Episode Description
TL;DR
* Flock is out. Axon is in. Council voted unanimously to switch license plate reader vendors from Flock Safety to Axon, with conditions attached. The public was not happy about it.
* The Airport Advisory Board dissolution passed first reading 5-2. Not gone yet, but heading there. Final vote on April 14.
* Growing Gardens, a nonprofit providing thousands of pounds of free produce to Longmont residents, got a win after being left in limbo by the YMCA closure. They had run the farm out of the YMCA and Council directed staff to explore other options for them and similar organizations, 6-1.
* First Friday Makers Market got $7,000 from contingency funds to help cover costs for the season. 6-1.
* Wildfire resiliency code adopted into Longmont’s municipal code, changing requirements for new construction. Not retroactive.
* First and Main transit hub (the Front Range Community College project) moved forward unanimously through two ordinances. Popkin was basically vibrating with excitement.
* Two state bills: Council supported a housing funding bill and opposed a school zone signage bill as an unfunded mandate.
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The Big Ones
Flock is Out. Axon is In.
This has been building since Council told the police department to pause its relationship with Flock Safety and come back with alternatives due to immense public pushback against Flock.
The police department came back with their recommendation: switch to Axon. Council voted to approve this switch and it passed with conditions attached.
The contract was not finalized at the time of the vote. It will be public once executed.
The chamber was packed before the meeting even started. Tech experts in the crowd raised pointed questions about cloud infrastructure and whether the security claims fully hold up. Several members of Deflock Longmont (link in show notes) spoke. The consistent message: the issue is not just which vendor, it is the technology itself. Council voted unanimously to move forward anyway, and each member explained their reasoning. It was a long night.
Worth flagging: Mayor Pro Tem McCoy said the thing he is actually most concerned about is not the city-managed cameras but the private cameras around Longmont that have zero oversight. That conversation is probably coming.
Airport Advisory Board: On Its Way Out
An ordinance to dissolve the Longmont Airport Advisory Board passed first reading 5-2. The idea is a governance reset: Council takes direct oversight temporarily while they figure out a better structure, potentially an airport authority model.
Two council members opposed it, arguing advisory boards exist to bring in expertise Council does not have, and that dissolving is not the right response when the problems could be fixed more directly.
A local pilot spoke during public comment about youth flight programs, community use of the airport, and feeling like the aviation community has been kept at arm’s length by Council. He invited Council to come by the Hangar and said that felt that within a year and through collaboration, they could get a lot done together.
Final vote is April 14. If you care about Vance Brand, that is the meeting to be at.
The Rest, Quickly
Growing Gardens is a nonprofit community farm that provided around thousands of pounds of free produce to Longmont neighborhoods last year, including to local childcare centers. They have been running the farm on YMCA property but only have a temporary agreement through the end of the growing season. The motion was pretty specific about finding city land for Growing Gardens directly, but after some back and forth about fairness to other nonprofits, it was broadened to direct staff to look into options generally for Growing Gardens and similar organizations. Passed 6-1.
First Friday Makers Market asked for city co-sponsorship for their monthly downtown market (full ask was $21,000-$27,000 annually). Council approved $7,000 as a one-time contribution to cover traffic costs for the first part of the season, with a check-in mid-summer. Passed 6-1. First market is April 4. Link below.
Wildfire resiliency code (O-2026-11) is now in Longmont’s municipal code. Building something new in the far southwest part of the city? You may have additional requirements. Nothing changes for existing structures.
First and Main transit hub: Two ordinances for the partnership between the city, Front Range Community College, and developer Vertikal Richmark LLC both passed unanimously. This is the transit-oriented development project downtown that Councilmember Popkin compared to Denver Union Station. The vibe in the room was genuinely exciting for this one.
State bill positions: Council voted to support HB 26-1206, giving local governments the option to levy housing development taxes if voters approve it first (6-1). They voted to oppose HB 26-1318, which would require new school zone signage statewide at an estimated cost of $100,000 or more to the city with no state funding attached. One council member wanted to support it but the unfunded mandate concern won the room. Unanimous opposition.
Coming Up
April 14 is the next regular session. The water waste ordinance and the airport board ordinance are both up for second reading and final vote.
April 4 is the first First Friday Makers Market of the season.
April 4 there is an event on wildfire resiliency. Link below.
April 22 is Earth Day in Longmont. Go Earth!
This is an independent recap. We do our best but we are not the official record. Links to official documents, meeting minutes, and the transparency portal are all in the show notes.
Timestamps:
00:00 Meeting Night Overview
00:43 Introductions and Proclamations
02:00 Trash Can Note Mystery
03:25 Growing Gardens After YMCA
05:19 Group Homes Notification Debate
06:48 Housing Report and True North
08:39 Budget and Wildfire Code Votes
10:08 Transit Hub and Urban Campus
11:03 Wastewater Leaks and Airport Board
15:22 Flock Out Axon In
25:41 Makers Market Sponsorship
28:08 State Bills and Public Concerns
30:57 Wrap Up and Notices
Links: Deflock
Axon
City of Longmont Flock Info Page
https://longmontcolorado.gov/public-safety/transparency-records-and-online-options/flock-cameras/
Longmont Police Department Flock Transparency Portal
https://transparency.flocksafety.com/longmont-co-pd
Councilmember Marsing’s comments on Flock Vote: https://www.reddit.com/user/WingMan126/?share_id=sl2MUpC8xtBUSbToS2xyq&utm_content=1&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1%2F
True North Longmont
https://longmontcolorado.gov/housing/affordable-housing/true-north-longmont/
First Friday Makers Market
https://www.downtownlongmont.com/do/first-fridays-makers-market
Longmont Downtown Development Authority
https://www.downtownlongmont.com/who-we-are/ldda
Surviving Wildfires— Home Preparedness Show
https://bouldercounty.gov/event/surviving-wildfires-home-preparedness-show/
Wildfire Risk MAP
https://co-pub.coloradoforestatlas.org/#/
Climate Risk MAP https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/64f5e578a8b749a99f81093fc767fb0d
Hail, not wildfire, driving largest increase in Colorado’s homeowners insurance premiums
https://www.cpr.org/2026/02/11/hail-increase-homeowners-insurance-premiums-colorado/
Climate threats lead to huge jumps in Colorado home insurance rates, and the state is seeking solutions: https://www.rmpbs.org/news/housing-transportation/colorado-home-insurance-rates
Longmont City Council Moves Toward Dissolving Airport Advisory Board: https://www.timescall.com/2026/02/25/longmont-city-council-moves-toward-dissolving-airport-advisory-board/
Longmont Council to Weigh Airport Board Dissolution, Downtown Campus Votes: https://www.timescall.com/2026/03/23/longmont-council-to-weigh-airport-board-dissolution-downtown-campus-votes/
Longmont City Council Board Committees and Commissions Applications: https://longmontcolorado.gov/boards-committees-and-commissions/application-process/
Longmont City Council Meetings: https://longmontcolorado.gov/government/city-council-meetings/
Coffee with Council: https://longmontcolorado.gov/government/coffee-with-council/
Mayor and City Council Members: https://longmontcolorado.gov/government/mayor-city-council-members
Finding Your Council Representative: https://longmontcolorado.gov/government/mayor-city-council-members/mayor-or-city-council-representative/
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