This article was first published in the March 22 issue of The Mountain-Ear.
John Scarffe , Nederland.
The Nederland Downtown Development Authority Board hired a Nederland resident as its new executive director on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at the Nederland Community Center. The Board also approved funding, with a condition, for electricity at the Guercio Ball Park.
The Board hired Josiah Masingale as the NDDA Executive Director. Board Chair Susan Schneider said she and Vice Chair Brent Tregaskis interviewed candidates put forward by the hiring committee.
They thought Masingale was the most qualified candidate, and he got approval from his existing job to work as the NDDA Executive Director. He is currently the Executive
Director of the Colorado Community Action Association.
The NDDA proposed offering him 15 hours a week at $22 an hour, which would be for the next 25 weeks. Masingale said he has been a Nederland resident for three years and is really excited to plug into the Town with his skills.
He grew up in north Denver, graduated from the University of Colorado and attended the Peace Corp. He then earned a master’s degree at the University of Denver and worked with Adams County as Executive Director of Colorado Community Action.
Masingale said he works on Community Development Block Grants, so he is familiar with identifying needs and building a community around ideas. He does have experience in grant writing and leveraging other resources, as well as maximizing partnerships in the community.
He writes grants for his job and wants to put the NDDA information together in a single voice. Colorado Community Action is excited for this opportunity, Masingale said. It’s a great way to bring other assets to them.
Tregaskis said he has a great attitude, and it will be great to have someone really lead us. “It’s difficult for us as volunteers and we need a paid employee to help drive the bus. It makes sense with his political and governmental background.”
Town Administrator Karen Gerrity said the money is there and has already been approved by the Board of Trustees. She will make a recommendation to them based on your vote and put it on the consent agenda for the next meeting. The NDDA Board approved hiring Masingale as the new NDDA executive director.
NDDA Board Member Mark Stringfellow presented a proposal to spend $5,000 to install electricity at the Guercio Field. It would be a 300 amp service and would be available for Frozen Dead Guy Days, Nedfest and the Farmer’s Market. He would like to get it in as a line item before the Farmer’s Market starts in May.
The soonest they would be able to go to the Board of Trustees would be April 7, and he is asking to include that in the budget when it goes to Board. He has bids for about $4,500, which doesn’t include the cost from Xcel.
Gerrity said that the Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Advisory Board {PROSAB} is putting a plan together to redo parks in 2019. The NDDA should be conversing with them as well to be sure it folds into their plans.
PROSAB had a meeting the next night and Schneider will attend for the NDDA. The Board approved the request pending PROSAB support of up to $7,500.
Stringfellow also presented a landscape inventory to the Board. He has topographical maps from the Eldora turn off to the traffic circle. They represent a landscape inventory, and he has them on a flash drive, so it can be shown to the Trustees.
“We know what we need to do to address these issues and can put on proposed projects but now we have a baseline. We want to have an inventory and know what we are responsible for now and what we will be responsible for later,” Stringfellow said.
The Peak to Peak Small Business Conference and DCI, called “In the Game,” will take place in Boulder on April 10-13, 2018. The NDDA is a sponsor and will be using funds for breakout sessions on April 10, and they will have a 2 p.m. tour in Nederland.
