Larimer County Renews County Manager Lorinda Voelker's Contract Through 2026
Larimer County commissioners approved a new employment agreement with County Manager Lorinda Voelker during their October 28 administrative matters meeting, extending her contract through December 31, 2026, and ensuring continuity in county leadership as the organization manages major infrastructure projects and budget planning.
The contract renewal, approved unanimously as part of the consent agenda, replaces Voelker's previous agreement which expires at the end of 2025. The action signals the Board of County Commissioners' confidence in Voelker's leadership during a period of significant county initiatives and financial commitments.
Voelker has served as Larimer County Manager since at least 2021, following her tenure as Deputy County Manager beginning around 2018, according to county records. Her projected term of at least five years aligns with historical patterns in Larimer County, where county managers have typically served four to seven years over the past three decades.
Major Projects Under County Manager's Oversight
Under Voelker's leadership, Larimer County has secured substantial grant funding and overseen multiple high-priority initiatives. The county recently received a $9.8 million Community Wildfire Defense Grant from the U.S. Forest Service, which commissioners approved through an intergovernmental agreement with Colorado State University during the October 28 meeting.
The grant will fund wildfire mitigation efforts including fuel reduction, defensible space creation and community preparedness programs across fire-prone areas of Larimer County.
Voelker has also guided the county through the expansion of behavioral health services, including the new adolescent wing at the Behavioral Health Center. Commissioners Jody Shadduck-McNally and Kristen Stevens toured the facility last week before it begins accepting young patients in coming months.
During the October 28 meeting, commissioners approved an 800-acre conservation easement for Rimrock Ranch in the Laramie Foothills, continuing the county's aggressive land conservation strategy. Larimer County has protected approximately 6,500 acres in 2025, making this the second-largest conservation year in the program's history.
The county manager's office coordinates regional transportation planning efforts, including Larimer County's participation in the Joint Service passenger rail project. State officials presented an update on the Fort Collins-Denver train service during the October 28 meeting, outlining plans for service to begin in January 2029.
Contract Approval Process and Governance
Colorado statutory counties like Larimer operate under state law that grants county commissioners authority to appoint county managers and establish employment terms through formal contracts. The Board of County Commissioners holds sole authority for hiring, performance evaluation and contract renewal decisions.
County manager contracts in similarly sized Colorado counties typically range from two to five years. Weld County historically renews contracts every two to three years, while Boulder and El Paso counties typically use three to five-year terms, according to local government records.
Larimer County conducts annual performance reviews for management-level employees, evaluating budgetary performance, implementation of strategic initiatives and administrative effectiveness. The county's compensation policies require salary decisions to be based on salary surveys, performance metrics and approved budgets.
The county manager position oversees all administrative functions of county government, including appointing department heads, managing budgets and executing policy direction established by the Board of Commissioners.
2025-2026 Budget Priorities
Voelker presented the county's revised 2025 budget and proposed 2026 budget to commissioners on October 22, outlining major expenditure priorities across public safety, health and human services, infrastructure and conservation programs.
Shadduck-McNally encouraged residents to review the budget presentation. "For members of the public, if you want to go back and watch that it was at 2:30 and it was on Wednesday October 22," she said during the October 28 meeting. "It's a great wrap up of where we're at and I really encourage our public to engage and understand how our budget works."
The county manager's office coordinates multiple major financial commitments for 2025-2026, including the wildfire defense grant administration, passenger rail planning, behavioral health center operations and continued open lands acquisitions.
All county manager contract terms, performance evaluations and compensation decisions are subject to Colorado's open meetings law and Larimer County's transparency policies, requiring public notice and Board approval for major employment actions.