Lance Smith is a longtime Fort Collins resident and former Utilities Finance Director for the City of Fort Collins (served ~12 years). He holds an astrophysics degree and later worked in municipal finance. Smith is a candidate for City Council in District 3.
Episode Summary:
Lance Smith joins Nick Armstrong on Dear Fort Collins to discuss fiscal planning, housing, sustainability, water, arts, LGBTQIA inclusion, homelessness, mental health, and the city’s first major election using ranked-choice voting. He emphasizes realistic budgeting and maintaining cash reserves, argues that housing, climate goals, and transportation should be addressed in parallel, and highlights collaboration across city, county, and special districts. Smith supports streamlining development review by the end of 2026 (per recent state requirements), considering different ways “growth pays its own way,” and locating housing near transit. On water, he discusses supply reliability, District 3’s service by Fort Collins–Loveland Water District, and how past development obligations tie many District 3 homes within city limits to Halligan supplies. He describes the city’s connector role on homelessness and mental health, notes specific budgeted items (e.g., HOPE program), and commits to listening and learning—particularly on topics he is less familiar with (e.g., traffic). The conversation also covers nonpartisan campaigning, arts support through city and community venues, and how ranked-choice voting may broaden appeal beyond first-choice voters.
Key Takeaways:
- Fiscal outlook: he states the 2025–2026 budget plans to draw down the General Fund reserve from about $77M (end of 2023) to less than half by end of 2026; he argues for more prudent assumptions.
- Housing: he describes a 25-year housing challenge; supports streamlining development review by 2026 and aligning housing with transit to reduce emissions and commuting.
- “Growth pays its way”: he proposes looking beyond impact fees to broader benefits (e.g., emissions reductions, air quality) when evaluating new development.
- Sustainability: as former utilities finance lead, he cites support for energy/water conservation and income-qualified utility rates while pursuing community climate goals.
- Water: he underscores supply reliability, District 3’s ties to Fort Collins–Loveland Water District, and notes many in-city District 3 homes fulfilled city water requirements linked to Halligan.
- Community inclusion: he identifies needs in the LGBTQIA community (safety, belonging) and points to local groups (PFLAG, SPLASH) while calling for broader city support.
- Homelessness/mental health: he favors the city’s connector role, references emergency shelter plans, 2025 homelessness-response funding, and the HOPE program, and supports co-responder models.
Notable Quotes:
- “I think change is inevitable. So let’s make some positive change together.”
- “I’m interested in serving the whole community… we need to find solutions together.”
- “I would say that the city’s sustainability goals and housing challenges need to be addressed in parallel.”
- “As a council member, I would be looking to reach out… to help teach me about the challenges and opportunities we have.”
- “If we continue with business as usual, I think there will be significant challenges.”
Resources / Links:
- Lance Smith campaign website: https://lancesmith4foco.com/
- Fort Collins Habitat For Humanity: https://fortcollinshabitat.org/
- Fort Collins HOPE and Mental Health Response Teams: https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2023/04/14/fort-collins-police-create-homeless-outreach-and-proactive-engagement-team/70090631007/ and https://www.fcgov.com/police/mental-health
- Dear Fort Collins website: https://dearfortcollins.com/
- Dear Fort Collins YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dearfortcollins
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