The Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) met on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at 6 p.m. to decide several funding requests for special events planned to take place in Nederland during the
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We hope you have enjoyed the last 2 months of free access to our new and improved website. On December 2, 2024, our website paywall will be up. At this time, we ask you to confirm your subscription at www.themtnear.com, to continue accessing the only weekly paper in the Peak to Peak region to cover ALL the news you need! Simply click Confirm my subscription now!.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active, online-only subscription then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Questions? Call us at 303-810-5409 or email info@themountainear.com.
Please log in to continue |
The Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) met on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at 6 p.m. to decide several funding requests for special events planned to take place in Nederland during the summer. They also voted on whether to commit to repaving the Visitors Center parking lot in 2023.
The NDDA were tasked with approving four different applications for special events, plus traffic and safety funding, totalling $7,350. The organization has $8,000 available in their special event budget and $19,050 available in traffic control funding.
The Nederland Jazz & Wine Festival, taking place on August 26, requested $1,000 to help pay for a marketing campaign and equipment rentals for barricades, festival tents, and tables; and $1,000 for traffic control and security. This year’s festival is expected to have 200 more attendees than last year’s sold out event, as well as twelve more vendors than last year’s 25.
The Caribou Village Shopping Center requested $1,000 for a marketing campaign to promote their 4th Friday Art Walk series, to take place every fourth Friday in June, July, August, and September.
The Nederland Farmer’s Market requested $1,000 for their Party in the Peaks market on July 23, as well as $3,350 for security and traffic control, which includes $1,600 for the Party in the Peaks market, and an additional $250 for each of the seven other markets that will take place from May to August. An increase in security funding for the Party in the Peaks event is a result of alcoholic beverages being served during that particular market.
NDDA Chair Barbara Hardt abstained from voting on the 4th Fridays request after stating her belief that she had a conflict of interest due to her relationship with a business in the Caribou Village Shopping Center.
Board members discussed what constitutes a conflict of interest, with Treasurer Ron Mitchell stating his belief that a conflict of interest involves having a negative detrimental effect on the NDDA. Mitchell was asked to clarify that, as a property owner, he does not receive funds from the Farmer’s Market for use of his lot.
Trustee Tania Corvalan, Board of Trustees (BOT) liaison to the NDDA, stated her belief that being a vendor featured at the Farmer’s Market does not equate to a conflict of interest as she holds no stake in the success of the market itself.
The NDDA voted to approve the special event and traffic and safety funding for the 4th Fridays Art Walk series, Nederland Jazz & Wine Festival, and Nederland Farmer’s Market.
Board members heard from Community Planner Britt DeMinck regarding the matter of repaving the Visitors Center parking lot and North Jefferson Street. They had to decide whether to complete the job in 2023, or to wait until 2024.
Though the project was approved in 2020, progress has been halted because of the proposed plan to construct a sidewalk connecting the RTD parking lot to North Jefferson Street. The sidewalk project requires collaboration between the Town and Xcel Energy to relocate utility poles before CDOT will grant approval.
According to JVA, the Town’s engineering consultants, the Visitors Center parking lot could be completed in 2023 without affecting the sidewalk construction project, as there are funds from the Transportation Improvement Project (TIP) grant to cover fixing any areas impacted by the construction.
Town staff recommended forming a collaborative committee to focus on securing a paving company for the Visitors Center lot. Town staff also recommended, however, that North Jefferson Street not be completely paved until 2024, considering that the TIP plan covers partial paving of the street to mitigate grade issues.
Board members asked DeMinck to return at the June 14 meeting with more information regarding whether JVA would recommend paving over the existing pavement in the Visitors Center parking lot as opposed to removing and replacing the pavement entirely. Board members also asked for a cost comparison of the two options.
The NDDA then voted on Resolution 2023-22, authorizing the funding amount of $50,000 to be used for the construction of an outdoor performance space. The $50,000 for the project had been approved by the Board during their 2023 budget process.
