Five candidates running for Health District of Northern Larimer County board of directors

Five people have declared their candidacy for the board of directors of the Health District of Northern Larimer County. They will compete for two open seats in an election to be held May 8.

Running are Bernard J. Birnbaum, 39, family physician; Matt Fries, 44, financial services professional; Debbie Healy, 53, registered nurse; Jack Irving, 59, retired pharmaceutical marketing and sales manager; and Steven J. Thorson, 65, family physician. All are residents of Fort Collins. Birnbaum and Thorson are incumbents.

The Health District is governed by a five-person board of directors whose members are publicly elected to alternating four-year terms. Board members are elected at-large by eligible electors in the district, which encompasses the northern two-thirds of Larimer County and includes the cities of Fort Collins, Timnath, LaPorte, Livermore and Wellington. Elections are held every two years.

Voting on May 8 will take place at two polling locations in Fort Collins: the Health District main office, 120 Bristlecone Dr., and Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, 4501 S. Lemay Ave. (corner of Lemay and Harmony).

To be eligible to vote in the election, a person must be 18, registered to vote in Colorado and a resident of the district for not less than 30 days. Non-district residents also may vote if they or their spouse own taxable real or personal property within the district and are registered to vote in Colorado.

The last day to register to vote in this election is April 9.

Anyone wishing to vote by mail must request an Application for Permanent Mail-In Voter Status by contacting Judy Robison-Bullard, designated election official for the Health District, at 224-5209, or by email at jrobison@healthdistrict.org. The application also can be downloaded from the Health District website and will be printed in the spring issue of the Health District Compass newsletter mailed to district residents in early April.