NEDERLAND - The Nederland Downtown Development Authority met on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, to consider multiple requests from local businesses and event organizers for funding for several special events scheduled to take place over the summer.

Nederland Farmers Market requested $1,000 in traffic and safety funding and $1,000 in marketing funds for their upcoming Party in the Peaks event, scheduled for July 20. They also asked for another $1,000 for their main summer markets and “mini-markets.”

Peak to Peak Endurance requested $1,000 for traffic and safety and $1,000 for marketing for their Ned Gravel bike race scheduled for July 12. They requested the same amount for their Ned Ned foot race scheduled for September 13.

HubNed also requested $1,000 in marketing funding for special events, including their Founders and Funders series. However, their application came in after the deadline.   

The Nederland Jazz and Wine Festival, scheduled for August 23, asked for $1,000 for traffic and safety and $1,000 for marketing.

Sweet Wave Audio, the company hired by the NDDA to organize and manage the Summer Concert Series, requested a total of $6,000 for marketing and $3,600 for traffic and safety for the six upcoming shows.

After hearing presentations from each organization, Board members first voted to include HubNed in the running, and then voted unanimously to approve all applications. 

Peter Fiori of Sweet Wave Audio also asked for NDDA approval for local businesses to be vendors at the Summer Concert Series events, with the priority to go to brick and mortar businesses that pay into the Authority. 

Town Administrator Jonathan Cain explained that, because the events are on Town land, there are peddler licensing and special event permitting requirements that need to be adhered to, with vendors expected to provide proof of vendor insurance. 

Though the NDDA agreed that local businesses should be allowed to participate in the events, there was discussion about limiting the number of available vendor spots in order not to overcrowd Chipeta Park. 

With each potential vendor requiring additional consideration and intervention by the Authority, Fiori was instructed to direct any inquiries about vending at the Summer Concert Series to the NDDA.  

Bylaw updates

The Authority received an update from Executive Director Kate Masingale on the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Town of Nederland, and on updating their organization’s official bylaws, which have been edited to include greater adherence to priorities set by the Board of Trustees (BOT). 

The NDDA’s proposed revisions to their bylaws include removing provisions that are no longer applicable; adding language on conflicts of interest, the Secretary role, committee responsibilities, and the competitive bidding process; ensuring cooperation during the audit process; and allowing the BOT liaison to the Authority to have full voting rights. 

The BOT’s revisions include language specifically stating that the BOT has full discretion in appointing new members to the NDDA, with or without the recommendation of the Authority; defining the process of collaboration during the NDDA’s budgetary process, which Trustees must aapprove; requiring a yearly review of the Authority’s Plan of Development; and establishing oversight of the NDDA’s project planning process.

The intent of the MOU is to address specific matters not covered by the bylaws, including clarification of the Town’s role in the financial management of the Authority, in administrative and project oversight, on the process for BOT approvals of NDDA matters, and on the best practices for collaboration between the two entities.

During the Authority’s previous review of the draft bylaws and MOU on April 9, many Board members expressed concerns about specific language in each document that they perceived as unnecessarily restrictive.

Though Cain had reiterated to the NDDA that such language was necessary in order to properly establish the Authority’s acquiescence to the Town’s position of statutory authority, both documents went through another round of edits before returning to Board members for final review.

Masingale stated that there soon will be an updated draft for the NDDA to review, as she intends to meet with Cain for a final assessment before the documents go to the Town’s and NDDA’s attorneys for their review.

“We’re very, very close,” Masingale said. “It  is just working on the languages proposed and how to honor what’s in the statute and how to honor everybody’s intent. It’s more about the lawyers working on the language that feels right to everyone.”

NDDA and sustainability

The Authority heard from Sustainability Coordinator Cass Grady about the prospect of a collaboration between the NDDA and the Sustainability Advisory Board to purchase two new combination trash and recycling bins to be installed in key areas of Nederland’s downtown.

The metal bins would be maintained by the Town’s Parks Department and would cost a total of $3,970, which includes the cost of the bins and the concrete needed to install them, as well as the cost of educational signage from Easy Signs, which has offered 2x3 foot custom vinyl stickers at roughly $17 to $19 per sticker. 

The Youth Advisory Board has also expressed interest in designing the custom stickers with original art aimed to educate tourists on zero waste initiatives to help keep Nederland clean. 

Grady added that Parks Department Manager Nicki Dunn did state that the Town could use some more trash and recycling bins, and suggested locations, including East 1st Street, on Town right-of-way in front of Busey Brews, and on the corner of the Visitors Center parking lot near The Mountain-Ear’s main office.

As the NDDA has previously discussed the need for a sanitary district for downtown, as well as having funded additional summer employees for the Parks Department specifically for trash pickup, they were in support of adding more trash bins to the district. 

The Nederland Downtown Development Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month. Their next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 6 p.m. and will be held online as well as in person at the Nederland Community Center. 

For more information go to: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/downtown-development-authority.