Dear Editor,

There is good news for democracy in Nederland!

• The BOT will hold an “Annexation” Town Hall on March 21, 2023, so residents can ask questions, express opinions and debate the merits of the new annexation ordinance, as well as the prospects for a new IGA with Boulder County.

• There is now a BOT liaison for public engagement, Trustee Nichole Sterling, who is committed to engaging all of us.

These welcome moves have inspired some of us from the Envision 2030 Committee to resurrect a proposal for a series of “community conversations” by organizing the first such meeting at the Nederland Library on Monday, May 13, from 5-6:30 p.m. Topics will include: the history of Boulder County’s IGAs, including with Nederland; Nederland’s Comprehensive Plan; the 2017-2022 negotiations between the Town and County for a replacement IGA, and why they didn’t succeed; the prospects for a new IGA; and the newly revised Nederland annexation ordinance.

Boulder County Land Use Director Dale Case will speak as will two former trustees, Kevin Mueller and James Rawsthorne, and current Nederland

Trustees. All have firsthand knowledge of some part of the history of Nederland’s IGA, Comprehensive Plans, and annexation ordinance.

I hope we’ll all leave the meeting better prepared to contribute to the discussion at the Annexation Town Hall. Over the course of the series, we hope to establish an atmosphere of civility, where we speak as neighbors who recognize we’re all in this boat together. With the challenges we face at this time in our history, we need everyone’s wisdom and experience to help us chart our course into an uncertain future.

Trustee Sterling has graciously offered to facilitate the meeting and to put it up on Webex. Please sign up for the event via this link: https://forms.gle/GcwDF3zAFnvrHEng7 or by using the QR Code.

Mark your calendars: Monday, March 13, 5-6:30 p.m. at Nederland’s wonderful library. I hope to see you there.

Susan Wagner

Nederland