Aubree Miller
Fort Collins mayoral candidate Tricia Canonico speaks with Emily Francis and Linda Stanley at Civic Saturday event Oct. 4 at Fossil Creek Park.
Members of the Fort Collins community gathered at Fossil Creek Park Oct. 4 to engage with city leadership and learn more about upcoming ballot issues.
At the event were current officials, including Mayor Pro Tempore Emily Francis and District 3 Councilmember Tricia Canonico, along with first-time candidates and ballot initiative sponsors. Intended to offer voters a more personal experience engaging with local officials, the event — dubbed Civic Saturday — leads up to Fort Collins’ Nov. 4 municipal election, which features several pertinent ballot questions and the highly anticipated implementation of a ranked choice candidate voting system.
Organized by Sam Houghteling, the program manager for Colorado State University’s Straayer Center for Public Service Leadership, the event specifically targeted young Fort Collins families in an attempt to break down complex ballot questions on a grassroots level. Fossil Creek Park’s pavilion was selected to attract such families while offering a casual environment to engage with city officials.
“Young families have a lot going on,” Houghteling said. “This was a way for us to meet people where they are and answer their questions.”
Despite the gathering’s specific timing and venue, minimal attendees were present, leaving candidates to largely talk among themselves. Houghteling attributed the low engagement to the event coinciding with Fort Collins’ beloved Tour de Corgi parade, which attracted thousands to the Old Town region across town.
“We’re a community. My role is to listen to you, understand exactly what you’re experiencing and really bring people together and tap into the experts that are on the ground every day” -Amy Hoeven, city council candidate
Josh Fudge is running against two other candidates to claim the District 3 City Council seat following Canonico’s entrance into the mayoral race. Situated east of South College Avenue and south of East Harmony Road, the district encompasses much of Fort Collins’ recent commercial and residential expansion. As the budget director for Larimer County and a longtime Fort Collins resident, Fudge said his candidacy mainly centers on remedying the City of Fort Collins’ budget practices.
The city recently froze millions of dollars in funding, as an $11 million budget gap looms over the remainder of 2025. A $15.4 million gap in 2026 is already projected. Fudge also placed a focus on affordable housing and said a balanced budget is crucial to ensure the long-term health of the city.
“I want people who raised a family in Fort Collins and sent their kid to CSU to be able to have that kid graduate and then be able to buy a house and stay here,” Fudge said.
Linda Stanley is the primary organizer behind Ballot Issue 302, a citizens’ initiative to continue the city’s 0.25% sales and use tax to provide funding for the conservation of natural spaces across Fort Collins. Originally approved in 1992 and extended for 25 years in 2002, Stanley said she regards the initiative as central to the city’s character and nationwide appeal.
Stanley, a researcher in CSU’s psychology department and the spouse of former City Councilmember Kelly Ohlson, said events like Civic Saturday are integral to the success of a citizens’ initiative.
“We’re a citizens’ initiative, meaning we have to gather signatures from community members to get on the ballot,” Stanley said. “Events like this really allow us to engage with people and explain why this is important.”
Also in attendance was District 5 candidate Amy Hoeven, who is vying to inherit the seat from the retiring Ohlson. With the district encompassing CSU’s campus and much of the adjoining area, Hoeven has centered her campaign on issues facing younger demographics, including housing affordability, job growth and immigrants’ rights.
A longtime Fort Collins resident and CSU alumna, Hoeven said she plans to continue to represent vulnerable communities and create opportunities for young people by listening to feedback and trusting the input of experts.
“We’re a community,” Hoeven said. “My role is to listen to you, understand exactly what you’re experiencing and really bring people together and tap into the experts that are on the ground every day.”
Several other events in the same spirit as Civic Saturday are planned across Fort Collins in the lead-up to the Nov. 4 election.
Reach Sam Hutton at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.