VOTE411 Voter Guide

With at least three new trustees joining Berthoud’s Board in April 2026, there is an opportunity to review the Town’s priorities, projects, and mandates. This process will ensure that our actions and expenditures reflect community goals, financial realities, timelines, and resident expectations. Such an evaluation, including citizen input, is the foundation for a strong strategic plan and responsible stewardship of Berthoud’s assets. After the plan is vetted, schedules can be set for future gathering of community input and periodic plan updates to keep our direction relevant and aligned with community needs. Managing growth remains a top concern as Northern Colorado’s population rises. Addressing expanded housing needs and ensuring sustainable water supplies—especially amid high housing costs and increasing population—requires coordinated action from Town staff, the Board, residents, and developers. Our approach must support appropriate growth while preserving Berthoud’s small-town character and rural feel. As a member of the Planning Commission and the 24-25 Housing Steering Committee that developed the housing study, I believe that steps to achieve this include the upcoming review of the Comprehensive Plan, continuing to implement recommendations from the Town’s housing study, and continuing collaborative discussions and partnerships focused on sustainable water solutions. These actions are essential for meeting community needs and maintaining the Town’s unique identity.

Strategic priorities must guide financial and budgeting decisions. Local governments must first address required legal mandates, fund restrictions, core services (such as police, water, parks, and staff), ongoing projects, and maintain reserves for emergencies. Only after these obligations are met can new projects be considered.

For new initiatives some of the questions I ask are: • Does it advance the town’s goals? • Is it aligned with citizen expectations? • Will it improve the community or address a community need or solve a community problem? • Who benefits and for how long? • What are the costs and are they ongoing? • What other resources will be needed (staff, facilities)? • Does the initiative or project involve and/or enhance a partnership with other community entities or citizens?

Addressing drought, wildfires, and air quality requires coordinated efforts among local governments and agencies. Having said that, there are some things that Berthoud can do to move forward in these areas. If I were a town board member, I would encourage regular review of codes and programs to better prevent and prepare for these challenges.

A few examples: 1. Berthoud’s waterwise lawn program could be expanded through increased grant funding. 2. Development standards could promote water conservation in new and remodeled homes and buildings. 3. Public spaces could be retrofitted with water-saving devices and landscaping to reduce water use. 4. Future town vehicle purchases should prioritize low or zero emission options. 5. To mitigate wildfire risks, landscaping and development guidelines could be updated in a manner that new developments and landscaping are designed to slow fire spread.

I also support Berthoud continuing to partner with local, state and federal disaster and emergency agencies to plan for wildfires including primary and secondary communication strategies, citizen and animal displacement plans, and medical services accessibility. The Berthoud Fire Department, the Sheriff's Department, the Thompson Valley ambulance services and the Town staff are key in town collaboration with the state and federal agencies and in coordinating efforts should a wildfire emergency occur. I applaud their continued work and coordination to date.

Drawing upon my experience with Berthoud’s Habitat for Humanity Board, the Planning Commission, and the 24-25 Housing Steering Committee, I recognize the high housing costs and the difficulty of creating safe, sturdy, affordable homes in Berthoud. Providing such housing is vital for supporting young adults and seniors in our community and will allow them to participate and thrive in our congenial small town.

While identifying land and securing water for new homes is expensive, there are effective strategies for encouraging affordable housing, as outlined in the 2025 housing study. Recently, many of the recommendations of the study aimed at affordable housing have been implemented such as streamlining the development review process and the expansion of an ordinance waiving certain fees for non-profits building affordable homes. I thank the current Town Board and the Town’s Development Department for their diligence in implementing these recommendations. The land and water banking recommendation is in the planning stage.

Now, further progress could be made through partnerships with local organizations (like Berthoud Habitat and the Loveland Housing Authority) and developers, and by expanding grant solicitation efforts (which could be a catalyst of land and water banking). Devising new incentives for building affordable homes in future neighborhoods also could be reviewed. These may be next steps for the Berthoud Board of Trustees to consider.

