Dear Fort Collins

Karla Baise is a 26-year Fort Collins resident, parent of two Poudre School District (PSD) students, and a community outreach professional at Odell Brewing Company. She is running for the PSD Board in District C. Baise has collaborated with many local nonprofits and civic partners and has volunteered with community efforts such as Fort Collins Comic Con. Episode Summary Host Nick Armstrong speaks...

Sabrina Herrick is a candidate for the Poudre School District (PSD) Board, running to represent District C. She cites a personal experience involving her autistic child and a former PSD bus paraprofessional as the catalyst for her candidacy. Herrick draws on management experience and says she aims to be responsive to diverse student needs across the district. Episode Summary Host Nick Armstrong in...

Andrew Spain is a candidate for the Poudre School District (PSD) Board of Education in District E. He has 30 years’ experience as a licensed paramedic and works in international healthcare education. He has taught adult and continuing education as well as global issues in the University of Northern Colorado’s political science department. He is a PSD parent. Episode Summary Host Nick Armstrong int...

Tom Griggs is an education professional with 35 years’ experience. He taught foundations of education and bilingual/ESL education for 20 years at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), substitute-teaches in local classrooms, and has lived in Fort Collins for 25 years. He is a candidate for the Poudre School District (PSD) Board, District D. Episode Summary Host Nick Armstrong interviews Tom Gr...

Coronda Ziegler is a candidate for the Poudre School District (PSD) Board, Director District D. She holds a Ph. D. in Education with a specialization in organizational change and has two decades of experience focused on student success and transitions. She is a former residence director and a parent of three PSD students. Episode Summary Host Nick Armstrong speaks with Coronda Ziegler about stewar...

Adam Eggleston Interview Adam Eggleston has lived in Fort Collins since 1992. He has been a realtor, small-business owner (formerly Oak Coffee Co.), and community advocate. He served on the Larimer County Planning Commission and has worked on housing and small-business policy with local and state partners. Episode Summary Host Nick Armstrong interviews mayoral candidate Adam Eggleston about housin...

Tricia Canonico Interview District 3 councilmember Tricia Canonico explains why she’s running for mayor and how she’d tackle water infrastructure, active transportation, and housing. She discusses projects like the Siphon Overpass and the Harmony underpass, northeast Fort Collins bike/ped needs, equity-focused climate policy (EPIC Homes, manufactured housing), and simplifying special-event permitt...

Adam Hirschhorn Interview Mayoral candidate Adam Hirschhorn joins Dear Fort Collins to discuss his vision for addressing climate change, affordable housing, and community resilience. Drawing on 13 years as a Wikipedia editor, Hirschhorn emphasizes transparent, fact-driven governance. He outlines a proposal for a resilience and sustainability campus in North Fort Collins, aiming to combine housing...

Emily Francis Interview Emily Francis —District 6 councilmember and twice-elected mayor pro tem—discusses housing, jobs, and inclusion in Fort Collins. She argues the City can “bend the curve” on housing costs by streamlining development review, partnering for desired outcomes, and re-examining impact/capital expansion fees. She notes a roughly $40M/year funding gap to reach the 10% affordable-hou...

Scott VanTatenhove (“ScottyV”) Interview Scott VanTatenhove (“ScottyV”) —PSD teacher, FoCoMX/FCMoA supporter, and former Transportation Board member—talks with Nick Armstrong about his bid for Fort Collins Mayor (Nov. 2025). He describes a collaboration-first view of the Mayor’s role and outlines priorities on housing, homelessness, small-business vitality, and environmental stewardship. He emphas...

Shirley Peel Interview In this episode of Dear Fort Collins , mayoral candidate Shirley Peel joins host Nick Armstrong to discuss her priorities for the city. A former City Council member, Peel emphasizes infrastructure, small business support, water and energy concerns, and strengthening nonprofit partnerships. She outlines challenges including declining sales tax revenue, water scarcity, and deb...

Zoelle Lane Interview District 5 candidate Zoelle Lane discusses affordability, housing, and transit in Fort Collins. She favors mid- to high-density and mixed-use zoning along transit corridors, streamlined permits, and a phased local minimum-wage plan with support for small businesses. Lane points to east-west bus gaps and frequency in District 5, suggests park-and-ride options, and advocates wa...

