By Jody Shadduck McNally | Larimer County Commissioner
Larimer County serves all residents and businesses through stewardship of numerous community resources, infrastructure improvements and maintenance, planning services, transparent public records, human and economic health initiatives and broad community-wide public safety services.
The County has a rich agricultural and western heritage that is reflected in our commitment to a high quality of life and preservation of our natural areas. Protecting these lands and watersheds is an essential investment in the health, safety, and long-term future of our entire community. Across Colorado, up to 80% of residents depend on forested watersheds for their municipal drinking water supply, making proactive management a vital priority for local public safety and economic stability.
Larimer County faces increased risks and rising costs for services that protect and invest in our community. These areas included areas that the public greatly value such as wildfire protection, including mitigation, emergency response, and recovery. Protecting clean drinking water sources for all of our residents. Investing in areas and services exposed to higher risks, which also provide high returns, is needed now to make a difference and save public dollars in the long term.
Larimer County community members deeply value wildfire protection, protecting our beautiful landscapes, safeguarding clean drinking water sources, and ensuring fiscal stewardship. We have been engaging with our local residents regarding dedicated tax revenue to fund these critical public safety measures today, which delivers important returns for our communities, and preserves taxpayer dollars over the long haul. Proactive emergency readiness requires multi-agency collaboration and sustained local capital.
These crucial mitigation initiatives do not rely on direct federal or state allocations. In fact, full reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for our 2013 flood recovery efforts was only completed this month—over a decade later. Protecting our watershed and infrastructure means taking local action today rather than waiting for outside assistance, guaranteeing the long-term resilience our region demands.
Wildfire mitigation, emergency response, and recovery now constitute critical risk areas for local communities, including regions historically designated as low risk. Allocating $1 toward pre-disaster mitigation yields between $4 and $13 in reduced future disaster expenditures, depending on the specific intervention deployed.
Comprehensive data from the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and research conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce demonstrate that proactive investment in community resilience provides substantial financial returns. Conversely, deferring these investments can result in up to $33 in lost future economic output for every dollar withheld today. Learn more here: https://www.uschamber.com/security/beyond-the-payoff-how-investments-in-resilience-and-disaster-preparedness-protect-communities
Funding emergency response and investing in mitigation efforts not only saves lives and property – it also saves public dollars in the long term. Investing in services like wildfire mitigation, protecting clean drinking water sources, and even some road and bridge projects can save money and provide significant economic benefits over the long term.
A rapid and effective response to a wildfire can make all the difference in preventing what might be a smaller disaster from becoming a much larger one. We cannot guarantee a future without a natural disaster, however we can make needed investments today in wildfire protection, clean drinking water sources, and other critical areas that will help us be better prepared for the future.
Learn more about these services as we work to make the best decisions for our future together. https://www.chooselarimersfuture.com/
Thank you for your engagement. It is my humble honor to serve as your Larimer County Commissioner.
Jody Shadduck-McNally is a Larimer County Commissioner serving all of Larimer County.