Michael Doten, Director, Citizen Planners

            970-484-4123

            305 W. Magnolia, #195

            Ft. Collins, CO  80521

Citizen Planners, Poudre Canyon Group of the Sierra Club, the Loveland Environmental Committee, Citizens for Berthoud, the Poudre Valley Green Party

This coalition of citizen groups is gathered here today to call attention to an issue which needs the attention of all citizens of northern Colorado – active recruiting of businesses to bring them to this area.  We have chosen this site and this time because in this building over here, the Northern Colorado Business Report is sponsoring a discussion of how to sell this area to the highest bidder.

During the last 10 years, Colorado was the third fastest growing state in the nation and Larimer County was the third fastest growing region in the state.  In a recent poll released by the Colorado Environmental Coalition, GROWTH was listed as the #1 concern for the majority of Colorado voters. 

We contend that to actively sell northern Colorado’s amenities and quality of life to outside businesses in this time of rapid growth is not only unnecessary, but is irresponsible.  Today, we call on the area business community to exercise good judgment and halt the marketing of this area to the world.  We don’t need it.  In drawing businesses to this area, they are actually destroying the quality of life that people are coming here for – that’s bad for business.

And today’s forum is not the only effort to sell northern Colorado.

I would like to read a few excerpts from a Loveland Reporter-Herald article dated March 12, 2026 regarding the newly hired president of the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation.

• There's a new man selling Larimer County. And he says it will sell well.
• "We have a fabulous product to sell," said J.J. Johnston, the new president and chief executive officer of the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corp. "I've never had more to work with."
• And Johnston has already started selling the region. In his first week on the job, he's dug up three prospective new businesses, including one from England.  In the next six months, he expects to pass out 1,000 of his business cards.
• Johnston has one staff member besides himself and an annual budget of $450,000.

Citizen Planners supports a healthy economy.  This isn’t healthy.  This is a feeding frenzy.