Though design plans for a proposed outdoor performance space have yet to be drafted, presented, or approved, the $50,000 is still required to be authorized in order to best track the funds approved during the 2023 budget process and reported to the state. NDDA Executive Director Kate Masingale confirmed that if the $50,000 is not spent in 2023 it can be rolled over into the 2024 budget or be absorbed back into the NDDA’s base fund.
Authorization of the $50,000 would allow for the funding of the $8,000 preliminary assessment work needed from JVA to ensure the desired area for the space, just north of the water treatment plant at Barker Reservoir, can be used for the project.
The NDDA voted to approve Resolution 2023-22.
The Public Art Committee addressed the Board regarding approval to use part of their remaining budget of $3,935 to rent a boom or scissor lift, necessary for artist Jessica Moon Bernstein to begin work on the 615 square-foot mural on the west-facing wall of the Mountain People’s Co-op building.
Bernstein’s plans for the mural include a bright and abstract vision of the Indian Peaks, incorporating vibrant colors and organic shapes, and including symbols of the Ute and Arapaho, as well as portraits of Chief Ouray and his wife Chipeta.
Rental of a boom or scissor lift, including the insurance and processing fees, costs roughly $2,283, while a collaboration with Good People Tree Service (GPTS) for one-time use of their lift would cost nearly $2,000. The GPTS option would involve Bernstein having to paint the mural in panels which would then be installed with the use of the lift. Painting the mural in panels would change the size of the mural and potentially change the scope of work for the artist.
Most Board members felt that the choice of options was up to the Public Art Committee and to the artist’s preference, though NDDA Vice Chair Andrew Dewart expressed interest in looking into adjustable scaffolding options which could potentially cost less.
The NDDA approved the Public Arts Committee using part of their $3,935 budget to fund a solution to the issue.
Board Member Danielle Crouse and Public Arts Committee Member Rea Orthner Wrobel led a discussion on the proposal to create a 1% “For the Arts” tax on all capital improvement projects within the Town of Nederland. The tax would pay for the acquisition and display of temporary or permanent art and art installations.
The main discussion surrounding the proposal concerned whether the 1% tax could affect capital improvement projects that are planned outside of the NDDA’s jurisdiction, the Central Business District (CBD). Masingale noted that this matter was beyond the NDDA’s jurisdiction and would have to go before the BOT and be subject to the public process.
Board members were mostly concerned whether a 1% tax could amount to so much, especially for multi-million dollar developments, that it could discourage developers or cause them to cut corners and skirt costs elsewhere in the development. Members also asked about the approval process for the acquired art in question, and wondered whether the tax would raise more money for the Public Arts Committee than they could spend.
The NDDA agreed that the concept of creating an alternative revenue stream for the Public Arts Committee, through a tax or otherwise, was worth discussing further and would like to see it come back to their agenda before beginning discussion of the 2024 budget.
Discussing the prospect of adjusting the 2023 budget of $50,000 for the River Walk project to $15,000, and using another $15,000 of those funds for the Pump Track project and for additional administration funding, the NDDA would then spend $10,000 for preliminary design plans from American Ramp Company for the Pump Track project planned for Chipeta Park, plus $5,000 for additional administration funding.
The River Walk project is a proposed walkway along the creek. By voting to change the allocation of $50,000 for the project to $15,000 and then voting to allocate an additional $15,000 to fund other areas, the NDDA would be eliminating the need for a supplemental budget.
Masingale noted that the remaining $20,000 of the project budget would either roll over into 2024 or be absorbed back into the NDDA’s base fund.
The Board voted to approve both the River Walk budget adjustment from $50,000 to $15,000 and the budget redistribution of $15,000 to the Pump Track project and administrative costs.
The NDDA also discussed the possibility of creating a River Walk Committee to work on the proposed project and which two board members were interested in being a part of the committee. Crouse, Hardt, and Mitchell all expressed interest in being on the committee, though there are only two NDDA seats on the committee because of Sunshine laws. This matter will be further discussed during the June 14 meeting.
The Nederland Downtown Development Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month. Their next scheduled meeting is for Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 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.