In late October, the Partnership for Age Friendly Communities presented the Larimer County Senior Candidates Forum held at the Fort Collins Senior Center. The forum was sponsored by Larimer County Office on Aging, Foundation on Aging for Larimer County, and Center for Public Deliberation at Colorado State University.
Eighty five attendees of all ages listened to seven candidates running for Larimer County Commissioner or State Representative.
The Forum’s purpose is to focus on issues pertinent to the County’s growing senior population such as affordable senior housing, transportation, health care access, long term services and support, senior services funding, Colorado’s strategic plan for aging, legislative initiatives relating to seniors and awareness about culture of aging issues.
Introductions were made by Bonnie Shetler with the Foundation on Aging, Myles Crane, chair for the forum committee, and the moderator was Martin Carcasson, Director of the Center for Public Deliberation at Colorado State University.
The candidates included current county commissioner Lew Gaiter, former Loveland mayor Kathy Gilliland, and candidate Eric Sutherland running for county commissioner; state representative Joann Ginal and candidate Donna Walter running for House District 52; candidates Jeni James Arndt and Tim Bessler running for House District 53.
Each candidate was given five minutes to introduce themselves, then the moderator asked each candidate specific questions on handling different senior issues.
The questions included issues on regional and local transportation, low cost transportation for seniors, affordable housing, overcoming housing shortages, senior employment, strategic planning for senior programs, elder abuse, and public safety issues.
A light dinner followed the program with more questions asked by the audience. Forum chair Myles Crane gave the closing remarks. The forum thanked all the candidates for their presentations. The November 4 election results approved Gaiter for county commissioner, and Ginal and Arndt for House District seats.