Spring Break
Mayor runs for third term, aims to improve city economic health
Matt Minich
Issue date: 3/5/09 Section: News
Doug Hutchinson, incumbent mayor for Fort Collins since 2005, is running for what may be his third and final term this year and said though he believes progress has been made in the city's economic health, it is the major issue plaguing the community today.
Economic health affects older Fort Collins residents and students alike, Hutchinson said, citing projects like the Mason Corridor, a proposed rapid-transit bus route that would take commuters to locations along College Ave. and Harmony Road, and the Fort Zed-led Clean Energy Cluster as examples of the direction Fort Collins needs to go in order to preserve economic health in an environmentally friendly way.
The Clean Energy Cluster, launched in 2006, is a cooperative effort between CSU researchers, local employers and the Platte River Power Authority ÂÂ-- Fort Collins's municipally owned power supplier -- to develop and employ clean energy technologies in Fort Collins.
Hutchinson said that he strongly opposed the Glade Reservoir project, saying he took a two day trip to Washington D.C. to discuss the negative effects of the project on Fort Collins with then-state Senators Wayne Allard, R-Colo., and Ken Salazar, D-Colo.
The proposed reservoir would provide water storage for northern Larimer County and 13 communities in the Fort Collins area. The project has come under fire by
local activists, who say that the reservoir would not benefit Fort Collins.
Hutchinson said that outreach to students on issues like the three-unrelated, or U+2, housing ordinance would be important to him if he were re-elected.
"We have to set the stage to have a good dialogue," said Hutchinson, who said he would look into changing zoning restrictions to open up more residential areas to students.
Ben Manvel, who is currently running for re-election for city council District 1, said the city budget and economic health were priorities for the mayor in his last term.
"I don't think we're going to see any surprises from Doug Hutchinson if he's re-elected," said Manvel, who said he felt the economic health of the city would continue to be Hutchinson's priority.
Economic health affects older Fort Collins residents and students alike, Hutchinson said, citing projects like the Mason Corridor, a proposed rapid-transit bus route that would take commuters to locations along College Ave. and Harmony Road, and the Fort Zed-led Clean Energy Cluster as examples of the direction Fort Collins needs to go in order to preserve economic health in an environmentally friendly way.
The Clean Energy Cluster, launched in 2006, is a cooperative effort between CSU researchers, local employers and the Platte River Power Authority ÂÂ-- Fort Collins's municipally owned power supplier -- to develop and employ clean energy technologies in Fort Collins.
Hutchinson said that he strongly opposed the Glade Reservoir project, saying he took a two day trip to Washington D.C. to discuss the negative effects of the project on Fort Collins with then-state Senators Wayne Allard, R-Colo., and Ken Salazar, D-Colo.
The proposed reservoir would provide water storage for northern Larimer County and 13 communities in the Fort Collins area. The project has come under fire by
local activists, who say that the reservoir would not benefit Fort Collins.
Hutchinson said that outreach to students on issues like the three-unrelated, or U+2, housing ordinance would be important to him if he were re-elected.
"We have to set the stage to have a good dialogue," said Hutchinson, who said he would look into changing zoning restrictions to open up more residential areas to students.
Ben Manvel, who is currently running for re-election for city council District 1, said the city budget and economic health were priorities for the mayor in his last term.
"I don't think we're going to see any surprises from Doug Hutchinson if he's re-elected," said Manvel, who said he felt the economic health of the city would continue to be Hutchinson's priority.
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