Karen Gerrity, Nederland Town Administrator. This year has been like no other for the Town of Nederland. A pandemic, house explosion, and wildfires tested the community’s resiliency. The response to these emergency situations illustrated the mountain strong regional partnerships in place as well as the dedication by so many to provide critical resources and support to those most in need. 

On March 10, 2020, Colorado Governor Jared Polis declared a State of Emergency in response to the increases in Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Colorado. One of the last actions by the outgoing Board of Trustees (BOT) in March this year was to cancel Frozen Dead Guys Days just days before the official start due to recommendations by the Boulder County Public Health Department in response to the pandemic. The emotional meeting was fueled by compassion and tears and lots of hugs were shared at the end between festival organizers, business owners, elected officials and staff. Little did we know that hugs would soon be restricted to just household members. 

Town facilities were shut down at this time for safety reasons and based on recommendations from state and county public health officials. The Nederland Community Center continued to provide space for our critical nonprofit partners such as the Nederland Food Pantry, Nederland Area Seniors, and Emergency Family Assistance who along with other Peak to Peak Housing and Human Services Alliance organizations including Nederland Community Church and Canyon Cares. These organizations mobilized to provide services to those in need during the pandemic. The work they have done during the pandemic to provide food, financial assistance, and housing is truly remarkable. 

Town staff created a tiered Covid-19 Response Plan which was presented at the second BOT meeting in March. During that meeting, the BOT passed Resolution 2020-11 a Declaration of Local Disaster Emergency which ensured that the Town had access to the additional resources our businesses, residents, and government would need to address the pandemic. It was incumbent upon the BOT, Town Staff, nonprofit organizations, businesses and residents to do all we could to limit the spread and impact of Covid-19, particularly within our vulnerable populations. The community has done a great job with only 19 residents testing positive and the lowest positivity rate in the count.  

The BOT approved Resolution 2020-15 on April 21 allowing electronic meeting participation for boards and commissions. The April election was successfully executed with modifications put in place to ensure safety. The new BOT took their oaths in a virtual meeting and have not yet been able to meet in person. 

The Boulder County of Emergency Management activated incident command to address the pandemic in mid-March and created an Agency Administrators Team that convened weekly or more often as needed to asses the situation and preparedness. The team includes municipal Town Managers and Administrators, representatives from BVSD and CU Boulder, County and Sheriff Office staff, emergency personnel and first responders and members of the Boulder County Public Health Department. The constant and clear communication with our area partners has been critical in our Town’s response to the pandemic. 

Town staff formed a Recovery and Resiliency Team with a vision to prevent a surge in the pandemic as the community transitioned through ever-changing public health orders and restrictions. The team has been working closely with individuals, business owners, nonprofits, and other government entities to create guidelines and protocols for providing goods and services during these unsettled times. The team communicates to the public utilizing a Covid-19 link on the website here https://nederlandco.org/covid-19-information/ 

In April, Town staff worked closely with the Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA), the Nederland Board of Trustees, and Boulder County in facilitating an online grant program to provide $100,000 in funding to area businesses operating within the district who have been struggling during the pandemic. Funds were distributed as quickly as possible. This fall the BOT approved the NDDA’s request for more funding to provide support to businesses. In addition, the Boulder County Commissioners reallocated $150,000 of their CARES Act Funding to Nederland to provide even more financial support to struggling businesses. 

The Recovery and Resiliency Team partners with area nonprofits providing essential services for basic needs such as food, shelter and mental health support. The team continues to work with organizations utilizing the Nederland Community Center as they expand and fine-tune their programs and services to meet the current needs of area residents. 

The team worked with Boulder County Public Health to understand when and how public indoor and outdoor facilities could be opened. This has resulted in the Town parks, trails, and skate park being opened. Town Hall and the Nederland Community Center are now open with reduced hours and safety measures in place. In addition, the team began a public information initiative to increase people’s awareness and educate them of current state and county regulations regarding social distancing and other safety protocols. The members of the team helped to organize and promote a community event celebrating May 15 as “Peace Officers Memorial Day” to honor those who lost their lives.

In June, the Board of Trustees in partnership with Nederland High School and Chinook West, passed a resolution declaring July 25 “High School Graduation Recognition Day” in honor of all the students and their families who due to Covid-19 missed out on the usual in-person academic, artistic, and athletic activities that make high school so memorable. The BOT encouraged all citizens to take time to get to know a graduating senior, recognize their aspirations and contributions and honor them on their education journey.  At that same meeting they passed a resolution declaring that without qualifications or reservations, “Black Lives Matter” urging all residents to come together in solidarity with Black people, to be creative and willing to change, to actively address prejudice within ourselves and our communities, to listen and learn from Black experiences and to actively work to amplify Black voices. 

On July 3, the Nederland Fire Protection District and the Nederland Police Department responded to a house fire caused by an explosion. Once explosive materials were found, other agencies were called in which included the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and the Bomb Squad. Controlled denotations of the materials were conducted for approximately a week, with the safety of the community always at the forefront of decision-making. 

Other agencies that were involved included the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

The Town of Nederland recognizes and appreciates the critical role that each of these organizations executed in securing the scene and containing and mitigating the risk. We are humbled by the courage and expertise of the first responders and bomb squad technicians who acted strategically and as swiftly as safety would allow.

This summer and fall the state experienced severe wildfires and our County was not spared. The Calwood and Lefthand fires greatly impacted our mountain region. The Boulder County Office of Emergency Management activated an incident command and worked closely with the Town and other regional, state, and federal partners to respond to the wildfires. 

The Lefthand Canyon fire started on October 18, 2020. The fire burned 460 acres of brush and timber approximately one mile west of the town of Ward in the area of Lefthand Canyon and Spring Gulch in Boulder County, Colorado. It was 100% contained as of October 22, 2020. Recent snow and cold temperatures have put out much of the heat in the fire area, but some interior smoke may remain. Local resources will continue to monitor the area until they are confident the fire is completely extinguished and the fire is declared out. The cause is still under investigation. The Calwood Fire was 100% contained on November 14 after burning for more than a month and destroying at least 20 homes in the foothills north of Boulder and west of Longmont. The blaze burned a total of 10,106 acres or about 16 square miles and the cause is still under investigation. 

The Town was asked to assist the Red Cross with evacuees by providing a stop at the Nederland Community Center where they could receive water and other supplies as well as directions for lodging. Five Town employees were evacuated from their homes due to the wildfires. While the Town itself was spared, it made it clear to the BOT and the community that the need for a Big Springs Emergency Egress is critical. Town staff in partnership with the Nederland Fire Protection District presented an update to the BOT at a meeting in November and the Mayor requested the formation of a committee to review route options and report back to elected officials in early 2021.

Thanks to the support of the federal government, the state and Boulder County Public Health, Covid-19 testing began in Nederland this fall and will continue through the end of March 2021. Vaccinations have begun in the County which provides hope for the future. 

Covid-19 impacted the BOT’s efforts to update Vision 2020 to Vision 2030. While feedback was collected from boards and commissions in virtual meetings as well as the public online, the necessary in-person forums were not allowed due to the pandemic. At a meeting in December, the BOT revisited the process to update the Town’s vision and intends to move forward with a modified plan to be completed in 2021. 

2020 has been a tough year for many in our mountain community. Our regional partners and mountain strong resiliency were tested and ultimately strengthened in response. We are filled with gratitude as we look forward to the New Year. 

(Originally published in the December 31, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)