Funding requests exceed budget
Nederland Board of Trustees summary
The Town of Nederland held its regular Board of Trustees (BOT) Meeting on Tuesday, September 15th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Nederland Community Center. Attending the meeting were members Mayor Martin Cheshes, Mayor Pro-Tem Betty Porter, and Trustees Sumaya Abdu-Haidar, Kirk Barnett, Roger Cornell, Joe Gierlach, and Dallas Masters. Absent were Town Administrator Jim Stevens and Attorney Carmen Beery. Also in attendance were Treasurer Eva Forberger and Clerk Christi Icenogle.
The Warrants section of the Consent Calendar was unanimously approved with the Regular Meeting Minutes of September 1, 2009, being tabled until the next meeting for the addition of an amendment.
Board of Trustees Business Reports
Trustee Abu-Haidar reported on the kick-off meeting for the Community Center Foundation (CCF) launching of their website with a logo choice to be in place by late November. On the walls of the Community Center, including the Trustees’ meeting room, was a new artwork exhibit of photographs. Trustee Abu-Haidar remarked that the artwork would be rotating displays throughout the Community Center and that Diane Wohl of the CCF would be soliciting more artwork for the exhibits.
Mayor Pro Tem Porter remarked on Nederland’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) being in a time of transition, questioning whether if having a full-time director was necessary for the organization. DDA may back off operations and concentrate more on policy in the coming year. DDA’s revenue for next year is projected to be about $110,000.
Trustee Gierlach reported on the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) agreeing to have their meetings on the second Monday of the month at the Community Center at 6:00 p.m. The website is being worked on with a listing of the expiration dates for the terms of the SAB members.
Trustee Cornell reported that the town’s Planning Commission would meet next on September 23rd.
Trustee Masters commented on the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Advisory Board’s (PROSAB) slash pick-up project scheduled for Saturday, October 10th. Masters requested that residents sign up on the town’s website to be included in the project, as PROSAB would need to know how many residents were participating and what was to be picked-up that day. Cottonwood slash will also be accepted. Masters highlighted that the slash project and other information would be available on the town’s website, www.town.nederland.co.us.
Mayor Cheshes reported that the Boulder County Commissioners were still considering amendments to the Mud Lake Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the town. With a big smile the mayor heartily thanked everyone who helped welcomed their French visitors at the town’s picnic earlier this month.
Local Business Applications and Tax Revenues
Town Clerk Icenogle reported that there was a pending new liquor store application.
Treasurer Forberger said “things going as forecasted,” but that sales tax revenue was down about 2%.
Funding Requests and Library Support
The first item for review was “Discussion and Approval of 2010 Economic Development Fund Applications to Boulder County.” The nine organizations with their fund requests were: 9th Annual Frozen Dead Guy Days ($1,750); 10th Annual High Peaks Art Festival ($1,000); 29th Annual Neder-Nederland Race ($1,000); Grand Opening of The Carousel of Happiness; Holiday Mountain Market ($1,000); Miners’ Days ($1,000); Nederland Shop Local Campaign ($2,000); Old Timer’s ($400); and Wild Excursions ($3,000). The amount of grant funds requested totaled $12,150. The town staff recommended $6,000 be awarded as that was the total amount of funds available to the applicants.
Mayor Pro-Tem Porter questioned if the applicants all received the same form and was assured that they had. Porter remarked that she would go on record as saying that the Old Timer’s application was “really weak.” Mayor Cheshes would like to consider changing the application deadline from September to an earlier timeframe, thereby allowing denied applicants time to approach other sponsors for funds.
Town Clerk Icenogle commented that the applicants fell into two categories. One category contained one-time fund requests, such as the all-day Grand Opening of the Carousel of Happiness, and the other category contained continuing requests, an example being the 9th Annual Frozen Dead Guy Days event. Town Clerk Icenogle emphasized that overall most of the fund requests had been reduced by approximately 25%.
A speaker from the audience encouraged the Board to make it mandatory for the groups requesting funds to follow the lead set by the High Peaks Art Festival and the Crystal Pines water company this summer in dispensing water to their personnel. Artists at the Festival were supplied with Crystal Pines plastic water bottles that were both recyclable and biodegradable. Crystal Pines also supplied large water dispensers and the artists were able to refill their bottles throughout the day. The speaker emphasized that doing this would help with the sustainability efforts Nederland has committed itself to as a town.
Mayor-Tem Porter suggested denying the Old Timer’s request for funding and transferring the recommended $200 grant to the Nederland Shop Local Campaign.
A member of the audience spoke up to emphasize that these economic grants were given to stimulate the local economy. He felt that Wild Excursions did not boost the local economy. He agreed that the other requests contributed to the local economy with the possible exception of the 29th Annual Neder-Nederland Race.
The Board unanimously adopted a motion supporting the fund requests from the submitted applications with the sole exception of Old Timer’s event and also added $200 to the Shop Local Campaign.
The second item for discussion was “Discussion and Approval of Resolution 2009-11 Supporting the Library Foundation and the new library building.” The town’s staff recommended approving the Resolution. A member of the Library Foundation stood and addressed the Board requesting their support of the Resolution. It was unanimously approved by the Board.
Waste Water Treatment Plant
There was a brief discussion among the Board members regarding future meetings with TEC, the engineering company consultants for the town’s waste water treatment plant.
Executive Session
The meeting was then recessed for an Executive Session, “For the purpose of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations…concerning the construction of the kitchen at the Community Center.” The meeting was scheduled for adjournment after the session. The next regularly scheduled BOT meeting will be on Tuesday, October 6th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Nederland Community Center.