NEDERLAND — Every year the Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) grants funds to local businesses and organizations for marketing needs and traffic and security services for their special events. 2026 is no different, as the Authority—following their support of summer events—allocated another $8,200 for five special events coming up this fall.  

On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, the Authority reviewed the Nederland Farmers Market’s application for $1,000 for marketing and production costs of their remaining fall markets, and $2,000 for marketing, production, and traffic and safety costs for their Harvest Festival event on October 4. 

Event coordinator Stephanie Andelman applied for $1,000 for the upcoming Silent Disco event taking place on Snyder Street the night of September 18; Wild Bear Nature Center (WBNC) asked for $500 for marketing costs to promote the grand opening of their new center at Mud Lake, set to occur this fall; and Geoff Lynch requested $2,000 for security, first aid supplies, and advertising for the fourth annual Pretty Chill Rail Jam, scheduled for January 9, 2027.

Additionally, the Authority received a reimbursement request from WBNC for “educational supplies, specimen replicas, and brochure printing purchased between June and July 2026.” These items include a $164 elk skull and a $91 coyote skull, with the total reimbursement at $816.10. 

The Agenda Information Memorandum (AIM) prepared by NDDA Executive Director Kate Masingale shows the $500 request by WBNC for their grand opening, and $316.10 for “other eligible costs from Summer Special Events,” which is the remainder of their reimbursement after the deduction of the $500 WBNC received for summer events. 

Some Board members also expressed issues with WBNC’s request for funds for the grand opening of their new center because that center is not located within the Authority’s downtown district. 

“I don’t want to see the Board set a precedent of breaking the law,” Board member Ron Mitchell said. “I’ll personally give Wild Bear the $500 and encourage you not to vote and break the law by going outside the district boundaries of the NDDA.” 

Masingale explained that the statute on the matter of funding events outside the district boundaries was not “expansive,” but that such exemptions were suggested by legal counsel in the organization’s past. 

After voting to remove WBNC’s request of $500 for their grand opening, the Authority approved all other funding requests, totalling $6,316.10, from their Special Event fund. The fund was budgeted for $25,000 for all 2026 events; with the NDDA dedicating $17,500 to summer events, the recent approval for fall events depleted the fund down to $1,183.90. 

Those remaining funds were then considered to support the subject of the NDDA’s next agenda item, the Public Art Committee’s (PAC) NederDays of Art festival, scheduled for September 20.  

NDDA Board Member Meg Fox, representing the PAC, detailed the offerings of this year’s town-wide festival, which includes a central tent at the Nederland Visitors Center which will point guests to hands-on Tie Dye demonstrations, a scavenger hunt, and live music and group painting at The Train Cars Coffee and Kava.   

Fox and the PAC requested $1,930, which includes $900 for advertising, $350 for talent, and the rest for the production of stickers and the “Goosechase” activity. It was noted that the entire cost of the event could be covered by the budget allocated to Public Art, as well as partially by the remaining Special Event funds. 

Ultimately, the Authority decided to pay the $1,930 for NederDays of Art from their Public Art funds budgeted for 2026, originally set at $50,000. The NDDA then discussed the prospect of dipping into that budget again for the PAC’s project involving the restoration and public installation of eight metal sculptures by Marion Reynolds.

The sculptures, donated to the Town of Nederland by Eldora Mountain Resort, are to be installed along the trail that runs adjacent to Middle Boulder Creek and through Chipeta Park. The request from the PAC is for $6,600 for the renewal of a lease agreement with Hands of Time for storage services, and for $10,000 for a contract with the Town’s engineering consultants, JVA, for the development of an installation plan and budget.

“Restoration and installation costs will come to the board to review for discussion and final approval at a future meeting,” the AIM reads. “The approval of the attached agreements will enable JVA and Hands of Time to develop the budget for those activities.”

Board members questioned whether the restoration and installation jobs would be put up for bid. Masingale answered that what the Authority was considering currently was preliminary planning, and that any future work on the plan could be put to bid if Board members agreed on that course of action.  

Other members asked about lighting for the installations, to which Masingale explained that the Town and consultants have been discussing keeping the light fixtures “respectful” to what would be allowed in a “dark sky community.” 

After the brief discussion, the NDDA moved the matter to action and voted to approve both the lease renewal with Hands of Time for storage of the Marion Reynolds sculptures, and the contract with JVA for engineering services related to their installation. 

The Nederland Downtown Development Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month. Their next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9 at 6 p.m. and will be held online as well as in person at the Nederland Community Center. 

For more information, go to: bit.ly/4qjHBPk.