The Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) met on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at 6 p.m. to discuss which projects should be considered high priorities for allocating funds from their 2023 budget. The NDDA also held an election for the positions of Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer.

Executive Director of the NDDA Kate Masingale presented a discussion on increasing the Board membership of the NDDA from nine to eleven members as well as one alternate.

The matter of increasing Board membership was brought up as a suggestion during their meeting on June 8 when the NDDA reviewed the candidates for their two open vacancies. However increasing membership from nine to eleven board members would require changing the NDDA’s Bylaws.

The NDDA was mostly in agreement that increasing their membership wasn’t necessary at this time as they’ve had no issues with attendance and changing their bylaws shouldn’t be done unnecessarily.

Town Administrator Miranda Fisher led the NDDA in a discussion about financing repairs for the Nederland Pedestrian Bridge. The covered bridge has not had any major maintenance since being built in 1988. The bridge’s roof and overall structure are severely dried out and both entry points have suffered erosion over the years and are in need of repair to alleviate drainage and safety concerns.

The NDDA agreed that the bridge is an “iconic” piece of Nederland and should be repaired for safety reasons as well as aesthetic ones. Parks Manager Nicki Dunn suggested that the bridge be assessed by a structural engineer since the bridge was hit by floods in 2013 and 2021. The NDDA suggested budgeting $20,000 in their 2023 budget for bridge repair, with a potential of seeking approval from the Board of Trustees (BOT) to split the cost with the Town.

The Performance Space Committee, spearheaded by NDDA Vice Chair Andrew Dewart and BOT liaison Tania Corvalan, presented a discussion about requesting approval from the BOT for supplemental funding. The $8000 in funding would allow JVA, Town’s engineering consultants, to provide a site survey, topographic map, and design plan to assist the committee in understanding the selected site’s limits and restrictions to construction.

The selected site for construction of a performance space, consisting of a stage, seating, and public restrooms, is a plot of dirt just north of the wastewater treatment facility, between Guercio Field and Barker Reservoir. Nederland’s current floodplain map indicates that roughly two thirds of the proposed site is within the floodplain.

The NDDA was in agreement that proper assessment of the land should be completed before designs for the performance space are created. The NDDA will vote to approve or deny the request for $8000 in supplemental funding at their next scheduled meeting on Wednesday, August 10.

Masingale discussed with the NDDA which projects in 2023 should be prioritized for the 2023 Budget and how much money needs to be allocated for those projects. Feedback from the NDDA is requested for a full budget report to be drafted and reviewed by the NDDA in August, before going in front of the BOT for approval in September.

The areas of focus for the NDDA budget discussion were Beautification, Events Support, Nederland Fire Protection District Intergovernmental Agreement, Public Art, Traffic and Safety Support, and Wayfinding. The NDDA also added the covered bridge repairs, performance space project, and the proposed “river walk” project to the list of priorities for 2023.

The NDDA discussed allotting $30,000 from the 2023 budget to Beautification, $5000 higher than that allotted in 2022. Beautification’s 2022 budget is right on track, with 50% spent and the remaining allocated for watering costs and salary for the hired professional gardener.

Events Support and Traffic and Safety Support provide financial support to event organizers who apply for assistance from the Town. The NDDA discussed allotting $10,000 from the 2023 budget to Events Support and $30,000 to Traffic and Safety Support.

NDDA Board Member and Head of the Public Arts Committee Danielle Crouse suggested that the NDDA allot $20,000 from the 2023 budget to Public Art. Crouse indicated that the committee will be looking into creating mosaics and potential 3D sculptures to display throughout Nederland in 2023. Crouse added that the $20,000 request is double Public Art’s 2022 budget due to inflation and rising material costs.

In addition to the $8000 supplemental budget being asked for by the Performance Space Committee for developing a land survey, Corvalan and Dewart also desired to have $50,000 from the 2023 budget allotted to the performance space project. The $50,000 is an estimated amount to cover all architectural, structural, and engineering costs and to help get the project “shovel ready.”

The NDDA discussed allotting $20,000 from the 2023 Budget to Wayfinding, the only budgeted project of 2022 that will roll over into 2023. With only $20,000 of their $150,000 budget for 2022 spent, and the next phase of the Wayfinding project involving the design and implementation of signage across Nederland, the Wayfinding Committee’s request of $20,000 for 2023 is to bring their total budget (after the rollover) back to $150,000.

A paid parking rollout plan was brought up as a potential project for the NDDA in 2023, with a request of $100,000 to be allotted from the 2023 budget. Most board members desired more information on what a paid parking plan would entail and an itemized breakdown of where the $100,000 would be spent.

The NDDA will hear more about the proposed project, as well as finalize their 2023 budget, at their next scheduled meeting on Wednesday, August 10.

NDDA bylaws decree that every July an election must be held for the positions of Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer; these positions are currently held by Barbara Hardt, Andrew Dewart, and Ron Mitchell respectively.

With no other board members expressing an interest in the positions, the NDDA voted to keep Hardt as Chair, Dewart as Vice Chair, and Mitchell as Treasurer.

NDDA Board Member and Head of the Public Arts Committee Danielle Crouse presented to the NDDA the proposed mural design by artist Julia Williams. The mural is designed to showcase Nederland’s history as a place for music and will be located on the Poe Wall, under the boardwalk between The Deli and Busey Brews.

Williams’ design evokes the history of the famous recording studio at the Caribou Ranch by highlighting artists who recorded there, such as Elton John, Stephen Stills, and Joe Walsh. The NDDA liked the design but desired a plaque to describe the artists and their connection to Nederland. The NDDA desired legal clarification regarding allowing using the artists’ likenesses before voting to approve the mural design.

The Nederland Downtown Development Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, August 10, starting at 6 p.m. and will be online as well as in person at the Nederland Community Center. For more information go to: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/ government/boards-and-commissions/ downtown-development-authority