John Scarffe, Nederland.  A new mayor and three trustees were sworn into office, and a fourth trustee was appointed, during a regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, at the Nederland Community Center. The new board re-appointed current staff members and the judge.

Town Clerk LauraJane Baur swore in new Mayor Kristopher Larsen and new Trustees Dallas Masters, Julie Gustafson, and Stephanie Miller. According to results from the April 5 Nederland elections, Larsen was elected as mayor by a vote of 273 to 181 over Chris Perret.

“I want to thank everyone for the trust you’ve put in myself and the other trustees,” Larsen said. “I will attempt to fill the giant shoes left by former Mayor Joe Gierlach.”

Larsen served on the Nederland Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2008, and from 2014 to the present, on the Open Space and Trails Board from 2005 to 2006, and on the Planning Commission from 2011 to 2014, as chairman from 2013 to 2014.

Dallas Masters won the election for trustee with 253 votes. Masters has served on the Nederland Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2010, as chairman of the Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Advisory Board from 2008 to 2010, chairman of the Sustainability Advisory Board from 2012 to 2013, president of the Nederland Elementary PTA (NESPTA) from 2013-2015, and organizer of NESPTA Winter Adventure Days since 2012, board member with RINK from 2004 to 2008 and 2012 to the present, and a board member of Mountain Tennis & Pickleball Association since 2011.

Julie Gustafson placed second in the trustee election with 251 votes. She has served on the Nederland Elementary School PTA and as PTA Secretary during the 2014 2015 school year, and is a volunteer for the Community Clothing Closet.

Stephanie Miller placed third for trustee with 233 votes. Miller has been a soccer coach for Peak to Peak Soccer, team manager for Nederland Youth Hockey and YMCA Jr. Buffs Hockey and assistant hockey coach for Nederland Youth Hockey. She is involved with the New Horizons Affordable Housing Communications Committee with the Trinity Lutheran Church.

After the new board members took their places, Larsen recognized outgoing trustees Topher Donahue, Randy Lee, and Mayor Pro Tem Peter Firori, who was absent. Larsen had not finished his term as trustee when he was elected mayor, so a vacancy existed.

Mayor Pro Tem Fiori joined the Board of Trustees in 2011. Trustee Donahue has been on the Board since 2014. Trustee Lee will be leaving the Board after 4 years of service since 2011.

Larsen also recognized Gierlach and presented him with a proclamation honoring him for his years of service on the board and the hours of time he spent. He proclaimed April 19 as Joe Gierlach day in the town of Nederland. Mayor Gierlach was first appointed as Mayor in 2011.

“I’m proud of the fact that we came so far in six years. We’ve hired great staff and done great work. Within an hour after you’re sworn in, you’re going to be asked to make some very important decisions. It’s an interesting thing to be a public servant.”

Dallas Masters thanked Gierlach. “You’ve done an excellent job for the town.”

After recognizing Gierlach, Larsen presented Lee with a proclamation and a poster and thanked Fiori for his five years on the Board. He presented the next item on the agenda, filling the Board vacancy left when he was elected mayor.

Topher Donahue, who had just finished his term as trustee and ran again for the position in 2106, was appointed to the position. He had the next highest number of votes in the election, with 195.

During public comment, Lee said he had worked hard to recruit Donahue to the board. “It takes a good two years to come up to speed, and Topher has done that,” Lee said. “From day one he has offered insightful comments and is poised to fill that role.”

The Board then elected Trustee Charles Wood as Mayor Pro Tem. Larsen said, “Charles has served on this board for a couple of years and would make a very good mayor pro tem.”

Town Administrator Alisha Reis said that every two years the Board must consider whether to re-appoint Town staff members The Board can appoint, delay or not make an appointment.

The Board re-appointed all current staff members: Alisha Reis as town administrator and zoning administrator, LauraJane Baur as town clerk, Paul Carrill as town marshal, Carmen Beery as town attorney, Donna Schneider as town prosecutor and David Gloss as municipal judge. Gloss also received a two-year extension of his contract.

The Nederland Board of Trustees met on Tuesday, May 3, and will meet again on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, at 7 p.m. at the Nederland Community Center.