Fort Collins municipal election results were announced Tuesday. Wade Troxell was elected mayor, and Ray Martinez, Kristin Stephens and Gerry Horak were elected as city council members.
Fort Collins Mayor
With 19,308 votes and a 59.43 percent majority, city council member Wade Troxell won the Fort Collins mayoral race Tuesday night.
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“I just think Fort Collins is really coming into its own in a lot of different ways — it’s a vibrant community, there are a lot of things happening in our community, and I think we’re really realizing the kind of future we have,” Troxell said at his campaign’s watch party after winning the election. “I’m humbled, but also I’m excited for the future and to work with council in moving this city forward.”
Troxell is an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Colorado State University, where he received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in engineering. Troxell has lived in Fort Collins for 57 years and served on city council for eight.
“There are a lot of things that come up before council that impact CSU students,” Troxell said. “Since I’ve been on council, I’ve always been an advocate for CSU students as first-class citizens in our community.”
Troxell was endorsed by current mayor Karen Weitkunat, who served from 2011 to 2015.
Troxell’s campaign platform included creating “citizen-centered priorities and accountability for a sustainable future,” “economic health and prosperity for all citizens” and “collaboration and partnerships in our community and region,” according to his website.
He said he will also focus on collaborating with CSU to create positive change for both students and the community.
Other mayoral candidates Ward Luthi and Mike Pruznick received 35 percent and 5.5 percent of the votes respectively.
Fort Collins City Council
Winners of the 2015 Fort Collins City Council election include District 2 candidate Ray Martinez, District 4 candidate Kristin Stephens and District 6 candidate Gerry Horak.
After 17 combined years on the Fort Collins City Council, Horak was reelected as the District 6 council member.
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Candidates’ platforms included issues of U + 2, economic development and expected growth of Fort Collins.
Council member District 2, east-central Fort Collins:
Ray Martinez: 52.50 percent, 3,723 votes
District 2 candidates Martinez and Nancy Tellez agreed that affordable housing is an issue facing Fort Collins. Both candidates supported economic development as well.
Martinez, a retired police sergeant, served as mayor from 1999 to 2005. Some of his platform goals included eliminating the divisiveness of the community and encouraging a healthy relationship with Colorado State University and the neighborhoods of Fort Collins.
Martinez said he does not support the U+2 ordinance.
“The ordinance does not give variability for students living in four and five bedrooms,” Martinez said. “There needs to be a little bit of relax-ness, (while) at the same time maintain the quality of life. … There needs to be a balance.”
Martinez said he wants to make sure Fort Collins’ current marijuana regulations are enough to protect the substance from getting into schools.
Council member District 4, southwest Fort Collins:
Kristin Stephens: 51.14 percent, 3,127 votes
Wade Troxell is the current representative for District 4, and the newly elected mayor of Fort Collins.
Stephens said she plans to address the citizens frustrations with traffic and trains in District 4, as well as the lack of affordable housing.
Stephens, a member of the Community Development Block Grant Commission, supports buffered bike lanes, an underpass of the BNSF railroad tracks and improving public safety.
Council member District 6, northwest Fort Collins:
Gerry Horak: 50.29 percent, 1,974 votes
Horak has been reelected as the current council member for District 6.
Horak served as a council member from 1981 to 1994, and 2011 to present. He supports both the U+2 ordinance and the intergovernmental agreement between the city and CSU.
“The city has no planning and zoning authority to stop or significantly change CSU’s plans on their campus,” Horak stated on his website.
Collegian Assistant News Editor Christina Vessa and reporter Ellie Mulder can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter at @chrissyvessa and @lemarie
