Mayoral Candidate Molly Skold provided this response to our questionnaire. Note, her responses are numbered to correspond to our original survey headings. You may find those here:
- I have only received money from individuals. I expect that all contributions will come from individuals.
- Given the recent passage of Senate Bill 181, we need to assess the need for additional city regulations given existing city code and the limited current oil and gas activity within our city limits. I would investigate and bring together the views of all parties before creating additional regulations and changes in setback requirements.
- Often Fort Collins and other parts of Colorado do not meet the EPA’s standards for ozone. Last year’s fires made our air quality worse. The city, through planning and a strategic view of growth, must align with development that builds clusters of shopping, dining, play and work so more people can walk, bike, use mass transit or drive a short distance. Partnering with builders, developers and city partners with this view will make Fort Collins more livable and will also reduce pollution. More significant improvements in this area can and must be made.
Also, some national trends are showing optimistic trends. We likely are on the cusp of an EV boom as costs come down and selection and mileage range improve. The city must build for the future so that electric needs are met in an efficient and sustainable way to meet the coming EV boom. COVID has made work from home an acceptable and productive reality for many. We need to work with major employers (the City of Fort Collins and other large employers) so we can keep “work at home” options available so to avoid the commuting.
I would investigate the need, effectiveness and the cost of 24/7 monitoring and real time reporting. After this review, if effective, the distribution of costs for 24/7 monitoring would be addressed. I would need to understand the specifics of the legal case proposed given the costs and time that would likely be paid by the citizens of Fort Collins.
- The Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) has laid out conditions to meet the 2030 goal. The PRPA provides updates on progress and identifies hurdles to meet the target. If the form, content, or timeliness of these current updates are not sufficient, I would ask for adjustments. Fort Collins needs cost effective and reliable energy as it moves toward a clean energy future. I would need to further explore the cost and underlying reliability of our electric system in meeting the 2030 goal before finalizing a making a firm mandate of 100% clean energy by 2030. Constant oversight, management and collaboration is needed throughout the process.
- I would want to understand the scope and specifics of the proposal. Senate Bill 181 gives municipalities the ability to govern oil and gas development as it pertains to the environmental impacts, safety, and health of its citizens within their jurisdictions. Further exploration of and collaboration with key leaders is critical to making final, impactful decisions.