Broadband
Since 2013 I have worked diligently on what Loveland now calls PULSE. Municipal Broadband will bring world-class Internet Speed, performance and service to our community – all starting as construction begins in September of 2019. As the largest construction project in Loveland history, PULSE will become Loveland’s 4th utility, providing Broadband Internet, phone service and more to Loveland resident’s through a utility structure, with NO tax dollars being used. All Bonds will be repaid by subscriber premiums, with an estimated payoff in 20 years.
As my greatest accomplishment on Council – I can’t wait till later this year (2023) when every residence, every business and everyone will have Fiber Broadband availability in Loveland Colorado!
I am also incredibly proud to have worked with the PULSE staff to bring the FCC-ACP (Federal Communications Commission – Affordable Connectivity Program) program to Loveland. This ‘free’ program offers base level Fiber Broadband to residents with financial challenges. While this is a federal program and is available through all carriers – PULSE simply has the best service, the best availability, the best asynchronous speed, and the BEST locally based technical support people – period!
National League of Cities
In 2014 I began attending the National League of Cities (NLC), as a representative for Loveland. Serving cities/townships throughout the US, NLC provides education, training and lobbying support for 17,000 cities Nationwide, and is widely regarded as the premier lobbying organization for cities, villages and townships in the United States.
In 2014 I was appointed to the ITC (Information, Technology and Communications) Advisory Committee and have been attending 3 meetings a year since, where I obtained the bulk of the information, knowledge, and connections I brought to Loveland for our Municipal Broadband effort.
I served as the “Zoom” Chair of the ITC Committee during 2020-2021, serving concurrently on the NLC Board of Directors to represent the ITC Committee and ‘All things Technology and Communications.”
In 2021, I was elected to the Board of Directors for a two-year term and will be reapplying in late 2013 to serve this position for an additional term.
NLC offers high quality training in all areas (NLC University), including speakers that we have brought to Loveland to assist with DEI and ‘Roberts Rules’ training, thousands of online and printed materials available to the entire Loveland staff, council, and personal time with council peers from around the nation.
In 2022 I achieved the ‘Diamond – Magna Cum Laude’, level of the NLC-University Educational program.
For 10 years I have represented Loveland at NLC, which offers a national stage for all our efforts. From testifying to Congress on Municipal Broadband, serving on the Board of Directors, chairing various committees and being asked to sit on Nationally distributed panel discussions – I represent Loveland, our Sweetheart City!
PULSE, our community fiber broadband, is a Nationally known success story, and I am very proud to have been able to spread the word about PULSE, and this incredible community we call home through my work at NLC.
Colorado Municipal League
Starting in 2013 I began attending yearly meetings with the Colorado Municipal League in Denver.
I am now extremely proud to represent Loveland as a member of the CML Executive Board.
“CML is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 1923 and represents the interests of 270 cities and towns. Major policies of CML are established by the membership at the annual business meeting and by the CML Executive Board and various committees. Daily operations of the League are carried out by a 16-member staff. CML also has a variety of professional sections and 14 regional districts that give CML depth and breadth in its understanding of municipal needs.
CML offers every city in Colorado support and legal expertise for all matters. With an emphasis on maintaining ‘local control’, CML believes that control of the cities needs to remain in the hands of the cities, not in the State legislature.
With training classes, thousands of online resources, and expert staff available on short notice, CML helps cities in Colorado tackle and overcome the intense issues that arise daily.
Loveland can be proud to be one of the founding 11 cities that began CML in 1923, and as such will host the 100th CML Conference at the Loveland Embassy Suites in June 2024. This conference will showcase Loveland in a 4 day conference for hundreds of Colorado elected leaders, with the Live Loveland staff designing activities and tours of our beautiful city for all of Colorado to experience.
Transportation
I am a proud member of the City Council (2015-2016) that helped our neighbor cities in funding the Northern I-25 expansion project. This project will include almost $1 Billion in long needed transportation funding coming to Northern Colorado.
CDOT, in tandem with the Northern Colorado communities will be funding the widening of I-25 from Berthoud to Fort Collins, a total rebuild of the Hwy 402/I-25 interchange, widening and expansion of the Hwy 34/I-25 overpass structure, the completion of an underpass at Kendall Parkway, an underpass/exit between Hwy 34 and Crossroads to facilitate mass transit, and much more.
Historic Downtown Loveland
I am proud to have been Council Liaison to the Historic Preservation Committee since elected in 2011. In 2014 HPC and their associated City Staff began the hard work of applying to the State for Historic designation for our downtown corridor. That goal was realized in 2015, with History Colorado designating our downtown as a “Historic Downtown District”.
This designation is more than just an honor for our city, it opens additional funding sources through History Colorado that are only available to historic districts, and a few of our building owners are already taking advantage of these additional funding sources. Yearly programs in May of each year are hosted by the HPC to keep Loveland’s History vibrant and timely.
DDA (Downtown Development Authority)
Since it’s inception in 2014, I have proudly served as a Charter Board Member of the DDA. I represent City Council in this driving force in our downtown community. The DDA consists of 8 board members selected through interviews by the Board and 1 designated member from City Council.
The DDA and its partner organizations, LDP (Loveland Downtown Partnership) and LBA (Loveland Business Alliance) have quickly become the ‘heart’ of downtown activity and development planning. Past projects include Façade grants for the Acadia Building, Dark Heart Coffee, the El Centro building and grants of $800K+ for the Elks Building remodel activities, and many more. I am extremely proud to have been a part of it all, and want to serve again on this critical board – which will lead downtown into the future – while preserving the past.
Federal Appointments
In 2020, I accepted a two-year appointment to serve on the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IAC) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
While I represented the City of Loveland in this appointment, NLC also deserves credit for leading me to this adventure.
“The mission of the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee is to provide aid to the Commission on the many telecommunications issues affecting local, state and Tribal governments that are within the jurisdiction of the FCC. The IAC is composed of elected officials of municipal, county, state, and Tribal governments.
The IAC may be tasked by the Chairman to produce specific deliverables that will further the Commission's mission and objectives. The duties of the Committee may include providing guidance to the Commission, gathering data and information, aiding the agency on outreach when needed, and performing analyses the Commission deems necessary to respond to the questions or matters before it.”
During my time with the FCC-IAC, my subcommittee was tasked to review and re-write of the Elected official manual on ‘Radio Frequency Emissions’, and while this work was paused for legal concerns – I look forward to this topic being revisited in the future.
Next – I Co-Chaired the ‘ACP-Best Practices’ committee, authoring and publishing the FCC publication specifically for elected and tribal officials around the country – explaining, detailing and promoting the ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program). The ACP program is the largest leap forward in providing digital equality to under privileged citizens and tribal members ever conceived – bringing them into the digital age like never before.
It is an honor to serve with the FCC and bring knowledge and resources back to our community.
I recently learned that I am the only Loveland official ever appointed to a Federal Level Advisory Committee. Thanks to the citizens of Loveland for this incredible opportunity!