NEDERLAND - On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, the Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) began the first phase of planning next year’s follow-up to the organization’s popular and successful Summer Concert Series.  

The Authority discussed the draft Request For Proposal (RFP) for an event coordinator for the 2025 Summer Concert Series. This is planned to be released in December in order to expedite the process and ensure continued success for this new event, which garnered high praise from the community in 2024.

The NDDA needs an event coordinator to “curate and present musicians” for “up to six events beginning in May and ending in September,” with the dates to be determined. Other requirements include fully collaborating with the NDDA; providing the stage, shade covering, refreshments, sound equipment, cabling, and other accommodations for the acts; and providing to the Authority proof of insurance, monthly invoices and progress reporting, and an inclement weather plan.

The Authority determined that, because of complications with using Guercio Field or East 1st Street, there were not any other viable locations in Town for the concerts to be held other than Chipeta Park, which was the primary location for most events in the 2024 series.  

Board members also discussed what information they would like to see in the monthly progress reports, such as attendance numbers and recorded impact to local business, and focused on how detailed the event coordinator’s inclement weather plan should be. 

With the NDDA’s suggestions to be edited into the RFP, the matter was moved to action and approved unanimously. 

Completed RFPs will be collected over the next few weeks, with the responses expected to be reviewed before the Authority’s meeting in January, during which there will be a vote to hire one of the recommended candidates.

The NDDA discussed a proposal from Judy Evans, the Master Gardener who spearheads the yearly Beautification efforts, for additional funding to replace all 10 of the Authority’s planters with brand new ones by commercial wholesaler EarthPlanter. 

Evans specified that the new planters, which come with a lifetime guarantee, should not cost more than $5,000, which can be funded by Beautification’s remaining unspent 2024 budget. Evans added that Black Hawk, after using some of these EarthPlanter planters for one season, decided to replace all 60 of their planters with these new ones. 

Board members discussed their ideas for how to redistribute the old planters once replaced, including having the Public Art committee finding a creative use for them, or redistributing them to local businesses through an “adopt-a-pot” program.   

The matter went to action and Board members voted unanimously to approve the purchase of 10 EarthPlanter planters for an amount not to exceed $5,000, and approved redistributing the old planters to be used throughout other areas of the central business district.

Board members finalized their appointments to the Authority’s various subcommittees, which will oversee the projects planned for 2025.  

Chair Andrew Dewart and Tania Corvalan, Board of Trustees liaison to the NDDA, volunteered to remain on the Performance Space committee, though the committee’s relevance in 2025 was questioned. 

Dewart will also continue to serve on the Summer Concert Series committee, Danielle Crouse will stay on the Public Art committee, Barbara Hardt will serve on the River Walk committee, Nathan Smallwood will head the new Website committee, Steve Karowe and NDDA Treasurer Steve Rowntree will remain on the Wayfinding committee, and Corvalan will serve on the newly created Event Support committee.  

The NDDA also voted to approve Resolution 2024-10, authorizing the use of $31,458.16 towards honoring their intergovernmental agreement with the Nederland Fire Protection District. The Authority approved the use of $30,000 for this purpose within their approval of the 2024 budget.

Due to the NFPD’s mill levy increase in 2023, an additional $1,458.16 is required from the NDDA in 2024, which is covered by unspent Beautification funds.

The Nederland Downtown Development Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month. Their first meeting of the new year is scheduled for Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 6 p.m. 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.