NEDERLAND — The Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT) are beginning to discuss the potential of updating the compensation structure in effect for the mayor and trustees. Currently the mayor is compensated $250 a month and trustees $150 a month. This structure has not been adjusted since 2014. Prior to that, there was no compensation for them.

According to a report from Town Manager Cain given during the first BOT meeting in March, the mayor and trustees attend 26 regular meetings a year, not including work sessions, budget sessions, executive sessions, and other “advisory board and intergovernmental engagements.”

“Board members also devote time outside meetings to reviewing materials, preparing for policy discussions, and engaging with residents,” reads the Agenda Information Memorandum, prepared by Cain. 

Both the mayor and trustees, as Nederland’s “policy making body,” are responsible for adopting laws, ordinances, and resolutions; approving the Town Budget; and for overseeing municipal operations and “enterprise functions,” referring specifically to the Town’s Mountain Recreation Enterprise, created for the potential acquisition of Eldora Mountain Resort. 

The mayor position holds additional authority in an executive function, as well as socially, as that person not only presides at meetings and acts as Nederland’s officer for specific financial and emergency situations, but also represents the Town when networking with governmental peers and neighboring communities. 

Town staff provided examples of other municipalities’ compensation structures, including Akron, which pays its Mayor $42 a month, and its Trustees $21; Boulder, which pays its mayor and council members $1,286 a month; Breckenridge, which pays $1,500; Idaho Springs, which pays its mayor $1,500 and its council members $480; and Lyons, which pays its mayor $700 and its council members $400. 

Five options were provided to Trustees to consider, starting with the option of maintaining the current structure. Each additional option slightly raised compensation amounts based on time commitment and on remaining competitive with peer municipalities. 

The options for the potential monthly pay for mayor grew from $338, representing the lowest offer, to $1,200, representing the highest offer Town staff was willing to recommend. For trustees, the options steadily rose from $203 to $800 a month.

Cain reiterated that any decision made by the current Board to change the compensation structure would affect the next iteration of Trustees to be voted or appointed to open seats.  

In the upcoming April election, in which Trustee Andrew Joslin is running for reelection unopposed, he stated that he would recuse himself from a vote on this matter due to the inadvertent conflict of interest, as otherwise he would be voting on his own financial advantage.  

Most Trustees agreed that the concept of increasing the compensation structure was necessary as an attempt to attract more potential candidates for public service. Some felt the matter should be shelved, either because of the optics of bad timing with the upcoming Trustee changeover, or because of the Town’s struggling budget.  

The Board directed Town staff to draft an ordinance on the matter and to look into whether Board or Commission members could be eligible for health insurance and other benefits, including potential non-cash compensation options, such as discounts on “recreational opportunities.”

The Nederland Board of Trustees meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 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.