Longmont City Council members showed up to their final meeting of the year Tuesday night in ugly Christmas sweaters. However, the festive outfits did little to soften what turned into a long, at times tense, session covering airport governance, human services funding, and a slate of board appointments.

### Board Appointment Process Draws Attention

The board appointment process has been jokingly referred to by city staff as “City Council’s horse trading, but for board seats,” City Clerk Dawn Quintana told the council during the meeting.

One of the most contentious discussions centered on the Airport Advisory Board. Council members debated whether to reopen a recent appointment process rather than confirm the three recommended candidates. Concerns had been raised over how candidates were interviewed.

Mayor Susie Hidalgo-Fahring introduced a motion to reopen applications to the public and have the council conduct its own interviews. She cited irregularities and a perception of impropriety in the initial process.

Councilmember Matthew Popkin flagged multiple concerns during the airport board’s interview process, including that some current board members who volunteered to interview candidates were also candidates themselves. Popkin noted a lack of clarity about who was invited to participate in interviews and how information was shared among board members.

“There were potential conflicts of interest, or real conflicts of interest, in my opinion,” Popkin said.

Mayor Hidalgo-Fahring expressed discomfort with proceeding without addressing these concerns, preferring to fix the process now rather than revisit it months later.

Councilmember Jake Marsing echoed concerns about the interview process, calling it “broken.” He said, “I could not, under any circumstance, vote for anyone recommended or who went through this interview process.”

Councilmember Crystal Prieto pointed out that the issue highlights broader problems with how advisory boards are instructed to appoint new members. She emphasized the need for clearer, consistent procedures across all boards.

Notably, there is no official city charter rule prohibiting current applicants who are also sitting board members from conducting interviews. However, Mayor Hidalgo-Fahring expressed serious ethical concerns regarding this practice.

Popkin had previously outlined his concerns to the Airport Advisory Board in their December meeting and intended to share them with the full council.

### Motions on Airport Advisory Board Appointments

The initial motion to reopen the Airport Advisory Board appointments failed in a 3-3 vote. Interestingly, Popkin voted against the motion, viewing it as a temporary fix to a much larger problem. Councilmembers Diane Crist and Prieto also opposed the motion.

Subsequently, the council approved a motion from Councilmember Marsing to keep the three vacant board seats unfilled until the city’s midyear appointment process on March 9. This motion passed 5-1, with Councilmember Crist opposed.

As a result, the three vacant at-large seats on the Airport Advisory Board will remain empty until mid-March. The board consists of seven at-large members and one ex-officio member appointed from the City Council.

Mayor Pro-Tem Sean McCoy is stepping into the ex-officio role, replacing Councilmember Popkin, who ranked the airport board lower on his preference list.

Each at-large member of the Airport Advisory Board serves a three-year term. While the board votes on airport matters, its decisions are recommendations only; the City Council has the final say.

The board typically meets monthly and already met in December.

The three recommended candidates—Geremy Kornreich, Dan Meester, and Tara Menza—must re-interview with the City Council if they want to be considered for appointment.

### Board and Commission Selection Process Overview

The city’s selection process varies slightly depending on the type of board. Most boards are advisory, assisting the council in an advisory capacity.

Boards generally have five to seven members, including at least one staff liaison and a secretary. Several boards also have a council member serving to report back to the City Council.

Applicants must meet several criteria:

– Be a Longmont resident for at least one year prior to appointment.

– Be a registered voter for at least one year prior.

– Have attended at least one meeting of the board they seek appointment to.

– Complete a conflict of interest disclosure form.

Applicants are first interviewed by the board they are applying to. If recommended, they are then interviewed by the City Council, which makes the final decision.

### Human Services Funding Proposal

In other business, the council received a presentation on the city’s proposed 2026 human services funding allocation.

The proposal recommends dedicating 3% of the general fund—approximately $1.6 million—to human services, continuing the gradual increase in funding seen in recent years.

City staff outlined a funding plan supporting 62 programs across 55 agencies serving Longmont residents. The allocation covers five priority areas:

– Housing stability
– Food and nutrition
– Health and well-being
– Self-sufficiency
– Resilience

Specific recommended funding includes:

– $150,000 for housing stability
– $215,000 for food and nutrition
– $140,000 for self-sufficiency programs
– Additional funds for mental health and early childhood services

Human Services Director Christina Pacheco emphasized the growing demand from nonprofit agencies despite increased available funding.

Program Manager Eliberto Mendoza explained that the board used a formula-based scoring process, focusing on alignment with the city’s human services needs assessment.

### Update on Hover Street and Colo. 119 Intersection Project

The meeting also featured a presentation from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) on the ongoing Hover Street and Colo. 119 intersection project.

CDOT representatives detailed plans to reconstruct the intersection with goals to reduce traffic delays, improve pedestrian and bicycle safety, and create a welcoming gateway between Longmont and Boulder County.

Councilmembers did not take action on the project during the meeting. However, staff noted that construction planning is intended to accommodate future growth along the corridor.

Traffic engineer Keith Sheaffer highlighted that the intersection has been a high-crash corridor for both motorists and bicyclists.

The project received $172 million in grant funding from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program awarded in 2023.

Construction is expected to begin in April 2026 and conclude by December 2027.
https://www.timescall.com/2025/12/17/longmont-council-airport-advisory-board/