Larimer County proposes sponsoring April water film event; transportation stakeholder interviews to begin

Leslie Ellis, director of Community Planning, Infrastructure & Resources, told the Board of County Commissioners that staff are coordinating a tentative April 22 event to screen a water‑related film (the Mirasol screening) at the Lincoln Center in partnership with the Palmer Land Conservancy and Northern Water. Staff described the event as a film screening plus a panel on land use and water that could serve as a public education component of the county's water plan work.

Ellis said the county discussed an initial sponsorship range and noted that, because the event is a single occurrence and other sponsors are being pursued, the county's contribution would likely be toward the lower end of the previously discussed $5,000–$10,000 range. "We're working with the Palmer Land Conservancy. Northern Water is also a sponsor, and they're looking to hold an event at the Lincoln Center," Ellis said.

County Manager Lorenda Volker said the county would sponsor the event because education aligns with the adopted county water plan: "We would sponsor this because education is an important piece of our water plan," she said.

Ellis separately told the board she is preparing stakeholder interviews for the county's transportation ballot initiative work and will circulate a list of proposed interviewees to commissioners for input. Staff plan to interview community leaders, nonprofit and business organizations and local elected officials to inform outreach and ballot planning.

Why it matters: The film and panel are intended as public education tied to the county's water plan; early sponsorship decisions and stakeholder interviews will shape public outreach for both water and transportation initiatives.

Next steps: staff will firm up venue costs and sponsorship commitments, circulate the transportation stakeholder list to commissioners and continue coordination with partner organizations.