John Scarffe,  Nederland.   The Nederland Downtown Development Authority Board selected a member to attend Nederland Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meetings and heard on update on the Public Art Project Call for Artists and Property Owners during a regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, at the Nederland Community Center. The Board also heard public comment from three individuals.

NDDA Executive Director Josiah Masingale introduced a discussion around whether an NDDA Board member should attend meetings of the Nederland Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PROSAB) to be better engaged.

Masingale does try to attend but can’t attend every meeting. Meetings occur monthly on the third Thursday of the month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Community Center.

Board member Mark Stringfellellow volunteered to go to those meetings and report back to the NDDA Board. He was already planning to go to the meeting the next night. Town Administrator Karen Gerrity said he wouldn’t be a voting member because that would have to be approved by the Board of Trustees. A design team is newly forming, and PROSAB is hoping members of the public will join in.

Masingale presented an update on the Public Art Project Call for Artists and Property Owners. The NDDA Board of Directors requested and received approval from the Town Board of Trustees for a TIF Loan of $2,500 to conduct a Public Art Project.

At the August 2018 NDDA Board meeting, the Board determined that a Call for Artists and a Call for Property Owners should be conducted to choose two site locations and two artists and their conceptions to move forward, according to background. Separate agreements between the DDA and the Artists and the DDA and the Property Owners have been drafted and reviewed by the DDA attorney, with Town review finding no need for Town Attorney review.

The Call for Artists and Call for Property Owners was released in September and again in October, and outlined the scope of the project for each perspective party, along with submission requirements, and information on the selection process. The deadline for submissions was September 30, 2018 and then October 31 for the re-release.

The Arts and Culture Committee reviewed submissions with a goal of two locations being chosen, and two artists being chosen and asked to provide final project proposals which will consist of information about design and installation of the mural, according to background. The DDA received one artist proposal, and three property owner proposals, which included a myriad of options for mural locations in September 2018, and did not receive any additional responses resulting from the October re-release.

Masingale said they will probably choose two property owners. Board Chair Susan Schneider said she talked to Salto about it, and her idea of a good location would be the side of the property that is in the alley.

“I don’t know if that’s the kind of visibility we are looking for,” Schneider said. She was interested if maybe a piece of art could be attached to the wall. The Board agreed that visibility would be limited.

If the art were slightly more interactive, people would take selfies by it, Schneider said. She has seen one that just says I love you, and she also has seen angel wings, and you stand in front of it. Another location could be by Nature’s Own Rock Shop, but the owner didn’t like the piece of art.

Gerrity pointed out that the Board can also commission a piece of art since they did have a public process. Masingale said that the artist who submitted a proposal would do both murals for $2,500. A committee of Board members will meet to discuss moving forward.

During public comment, Atashnaa Medicine Shield said she is a 40-year resident. She finds two people whose artwork are in the lobby of the Community Center right to be vibrant, energetic and representative of the area.

The Pavilion at Chipeta Park is called Buckskin Charlie Pavilion, and she has photos of Buckskin and Chipeta and put together a brief biography. Medicine Shield also said it is very frustrating to come into town and there is no internet because the businesses can’t afford it or shut it down. It would behoove the Town to look into a town wide internet so if you’re a tourist or local, you can have internet access and would provide on the spot information about the town.

Jack Basalt represented the Sundance Café and Lodge and is the project manager for the Schuler family, current owner. They have talked about annexation or how they can work together. Schuler’s goal was to bring it up to the code. They will have a December 6 hearing.

They would be able to get building permits to bring it up to code and get deferred maintenance cleaned up. It has to do with the nuts and bolts to get the café back on line and can do a better job of partnering with the NDDA as an opportunity in the business in the area. He requested that the Board support the certificate, and he would appreciate a letter to take it to the hearing.

A lot of work has been done. The Schulers use to run lodges in Wisconsin. They are looking forward to bring it back alive and be a good participant in the community.

Elizabeth Allen with Coloring Colorado, who has been doing beautification for Nederland as budgeted by the DDA, thanked the DDA for support for the 2018 beautification efforts. She has heard good comments about the roundabout and is available for a meeting and communication. She has given estimates that would mirror what she did in 2018, but the potential garden at Third Street and 119 is a possibility for next year, and she can give a more formal presentation but has adopted what it should cost for 2019.

Board members expressed appreciation for what she has done.

(Originally published in the November 29, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)