Denise Montagu for Ward 1
Common Sense.
No Nonsense.

“When I’m out talking with Louisville residents, I often hear that we’ve been making it hard to do good things in Louisville—whether it’s opening a business, building housing, or improving your home. I believe in practical leadership that says yes to what makes sense.”

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Personal Story

I have lived in Colorado for 46 years and in Louisville for the past two and a half years. I have over 30 years of volunteer experience, including serving on various boards and leading community initiatives. I have served as a preschool board president, chaired the PTO at elementary and middle schools, directed a charity 5k/10k run, served on the Thompson School District Board of Education and the Thompson Education Foundation Board of Directors, and I was an ambassador for the Loveland Chamber of Commerce.

I worked with multiple local governments in Loveland, including the city, county, and school district, to secure a Safe Routes to School Grant. By profession, I am a personal trainer and train private fitness clients at the Louisville Recreation Center. In addition, I run Forging Youth Resilience for Boulder County, a nonprofit I formed to provide free fitness classes to young people.

I live here with my husband, Jim, and our two dogs, Gus and Pete. We have four children living in the area and one living in Los Angeles. We love living in Louisville and look forward to meeting many of you on the campaign trail!

Why I’m Running

My experience has given me valuable insights into how communities function. It's time for a shift in how we approach challenges. Let's start by saying “yes if,” rather than “no because.” By focusing on creative solutions and a collaborative process, we can open the doors to new possibilities that will benefit our community.

I believe good local government starts with listening, showing up, and doing the work. As a member of city council, my priority will be addressing the day-to-day needs of our community—things like public safety, infrastructure, responsible budgeting, and making sure city services work well for everyone.

Issues like environmental sustainability and attainable housing matter deeply to many in our town, and I approach those issues with a sense of practicality and fairness. I believe that city government should stay grounded—focused on what we can do, right now, to improve life for the people who live here. We should continue to refine our existing policies to incorporate sound environmental and housing practices that do not impede our ability to create a vibrant and thriving business community.

My approach to leadership is rooted in collaboration, hard work, thoughtful deliberation, and plain common sense. I’m not running with a personal agenda. I’m running because I care about this town and want to help make smart, balanced decisions that serve all of us—now and into the future.

Let’s Start Saying Yes to Smart Solutions

My Platform

Vibrant Economy

I’m committed to building a vibrant, future-ready economy that supports local businesses, attracts new investment, and creates opportunity for everyone in Louisville.
That means supporting entrepreneurs, strengthening small businesses, and ensuring that our city remains a place where innovation can thrive. It also means investing in smart infrastructure, thoughtful growth, and quality-of-life improvements that help us retain talent and remain competitive in the region.
We can grow while staying true to the values that make our city special—and I’m ready to work with residents, business owners, and community leaders to make it happen.
I'm committed to keeping Louisville a place where small businesses thrive, innovation is welcomed, and thoughtful growth strengthens our community.
Environmental Sustainability

City Council adopted a Sustainability Action Plan in 2016 and updated it in 2020. I agree with the goals, proposals and methods laid out in the Plan, and I believe it is important to periodically revisit the Plan as conditions and the business climate in Louisville change.
Implementing the proposals and meeting the goals outlined in the Plan are an important part of the work of city government. Equally important is making sure the business environment in Louisville is supportive of our small business community and accessible to new business owners and entrepreneurs.
I’ll work to make sure that sustainability efforts are cost-effective, business-conscious, and implemented with input from the people who keep our local economy running.
A healthy environment and a healthy economy go hand in hand—and I’ll fight for policies that ensure we have both.
Attainable Housing

Attainable housing is essential to a strong, inclusive, and thriving Louisville. Teachers, first responders, small business employees, and young families should be able to live in the community they serve and love.
I support policies that encourage a mix of housing options—like smaller homes, accessory dwelling units, and thoughtful infill—so people at different life stages and income levels can stay here.
We can plan for growth that fits Louisville’s character while addressing rising housing costs. By partnering with builders, protecting neighborhood quality, and using smart zoning tools, we can make housing more accessible without compromising what makes our city unique.
Everyone who contributes to our community should be able to afford to live here. I support smart, balanced housing solutions that keep Louisville livable, inclusive, and true to its character.