NEDERLAND - On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT) met to give final approval on an ordinance amendment allowing some businesses to remit their plastic bag fees to the Town annually. The Trustees were also led through a State of the Town presentation by Town Manager Jonathan Cain. 

State of the Town  

Cain began the presentation by reiterating how Town staff’s efforts in 2025 have remained in line with the BOT’s 2023 - 2024 Strategic Plan, which includes a stated dedication to staff development, water rights and water infrastructure, sustainable and resilient development, emergency preparedness, expansion of financial resources, and updating codes and regulations related to housing development. 

The State of the Town presentation highlighted the many areas that Cain manages, from executive leadership, budgeting, and capital planning, to intergovernmental coordination, emergency management, and transit coordination.

Cain’s work with the Nederland Downtown Development Authority in updating their bylaws and a Memorandum of Understanding with the Town of Nederland was also mentioned.  

The presentation listed the accomplishments of the Town’s Utilities Department regarding Water and Wastewater. 86 water meters have been replaced, 174 hydrants have been flushed, 5 certifications have been earned, new phosphorus control equipment has been installed, and the grit removal project was completed under its estimated $67,000 budget. 

As for Community Development, Cain listed that the Comprehensive Plan, Multimodal Transportation Plan, and Downtown Subarea Plan have been completed; code changes have been made specifically in relation to the development of affordable housing; Town building code has been updated to comply with the 2024 International Building Code; and the Town’s new website will be launching next month.

 Cain explained that the financial audit for the fiscal year 2024 has been completed and accepted, and that budgeting has already begun for 2026 capital improvement planning. 

While promoting the Nederland Community Center as a hub that has seen increased visitation as of late, and also highlighting recent successful events held at the Center, such as the Mountain Forum for Peace Yard Sale, Cain noted that staffing levels for the Center are being reevaluated, and that an assessment of the west wing is being considered.

 In regard to the efforts of the Parks Department, Cain detailed how work continues on sourcing electric equipment for the Parks department, and on developing an ADA-compliant playground in Chipeta Park.

Chipeta Park was discussed as being heavily used so far this summer, which has resulted in some repeated vandalism at the pavilion that caused damage to the water fountain.

The Streets Department has been working on their Level of Service documents, which helps provide transparency to the community. 600 tons of road base has been applied, a road grading plan has been created for the summer, and a plan for culvert replacement, paving, and draining improvements is already underway. 

As for Major Projects, Cain reiterated the importance of planning a community meeting regarding the Big Springs Egress project; announced that the Town’s EV chargers, both the Level 2 and Level 3, are now fully operational; and stated that multi-regional broadband infrastructure construction begins this summer.

The presentation concluded with listing some other projects and areas of focus that the Trustees may want to consider for their upcoming work on a new Strategic Plan.

Such considerations include evaluating staff resources and capabilities; assessing the Town’s properties, including Town Hall, the Visitors Center, and the Nederland Community Center; exploring law enforcement options; strategic land acquisition; balancing water and wastewater affordability; and AI policy development. 

Trustees had few questions for Cain regarding the State of the Town presentation and thanked the Town Manager and all of Town staff for their hard work. 

Plastic bag fees

The BOT also approved Ordinance 877 amending Section 7-148 of Nederland Municipal Code, regarding the ban across all Nederland businesses on plastic bags and polystyrene packaging, and remittance of the implemented $0.10 fee for each disposable paper bag distributed to customers. 

The amendments allow for some businesses to remit 60% of their collected fees to the Town annually, instead of quarterly, as some businesses have reported very low numbers for fee collections.

The new language reads, “Small retail collectors may remit the disposable paper bag fee annually by January 15 for each year. For purposes of this Section, a ‘small retail collector’ is defined as any retailer owing less than five dollars ($5) in fees for any given quarter. Small retail collectors are still required to complete and submit the disposable paper bag fee forms on a quarterly basis.

“The Board of Trustees may annually evaluate and change by resolution the amount of the disposable paper bag fee, the amount of the retained percent, or both the amount of the disposable paper bag fee and the amount of the retained percent.”

The Nederland Board of Trustees meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 7 p.m. and can be attended either online or in person at the Nederland Community Center. 

For more information go to: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/board-of-trustees.