NEDERLAND — During a year when the Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) experienced regular vacancies from members either resigning or reaching the end of their terms, progress was still made in the refinement of the organization’s operations and in building a symbiotic relationship with the Town of Nederland and its Board of Trustees. 

Point the way 

The NDDA started the year with a lengthy discussion about their heavily criticized Wayfinding project, which has been a bedrock project for the Authority for several years.

On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, an update on the informational signage and accessibility initiative was provided to the members and was also scrutinized by members of the public.

Board members were to discuss bids from Arapahoe Sign Arts and Altitude Signs, E3 Signs, and Geograph Industries Inc. for the fabrication and installation of directional and informational signage, but the conversation soon derailed as questions were lobbed at NDDA Executive Director Kate Masingale and Wayfinding Committee and NDDA Board Member Steve Karowe. 

Trustee Tania Corvalan, liaison to the NDDA, asked for a clear and up-to-date planning document that includes the total number of signs to be installed, the cost for each sign, and their locations, stating concerns about signs planned for locations outside the Authority’s jurisdiction. She was also concerned regarding the proposed $22,000 cost for four informational kiosks. 

Members of the public also questioned the project’s reported $400,000 budget, expressed difficulty locating clear and up-to-date project information and maps regarding sign placement, and raised concerns about the need for such signage in a changing downtown landscape. 

Masingale noted that the latest update of the Wayfinding and Signage System Phase 1 Version 2 document, drafted by hired firm Merje, had been recently submitted to board members; explained the delay in the design process as due to the integration of the Town’s Branding and Identity project; and reiterated that all members of the NDDA were previously invited to walk proposed sign installation sites with Merje.

On January 14, the Wayfinding Committee, along with Masingale and representatives for Merje, conducted interviews with all three bidders. On February 12, the NDDA voted to approve the Ohio-based firm Geograph Inc.

Geograph Inc. came in with the lowest bid of $280,967, and was recommended to the Authority for approval based on their price, quality of past work, and past experience collaborating with Merje. The vote was noted as a step finally being taken toward getting physical results from the extended Wayfinding project.

May 14: The NDDA and the Town of Nederland, along with the hired contractor and construction administrator for the Wayfinding project, completed two reconstruction check-ins. That same week, the final site visit was conducted before the signs were to be installed, which resulted in changes to some messaging and sign locations.  

Throughout the summer, meetings commenced with Town staff, with construction administrators, and with property owners. The project’s budget was expanded to include funds for a map being required to expedite the completion of the project.

In the fall, Geograph Inc. set the final sign locations and began pouring footers in key areas. However, the project halted temporarily as a result of the Lakeview Fire on October 8, which necessitated a change in the signage and maps. 

On December 10,  their last meeting of the year, the NDDA received the update that Merje’s contract had been fully executed and the Wayfinding project had commenced.

“There is a meeting with the contractor this week to discuss the timing of final installation,” the report read. “They are currently 85% complete on fabrication.”

Play the hits 

At the start of the year, the Authority was tasked with choosing one of two candidates for the Event Coordinator position for the second iteration of their successful Summer Concert Series—which began as a search for viable concert space in the downtown area, and ended up as an exploration into NDDA-run events. 

Peter Fiori and his team of local audio technicians and sound engineers known as Time Served, all with experience in historic local festivals and events across the state, managed and coordinated the first event. 

In 2025, Fiori and crew returned as Sweetwave Audio, and answered the NDDA’s Request for Proposal (RFP) along with one other applicant. Masingale and two board members formed a committee to review the applications for the position and rate their proposals and marketing plans based on their thoroughness and on whether they met the requirements specified in the RFP. 

Despite the committee formally recommending the other applicant, the NDDA voted to approve Sweetwave Audio as the Event Coordinator for the 2025 Summer Concert Series. 

Almost a full year later, on November 12, the Authority voted on hiring a production company to develop and manage the 2026 Summer Concert Series, this time hearing presentations from three different organizations: Adelska Events, Pulse Event Management, and Sweetwave Audio.

The organization to be hired would be responsible for curating and presenting musicians for up to six events to take place from May to September, with the expectation of collaborating with the NDDA on finalizing the musicians and program schedule. The accommodations for the musicians would be covered by the hired organization. 

The applicants were questioned about their experience, on their proposed breakdown of the $60,000 budget, on their approach to managing the event, and on any unforeseen issues. Their submitted proposals were scored based on experience, organization, budget, their team, and their marketing plan.

Considering Sweetwave Audio’s past experience in Nederland and specifically with the NDDA and the Summer Concert Series, the Authority voted once again to contract with Fiori and Sweetwave for the 2026 event.

Pledge of allegiance 

As the 2018 iteration of the NDDA’s bylaws were reportedly never approved by the BOT, the Authority was tasked with completing an update of their bylaws, which evolved to include a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), sharing of an online platform for updates to both the Authority’s and the Town of Nederland’s new websites, and the adoption of the Town’s planning documents as the NDDA’s own guiding plan. 

From March to November of 2025, board members spent the bulk of their meetings discussing the intricacies of the language within both the bylaws and the MOU.

Since the beginning of the discussions, the intention of the MOU was 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.

Over the spring, much of the discussion centered on the Authority’s feeling that the language was restrictive and authoritative, compared to Cain’s reiteration that a direct statement of acquiescence was required of the NDDA within the MOU, 

“They do have the power to tell you what you should be working on; that’s why they have the approval of the Plan of Development,” Cain said in response to NDDA members’ complaints about the BOT holding “veto power” over the Authority.

“That’s what one of the problems with the relationship has been,” Cain answered. “It’s been confusing, but that is what the truth is…the BOT has that approval power.” 

Both the bylaws and the MOU went through several rounds of discussion and editing, leading Masingale to report to the Authority in May about her and Cain’s recent progress.  

