Candidate Profile: Candice Ferguson, Littleton City Council

LITTLETON, CO — Nine City Council candidates are running for Littleton's Nov. 2 municipal election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Candice Ferguson is running for Littleton City Council.

Age: 45

Family

I’ve been married to my wonderful husband, Jim, for over 19 years. We have 3 amazing children who all attend Littleton Public Schools.

Education

Heritage High School
University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Fine Arts

Occupation

Marketing Communications Director for Fortune 500 companies, over 20 years experience
Small business owner

Campaign website: CandiceForCityCouncil.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I want to bring my leadership and skills to continue the council's work to keep Littleton a great place to live and raise a family. Littleton is a great community with growing and thriving businesses, but it is also a place where our teachers, our first responders, and our grocery store workers can’t afford to live. We need to listen to our community and develop plans for how we can create smart growth and develop affordable housing while maintaining the quality of life we all expect. While data-driven decisions are critical, we can never forget the human component that drives these needs. I will bring this approach to the Littleton City Council.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My opponent has shown over the past 4 years that he hasn’t listened to his constituent’s needs and wants. I will stay connected with the residents and businesses of District 1 and make thoughtful, data-driven decisions balanced with the human component.

How do you think local officials are performing in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think local officials have operated the best they could with the information they had and the uncertainty of this global pandemic. In hindsight, I wish they could have had a more consistent and cohesive plan between cities and the state. I will work with nearby city councils and state legislators to create cohesive plans as a member of the city council.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I think the Littleton City Council needs to work on providing strong growth plans to help businesses grow and for responsible development, while increasing support for affordable housing initiatives. The City’s policy on environmental protection and refugee support needs to be revisited, and transparency needs to be provided on all City Council spending so the residents will better understand how their tax dollars are being used.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

To start, I have successfully directed the Marketing and Communication projects for a global company, learning and adjusting for the cultural differences in the area and achieving corporate objectives. Locally, I was Digital Director for Bond 4A in 2019, which secured much needed funding for rebuilding and enhancing the infrastructure in Littleton Public Schools. I’ve also chaired multiple fund-raising initiatives for Littleton schools, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars that have been used for technology and staffing to ensure they continue to deliver the best education to our children.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

When you’re stuck in a difficult situation, choose to do the next, right thing. Every leadership role is met with challenges and people on multiple sides of an issue, but forward progress must be made. To do that, you need to find the next step, no matter how small, that can move you to a successful outcome. This applies to professional situation, personal situations, and I even use this with my children.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I look forward to working with community leaders to develop the plans that will continue to evolve and strengthen our community while managing the financial realities that exist as we emerge from the pandemic. I think part of this is investing in the people. We talk so much about taxes and investing in things, the tangible, the roads, the water. All of that is hyper-critical, but sometimes we fail to talk about the people who make that happen. The residents and business owners in Littleton are the people our city will work for, and I will make sure their voices are heard when I am elected to Littleton City Council for District 1.