Strengthen Businesses In Berthoud: We should be attracting the right kind of businesses to Berthoud and supporting existing businesses to encourage them to stay. Require Accountability and Transparency: I've heard you through the branding survey and through talking to you around town. The Town of Berthoud should be more transparent in their processes and plans. Communication should not be an afterthought. I will always be a voice that challenges the status quo. Drive Sustainable and Thoughtful Growth Without Burdening the Next Generations With Debt: No growth cap, but also not growing faster than we can sustain. We love our town, the Berthoud Charm, and infrastructure that isn't failing to keep up. We also do not need to set the next generations up for failure because of poor planning and no impulse control.

My family and I live our life within our means, debt-free, and with a robust emergency fund to weather what life can throw at us.

This perspective will also guide my financial and budgeting decisions. While the Town is not currently in a position to operate debt-free, it can operate with the future in mind, and not wants over needs. In addition, it is crucial to me that I make decisions on behalf of Berthoud citizens that reflect what they want and looking forward enough to ensure it's what the Town can provide to them.

Keep in perspective that my scope of influence will be limited to what I can address within Berthoud. Drought: I believe we should make changes now in our municipal code to enable the use water conservation through waterwise plants, and landscape designs. I'd also invite our Master Gardeners from Northern Colorado affiliates to teach classes on a regular basis in Berthoud on ways to water efficiently. Wildfires: I can't stop wildfires, but what I can advocate for is helping the citizens of Berthoud learn how to be prepared for mandatory evacuation notifications. Air Quality: Prior Trustees, PORT, and the Planning Commission have done a great job scrutinizing building plans and developments to ensure we don't run into air quality issues. I intend to continue that level of review and speak out if something is coming to a vote that would be a detriment to our town.

Not only do we need affordable housing, but we also need attainable housing. The Town of Berthoud has already shown that the developers can partners with programs locally to allocate plots of land for attainable housing. I will continue to speak up on this topic when we are approached with new development plans for neighborhoods.

I believe some of town’s priorities in the next four years should include:

• Saving farms, open space, and natural areas. • Continuing work to preserve the Little Thompson Corridor. • Using community input and building affordable capital projects. • Pursuing sustainable economic development for our businesses. • Advancing communications and accountability for our government. • Building trails, infrastructure, and investing downtown. • Protecting our town from bad development and growth. • Maintaining the town’s financial security & stability. • Keeping the cost of living low for the community and staff.

My service record speaks to my past and future actions in support of these priorities.

Fiscal responsibility is foundational in my own household as it should be in our government. In my four years on this board, we have managed the budget in a conservative manner, yet there is room for substantial improvement.

The failure of the Sonoco/HNS project and the race to complete Richardson Park are significant turns away from fiscal responsibility that are draining town funds without assessing costs and benefits, financial scenarios, or the long term stability of the town's general fund. In the 2026 Draft Budget, projections put the town on a downward trajectory without growth, taxes, and rate hikes. I can't and won't support financial decisions that jeopardize my kids and our future.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I am supportive of building better process, particularly around financial projections on capital projects. Without good planning or good numbers, the town should move cautiously and remain focused on needs versus wants.

I will work to protect our town's financial stability in every decision that comes before the board. Taxes and fees imposed on our residents and businesses should be carefully considered from a cost/benefit standpoint. I will strive to make our town government run more efficiently and will seek alternative funding sources that will benefit our citizens without burdening them.

Establishing Berthoud's first Sustainability Plan has been a priority for me in my first term and implementation will be a focus of my second term.

As we develop, we need to focus on sustainable infrastructure and development in the future.

We need to pursue energy-efficient and resilient construction that is built to last.

We need to preserve our tree-lined boulevards, open spaces, farms, and natural/agricultural scenery.

Water resources on the Front Range are finite and cost more and more every year. We need to pursue water conservation strategies that limit wasteful use.

Lastly, we need to pursue renewable energy and energy-efficient transportation for our residents.

Affordable housing is one of the most difficult issues our town faces. I believe that providing various housing options such as apartments, townhomes, and small single family homes can lower the threshold for younger and senior residents to afford housing. It also allows existing residents to remain here in a time when incomes are stagnant as housing costs soar.

We should streamline permits and timelines for the development of affordable, quality housing and explore land and water banking. None of these are a silver bullet, but implementing many of these strategies can lessen the problem.   

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