorough job. She is a woman of
integrity who truly desires to give back to our city. She will bring a lifetime of wisdom and
insight to this position. I urge you to appoint her to the District 4 vacancy. Thank you.
From:hpatti6
To:City Leaders
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Shirley Peel
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 2:20:07 PM
My name is Patricia Sanchez and have been a resident of Ft. Collins since 1979. I am a retired
Poudre School District teacher. I would appreciate your consideration for Shirley Peel to fill
the City Council vacancy position.
Shirley Peel is an excellent candidate for the vacancy on the Ft. Collins City Council. I
especially appreciate her work with diverse populations. She has experience working with the
Latino population as evidenced with serving in the following capacities: served on
committees/boards with people from diverse backgrounds and started a Pre-school for under
served children on Mexico border. Shirley is an excellent communicator and has developed
strong rapport with Latinos in this community.
Shirley is involved in many community committees and boards and works with vision of the
total picture in mind. Working with diverse populations is definitely her strength. She is
always willing to go above and beyond with all of her efforts and gives 100% and more to
causes.
I thank you for your time and consideration of Shirley Peel for the vacancy. She is a true
leader!
Sincerely,
Patricia Sanchez
3012 Garrett Drive
Ft. Collins, Colorado
80526
970.226.1082
Sent from my Galaxy Tab® S2
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Tuesday, December 29, 2020 10:34:08 AM
Name
Alan Braslau
Email
braslau@comcast.net
Phone
970-237-0957
Address
816 W Mountain Ave
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
It is a very good sign that we have 6 interesting candidates to fill the District 4 vacancy on
City Council. I write in support of Melanie Potyondy. In all of my civic involvement, I have
constantly seen Melanie's participation and motivation. She has been very involved and a
strong, positive contributor. Melanie is deeply devoted to our community, she is deeply
devoted to education and to the livability of Fort Collins. Melanie has constantly been both
active as well as very pleasantly respectful and encouraging of others. We will miss Kristin on
City Council (and appreciate her as County Commissioner), but this absence will be
compensated largely if Melanie Potyondy is selected to represent District 4. Thank you. Alan
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Tuesday, December 22, 2020 5:48:30 PM
Name
Emily Moreland
Email
emily.s.moreland@gmail.com
Phone
9705603159
Address
11750 Road 34
Mancos, CO 81328
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
As a former resident of Fort Collins and double graduate of CSU (BA 2006; MA 2011), I
believe Melanie will be a wonderful addition to the city council. In all of the years I have
known Melanie, I have known her to be dedicated member of her community, volunteering,
attending city council meetings to voice her opinion, journeying to the state capital to advocate
for her fellow school psychologists, and organizing on behalf of her teacher’s union. She
has worked tirelessly to canvass for local candidates and to get out the vote, and she has taken
courses on city works. She truly values local government, and she is a tireless advocate for
public programs. I would love to see her on the Fort Collins city council!
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 7:26:08 AM
Name
Janet Harrison
Email
janetpharrison@comcast.net
Phone
Address
910 West Oak St
FORT COLLINS, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I have worked with Melanie Potyondy and know her to be a highly skilled and empathetic
person. She is hardworking and I know she will be a great team member of the Council. I also
agree with her priorities for the council's work. The other candidate who stands out to me is
Veronica Olivas. Her background is strong and her application is well-written. I believe that
having more diversity on our Council is important. Thanks for considering the public's
opinion!
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 7:01:50 PM
Name
Paige Taylor
Email
paigeetaylor@hotmail.com
Phone
9702064441
Address
2912 MICHENER CT
FORT COLLINS, CO 80526-6241
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Hello! I think Melanie Potyondy would do a great job! We've lived down the street from her
for a few years. She's a very friendly and helpful neighbor. She organized getting a new
neighborhood name sign since it had been messed up for ages, and it looks so much better.
