Fort Collins City Council July 14 meeting: Connexion expansion approved as budget realignment and tax-plan shifts take shape

Fort Collins City Council on Tuesday, July 14, approved a key agreement to advance Connexion broadband expansion and spent much of the meeting looking ahead to the city’s 2027-28 budget, where staff described a financial realignment shaped by rising costs and service tradeoffs.

Council voted 7-0 to approve a BEAD grant agreement for Connexion broadband expansion, allowing the city manager to finalize the agreement with the Colorado Broadband Office and move forward with a project to extend fiber service to unserved and underserved locations in Fort Collins.

In a broader budget work session, staff told members the 2027-28 budget will focus on realignment rather than growth or a traditional cuts budget, saying revenue is still rising but not fast enough to keep up with ongoing costs after years of relying on reserves and one-time money. As part of that discussion, council also got an early look at a possible natural-gas franchise fee increase that staff said could generate about $1.2 million annually.

Council members also used the work session to signal possible changes to the city’s voter-approved quarter-cent capital tax package. Members showed interest in moving up trails and composting work in the tax plan, while several also pressed staff to front-load Vision Zero and trail spending so safety and trail projects could start sooner. Separately, council questioned why composting funding is delayed in the capital tax schedule and indicated interest in making at least some of that money available earlier if partnership opportunities arise.