“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.”

By June, the bylaws had been revised many times, with language being implemented on conflicts of interest, the Secretary role, committee responsibilities, appointing new members, and the competitive bidding process. 

The bylaws were being written to dictate how the Authority is meant to adhere to the collaborative processes set by the Town and the BOT in regard to the NDDA’s audit process, budgetary process, project planning process, and final approval of the Plan of Development.

After further review by the NDDA and Trustees over the summer, certain language within the documents pertaining to “public good” as a criteria for approving NDDA projects was reviewed, defining “public good” as “long-lasting infrastructure projects” being considered; and clarification was added within the MOU regarding when and how the Authority’s Plan of Development will be assessed by the BOT. 

The MOU states: “The NDDA shall conduct an annual review of its Plan of Development at a regular meeting of the BOT. This review shall include a summary of completed projects, planned projects for the coming year, any proposed amendments to the Plan and review of alignment with the Comprehensive Plan and Strategic Plan.

The Plan of Development must comply with Colorado law and should include a list of proposed projects and a financing strategy for each of the projects.”

It continues to detail not only how the Authority’s Plan of Development (POD) needs to be approved by the BOT in a public hearing, but that any future amendments to the plan proposed by the NDDA must also go before the BOT in a public hearing for final approval.

In October of 2025, the NDDA voted to approve the adoption of the Town’s Downtown Subarea Plan—developed as a supplement to Nederland’s Comprehensive Plan update focusing exclusively on the Central Business District—as its own POD, securing alignment with the Town’s priorities for infrastructure maintenance and future development opportunities for the downtown area.   

And in November, after spending nearly the entire year working on the issue, the Authority voted unanimously to approve their updated bylaws and the MOU with The Town of Nederland and BOT.

During their final meeting on December 10, the Authority reviewed their newly adopted Plan of Development and 18 Month Plan, derived directly from the Town of Nederland’s Downtown Subarea Plan, building upon previous recommendations from the Authority’s 2017 POD that had yet to be implemented.  

Certain objectives for the NDDA to follow, listed within the POD, include to “support and stabilize existing businesses,” and features recommendations for action, including the creation of a Downtown Economic Vitality Advisory Board; conducting a survey of businesses to understand their needs and concerns; providing businesses with grant opportunities; supporting “pathways” to commercial property ownership; providing relocation options for certain scenarios; and promoting businesses through marketing and social media.

Another objective is to “recruit new businesses that are needed and desired in the community,” and includes the recommendation for the Town and the NDDA to “work together to actively recruit new businesses to fill vacancies and provide desired services.”

Other recommendations include installing wayfinding signage; converting sidewalks in the downtown area; creating a Downtown Parking Management Plan and a Downtown Parking Map; working on implementing “desired improvements” to the downtown area; implementing a Public Arts Master Plan; and creating a Downtown Maintenance District and a Trash Maintenance Plan.

Play it again

As all of this work was being implemented, strengthening the Authority’s organizational structure as well as its relationship with Town and with the BOT, the NDDA experienced quite a few changes to their roster, making it difficult for the group to achieve quorum on some occasions and causing scheduled meetings to be canceled over the fall.

Overall, in 2025 the Authority lost Kyle Busey, Danielle Crouse, Barbara Hardt, Everett Nielsen, and Nathan Smallwood from the board, as well as liaison Trustee Tania Corvalan. 

The Authority instead gained Trustee Kristopher Larsen as its new liaison, with Dwight DeBroux being appointed to the board on July 1, and John Thompson on March 18. 

With three vacancies still remaining, the Town reopened the window for applications from November 19 to December 10, 2025, receiving only one application, from former NDDA Treasurer and Chair Ron Mitchell.

On December 16, during the BOT’s last meeting of the year, Trustees were set to vote on the appointment of Ron Mitchell to NDDA. Mitchell had previously served on the NDDA from 2020 to 2024, and was a major part of the organization’s inception back in 2005, but had his request for reappointment denied by the BOT in July of 2024, despite being the NDDA’s recommended candidate. 

Mayor Billy Giblin stated at that time that “infighting and dysfunction” had impeded the Authority’s ability to operate efficiently and effectively.

The Board voted to appoint Nielsen and Smallwood instead of Mitchell or candidate Catherine Valen on July 2; and debated the decision due to a challenge by fellow Trustees on July 16. 

The decision stood, but a year and a half later—and with three vacancies on the NDDA—Mitchell was in line to serve on the board yet again, though not before Mayor Giblin made a motion to table the matter and strike it from the agenda, believing that the NDDA were required to weigh in on Mitchell’s application and provide Trustees with a recommendation.

Town Clerk Macy Caligaris stated that whenever there are fewer applicants than there are open positions on the board in question the matter goes directly to the BOT, and that the matter only goes to the particular advisory board for review and formal recommendation when there are more candidates than available positions.

Giblin’s first motion failed as a result of the concerns raised over consistency regarding the fair treatment of NDDA Board applicants. Giblin then moved to change the issue to an official Action Item for further discussion, which was seconded and approved. 

Some Trustees detailed how Mitchell allegedly contributed to the NDDA’s “toxicity,” citing his supposed blocking of sidewalk construction on East 1st Street due to his looming, though seemingly inevitable downtown development plan. However, other Trustees noted that the reported toxicity within the Authority was not the result of just one person, and brandished Mitchell’s near-unanimous 2024 recommendation by the NDDA as evidence.

A motion was made to approve the appointment of Mitchell onto the vacant seat on the NDDA Board, which was approved by a 4 - 2 vote.

The Nederland Downtown Development Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month. Their first meeting of the new year is scheduled for Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 6 p.m. and will be held online as well as in person at the Nederland Community Center. 

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