She put up a free little library which is really cool to have nearby. I've reached out to her as a
high school counselor a few times for advice and she's always willing to help (and my son
doesn't go to the school she works at). She's an all around good person and would be a great
community leader.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Friday, December 25, 2020 8:39:19 AM
Name
Richard McClelland
Email
rnmcclelland@hotmail.com
Phone
9702064441
Address
2912 Michener Ct
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I would like to comment on behalf of Melanie Potyondy. I am acquainted with Melanie
because she lives in my neighborhood and we used to speak daily at our children's school bus
pick-up point. During our many conversations I learned that she, at the time, was the school
counselor for Rocky Mountain High and that she is interested in politics. We spoke frequently
on both subjects and what impressed me the most about Melanie is her strong foundational
knowledge of politics. We spoke of local, state and national political issues and she is clearly
very well informed. More impressively and more importantly for her placement on the City
Council is her ability to discuss political issues at a professional level. I never saw a hint of
emotional outburst when contentious matters were being discussed. This is a highly desirable
trait in a City Council person. Also very importantly, her views are obviously based on
objective reality and appear to have been reached through a rational thought process. What
Melanie brings to the City Council is a balanced, measured approach in dealing with the issues
our City faces. She will do her best to arrive at the best possible outcomes without attempting
to over-lay an emotional political agenda that really has no place on the Council. Finally,
Melanie's interest and dedication to local politics has been made clear by her leadership in
organizing and hosting neighborhood meet and greets for city and state political leaders. I
whole-heartedly endorse Melanie for this open Council vacancy and I strongly encourage the
Council to place Melanie Potyondy at the top of their list of qualified candidates.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Sunday, December 27, 2020 3:18:41 PM
Name
Sara Lea
Email
saramlea@gmail.com
Phone
970.494.1833
Address
4500 Seneca St. Unit 24
Fort Collins , CO 80526
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
Please consider this a recommendation for Melanie Potyondy as she runs to fill District 4 open
position for City Council. Melanie is definitely the person to help represent the people of Fort
Collins. I have has the pleasure of working with Melanie at Rocky Mountain High School. Her
background in psychology helps her handle difficult situations that our students may be
experiencing. Her compassion is felt by those she is interacting with, but even those on the â
€œsidelines†feel her gentle kind demeanor. Melanie is driven and determined to make
change when change is needed. She truly inspires many. I have no doubts that Melanie can
take on this position.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Wednesday, December 23, 2020 2:34:39 PM
Name
Sarah Harris
Email
alexander.sarah.b@gmail.com
Phone
Address
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I think Melanie would be a great candidate. She is an educator and cares about people’s
mental health.
From:FCGov Contact Form
To:Delynn Coldiron
Subject:Applicant Feedback
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 7:24:08 AM
Name
Diane Lawton
Email
dllawton@comcast.net
Phone
603 856 4370
Address
6985 Byers Court
Timnath, CO 80547
Please provide comments on any of the applicants. Your feedback will be shared with
City Council.
I write in support of the candidacy of Sidna Rachid for City Council District 4. Sidna is a
compassionate and active resident of the city of Fort Collins, who provides thoughtful classes
for area residents at the Fort Collins Senior Center as a member of the Front Range Forum,
which is how I have come to know her. Her former career as an accountant, coupled with her
true desire to educate and help others would prove invaluable to the City as it faces the
challenges of the twenty-first century. New technologies have brightened many lives, but they
have also increased divides between those who can afford them and those who cannot, and
city dollars must stretch farther to deal with the difficult issues that Covid has exposed.
Compassion will be needed to address the problems of the near future, balancing the needs of
taxpayers with those who need services, looking wisely forward to future city development
balanced with the desire to maintain the open spaces and healthful lifestyle craved by those
who move here for those assets in the first place. I believe Sidna, who has taught valuable
classes on water resources, modern farming issues, and the disparate impacts of government
policies on various constituencies, is well equipped to assist the Council in hearing all voices
and considering the needs of all in moving forward. I therefore offer my support to her
candidacy. Thank you for taking the time to read my submission. If you have any questions or
would like further input, please do not hesitate to contact me.
ATTACHMENT 10
January 5, 2020
District 4 Vacancy
Delynn Coldiron, City Clerk
ATTACHMENT 11
District 4 Vacancy
To night’s Focus:
•Opportunity for public comment on applicants.
•Opportunity for applicants to address Council, if desired.
•Opportunity for Council to identify finalists, if desired.
•Opportunity for Council to discuss January 6 interview
process.
•Opportunity for Council to make changes to the process, if
desired.
2
District 4 Vacancy -Interviews
·Description of the process by the Mayor (3 minutes)
·Opening statement by applicants–1.5 minutes for each candidate (12 minutes total)
·Pre-defined question from the Mayor –2 minutes for each candidate (16 minutes
total)
·Pre-defined question from Councilmember –2 minutes for each candidate (16
minutes total)
·Pre-defined question from Councilmember –2 minutes for each candidate (16
minutes total)
·Follow-up questions from Councilmembers and discussion (30 minutes total)
·Closing statement by applicants –1.5 minutes for each candidate (12 minutes total)
To tal time: 1 hour and 45 minutes.
3
District 4 Vacancy
Next Steps:
•January 6 –Special Meeting -Interviews.
•January 12 –Special Meeting -Selection.
•Will include opportunity for public comment.
•January 19 –Regular Meeting -Oath.
4
District 4 Vacancy
Applicants:
•Jessica Dyrdahl
•Erin Hottenstein
•Philip Jensen
•Ve ronica Olivas
•Shirley Peel
•Melanie Potyondy
•Sidna Rachid
•William Wright
5