Eight candidates vie for Broomfield Ward 1 seat; housing, stalled Town Square and a looming budget shortfall top the forum

At a forum hosted by the Broomfield City Council, eight candidates for the Ward 1 vacancy outlined competing priorities and shared several clear areas of agreement: housing affordability, improved communication about the stalled Town Square project, and stewardship of city finances amid tightening budgets.

The forum, organized as one-minute opening statements followed by three timed questions, produced specific proposals and several concrete figures. Candidate Joel Niles said, "I support the inclusionary housing ordinance as an important step in expanding housing access to housing opportunities," and argued for a balanced mix of zoning updates, infill and preservation that protects a community target of 40% open space. Candidate Katie Peterson said the Broomfield Housing Stability Task Force is studying financing options to address what she described as "the $15,000,000 a year funding gap between the current needs of our residents and the available housing resources," and said she would back a ballot measure informed by that work.

Several candidates emphasized preservation and targeted funding. Katie Harness Hemmer urged protecting naturally occurring affordable rentals and increasing cash‑in‑lieu payments from developers to prevent redevelopment from producing only market-rate units. Samantha Tillotson said public dollars should prioritize housing for those most at risk of insecurity and that developers must be held accountable for affordability commitments.

A distinct and specific interim idea came from candidate Samara Ziotti, who noted the local use of recreational vehicles for shelter and referenced "Broomfield ordinance 10 12 0 1 5." Ziotti proposed seeking agreements with private property owners to allow long-term RV parking, saying "the unused portion of their parking lot includes approximately 4.4 acres, depending on the density, and that could accommodate approximately 22 to 66 RVs." Candidates framed this as an interim, locally manageable measure alongside long-term construction and preservation strategies.

The Town Square development — long delayed and closely watched by Ward 1 residents — drew consistent concern about communication and timelines. Multiple candidates urged better, more consistent updates and stronger accountability with developers. Jennifer Freeman said the council may need to "contemplate next steps" and legal levers and suggested the city study interim infrastructure improvements to ready the site for future development. The host clarified during the forum that the parcel in question "is Broomfield property, but we conveyed it to the developer," and characterized that conveyance as generous.

On fiscal resilience, candidates largely agreed on protecting core services (public safety, roads and parks) while targeting capital projects and economic development to expand the tax base. Joel Niles warned, "As I understand, Broomfield's looking at potentially a $15,000,000 shortfall going into 2027 budget," and several candidates said they would rely on staff expertise to identify priorities and savings.

Candidates repeatedly highlighted the need for clearer public messaging, especially about water conservation amid what some described as an unusually dry winter, and several said they would prioritize listening tours and direct constituent contact if appointed.

The council announced next steps during the forum: "we're gonna actually vote on the vacancy at the next meeting on February 24 at 6PM in the council chambers," and the swearing-in for the appointee is scheduled for the March 3 council meeting. That vote — and how council members weigh the tradeoffs described by candidates — will determine who serves the remainder of the Ward 1 term.

Participants and officials present included candidates Matthew Shepherd, Katie Harness Hemmer, Katie Peterson, Joel Niles, Samara Ziotti, Katie Swoboda, Samantha Tillotson and Jennifer Freeman, along with Mayor Castriada and multiple council members who asked follow-up questions. The forum produced no formal motions or votes; the only formal action announced was the date and time for the council appointment vote and the swearing-in.