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Musician and business owner would prioritize improving communication between the city and small businesses

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He also proposed that police could engage more with the community by setting up volunteer partnerships through organizations such as the Loveland Community Kitchen, where he and his wife helped regularly before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wickam said he was hopeful that he would be able to improve the dynamics on the City Council if elected.

“I want to help unify our City Council and get us moving in a direction that benefits the citizens rather than calling each other names and fighting,” he said.

“I love Loveland, and that’s really the bottom line of why I’m running,” Wickam said. “I’m running because local government is the way we can have the most impact on the world that impacts us the most.”

Besides volunteering with the Community Kitchen, Wickam’s and his wife’s businesses have partnered with Realities for Children, and Wickam has assisted with Fort Collins-based musical charity Off the Hook Arts.

Wickam has also served as a member of the city’s Communications Advisory Board since 2018 and as vice chair for the past year.

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Vi Wickam announces bid for Loveland Ward III council seat

Northern Colorado native Vi Wickam has filed for election to the Third Ward City Council seat currently held by incumbent Steve Olson.

Loveland, Colorado May 19, 2021 – Vi Wickam, a Front Range native and local Loveland small business owner has announced his bid for election to the Loveland City Council in Ward 3.

“I’m running for City Council because I want to help Loveland do better. I want to help us have a more efficient government that cares about our citizens and is responsive to each and every one of us,” said Wickam.

Wickam is also a strong advocate for giving local businesses the support they need to grow and thrive in Loveland, “It’s small local businesses that really drive the economy and they’re the ones that have the opportunity to grow, so if we really want to create jobs in our city, you need to grow them locally with local businesses by helping them grow.” He wants to help make the city more responsive to small business needs in a helpful, collaborative manner rather than operating predominantly in a compliance enforcement role. 

In 2018, Wickam was appointed to serve on the city’s Communication Advisory Board and has served as vice-chair of the committee for the past year. He was an early and enthusiastic supporter of the Municipal Broadband Initiative which culminated in the founding of Pulse Broadband which launched services in mid-2020.

One of Wickam’s biggest initiatives is taking action to create accountability and earn back our citizens’ trust in our city government following Karen Garner’s mistreatment by Loveland police officers, “Our government needs to re-establish trust with our citizens, because our trust was betrayed.”

Vi Wickam, age 45, was born and raised in Greeley and often visited his grandparents who moved to Loveland in 1956. Longtime Loveland residents may remember Vi’s grandfather (also Vi Wickam) as their shop teacher at Loveland High School.

Following a 14-year stint in Indiana, Wickam moved back to the Front Range in 2009. He has lived in Loveland for the past 4 years. Wickam and his wife, Christina Gressianu, live and work in downtown Loveland. Vi’s office and their home are above Christina’s studio in the building they call The Gressiwick. They purchased the 1905 building 3 years ago and have completed extensive renovations. 

In addition to housing the couple’s businesses, they also use the building to hold downtown concerts and community events.

Wickam’s business interests include multiple online ventures, a digital marketing agency and web development services. A nationally recognized fiddle player and educator, Wickam also teaches music to local students as well as virtual students throughout the world via www.mytalentforge.com. 

Wickam will be on the ballot for the City Election on November 2, 2021.

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Wickam-Soundbite-1.mp3  0:16 “I’m running for City Council because I want to help Loveland do better. I want to help us have a more efficient government that cares about our citizens and is responsive to each and every one of us”

Wickam-Soundbite-2.mp3 0:07 “So if we really want to create jobs in our city, you need to grow them locally with local businesses by helping them grow.”

Wickam-Soundbite-3.mp3 0:08 “Our government needs to re-establish trust with our citizens, because our trust was betrayed.”