Amy Hoeven Interview Amy Hoeven , candidate for Fort Collins City Council District 5, shares her priorities ahead of the 2025 election. She discusses protecting vulnerable communities, addressing housing and workforce challenges, and strengthening small businesses. Hoeven emphasizes inclusive policymaking, support for arts and culture, and the importance of neighborhood hubs and transit-oriented g...

Lance Smith Interview Lance Smith , former Utilities Finance Director and candidate for Fort Collins City Council in District 3, joins Nick Armstrong to discuss the city’s budget, housing, sustainability, water, inclusion, and ranked-choice voting. Smith argues for more prudent budgeting as cash reserves are drawn down through 2026, and says housing and climate goals should be addressed in paralle...

Josh Fudge Interview District 3 City Council candidate Josh Fudge joins Nick Armstrong on Dear Fort Collins to discuss Fort Collins’ budget pressures, housing affordability, and regional coordination. Drawing on two decades in local government, he argues that reliance on sales tax constrains services and favors multi-agency collaboration to protect quality of life as outside funding tightens. On h...

Steve Yurash Interview District 3 candidate Steve Yurash discusses why he’s running and how he’d approach council work. He argues for more centrist, data-driven decision-making and greater fiscal caution, citing recent budget growth. Yurash supports ranked choice voting, favors higher individual donation limits, and opposes publicly funded local campaigns. Policy topics include water-constrained g...

Daisy Montgomery Interview Daisy Montgomery (City Council District 1 candidate) joins Nick Armstrong to talk about fixing northeast Fort Collins connectivity (bike lanes, sidewalks, ADA crossings), balancing climate goals with affordability, and shoring up the local economy with small-business support. Drawing on 13 years as a federal program manager and work as a disability advocate and small-bus...

Chris Conway Interview Chris Conway (City Council District 1 candidate) talks with Nick Armstrong about keeping Fort Collins affordable by speeding up permitting, updating zoning, and allowing more diverse, in-town housing—and how that ties directly to climate goals (less sprawl, shorter commutes). He digs into northeast Fort Collins connectivity (trail extensions, safer corridors, city–county coo...

Susan Gutowsky Interview Susan Gutowsky (City Council District 1 Incumbent and City Council Candidate in the upcoming election) joins Nick Armstrong to talk about her priorities for District 1 — from tackling living affordability and improving North East Fort Collins connectivity to navigating Montava’s infrastructure challenges, supporting small businesses, and championing arts and inclusion. Sus...

Kendra Boot Interview In this episode of Dear Fort Collins , host Nick Armstrong talks with City Forester Kendra Boot about how trees shape the health, beauty, and livability of our city. From maintaining 60,000 public trees to planning for future canopy growth, Kendra explains the strategies behind Fort Collins’ urban forest. She also shares how residents can get involved through programs like th...

Mike O'Connell Interview In this episode of the Dear Fort Collins Podcast, Nick Armstrong speaks with Mike O'Connell, creator of the documentary "The Squeeze on the Average American." O'Connell presents data from his film, arguing that the influence of money in politics has led to economic policies that disproportionately harm average citizens. He highlights that the U.S. spends twice the average...

Rick Hubbard of Walking to Fix Our Democracy (https://www.fixourdemocracy.us/) is an 81-year-old activist who is walking across the country to raise awareness about the need for political reform. He believes that the current political system is failing to serve its citizens and is becoming increasingly divisive. Rick's walk aims to bring attention to the issues and to support activists in stat...

In this episode of Dear Fort Collins, host Nick Armstrong interviews Robbie Moreland of Represent Fort Collins. Robbie discusses the importance of voter education and transparency in elections, particularly with the upcoming implementation of ranked choice voting in Fort Collins in 2025. Robbie and Nick also talk about the need for a comprehensive voter guide that includes information on all candi...

Nick Armstrong interviews Conor Duffy, a candidate for the Poudre School District (PSD) Board of Directors in District F. Conor discusses his passion for education and his motivation to run for office. He shares his involvement in the district, including his efforts to pass a bond measure for new schools in the Timnath area. Conor also highlights the importance of addressing enrollment numbers in...

In this episode of the "Dear Fort Collins" podcast, host Nick Armstrong interviews Scott Schoenbauer, a candidate running for the Poudre School District (PSD) Board in District A. Scott shares his motivations for running for public office, including his desire to improve financial literacy and academic excellence in the district. He discusses his specific project of promoting distraction...