NEDERLAND — The Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT) met on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, to schedule their long-awaited strategic planning sessions, to solidify labor for a much-anticipated sidewalk construction project, and to receive an update regarding the Town’s water supply conditions after this past winter’s “historically low snowpack.” 

Town Manager Jonathan Cain delivered the update on the Town’s water supply just as winter finally showed up and the mountains received some needed precipitation in the form of a snowstorm.

The water situation

Though the evening’s snowfall ultimately will do little to offset the drought conditions the entire state is preparing for, Cain reported confidently that “stream-flow conditions on Middle Boulder Creek are currently adequate to meet the Town's raw water supply and the Town currently has approximately two years of replacement water supply stored in Barker Reservoir.”

“In consultation with the Town’s water resource engineering consultant and water rights attorney, staff do not recommend water restrictions currently,” reads Cain’s report to Trustees. 

Nederland’s raw water supply comes from Middle Boulder Creek. When the creek’s streamflow is deemed insufficient to meet the needs of downstream users who hold senior water rights, the Town’s water rights become “out-of-priority,” meaning any water diverted to Nederland under these conditions must be replaced. 

The Town’s replacement water comes from shares in the Farmer’s Ditch on Boulder Creek, which are stored in Barker Reservoir under an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Boulder. This particular water, however, cannot be used to meet Nederland’s raw water needs. 

“The Town currently has sufficient water stored in Barker Reservoir to provide replacement water for over two years, even if the Town’s water rights are continuously out-of-priority,” Cain reported. 

Cain added that, unlike many Colorado municipalities, Nederland will not be implementing water restrictions as it “benefits from a conservation-minded community with little lawn irrigation and water waste.” Community members were urged, however, to practice water conservation at home by minimizing usage, checking for potential leaks, and considering installing efficiency fixtures.” 

As for any long term solutions, Cain was quick to note that the Town is still actively pursuing water rights and a Nederland Reservoir to store raw water upstream of the current intake, which would create better resiliency. 

Safer Main Street project

Trustees voted unanimously to approve two measures to move forward with the Safer Main Streets project, which was originally announced in 2022. It involves the construction of new sidewalks—down Highway 72, from Tungsten Village to the Mining Museum—and new crosswalks—one crossing the highway at the Nederland Community Library, the other crossing Highway 119 at the Nederland Visitor’s Center. 

The Town finally began soliciting bids for a contractor specialized in concrete on April 9, 2026, and received four bids: Maher Construction at $255,555.92; Standard Concrete at $277,750.54; Nora Concrete at $373,346; and KECI Civil at $312,352. 

The estimated budget for the project is $315,750.54, which includes construction by one of the four contractors, $18,000 for materials testing, and $20,000 for engineering, to be completed by the Town’s hired engineers, JVA, Inc. A $300,000 Grant was awarded to Nederland for the project, which required a local match of only $60,000.  

Both JVA, Inc. and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) reviewed the four bids and determined that, since Maher Construction did not meet the prequalification requirements set by CDOT, Standard Concrete’s bid was labeled the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.   

With few questions from the Board, Resolution 2026-14 was passed, awarding the Safer Main Streets project contract to Standard Concrete and authorizing Mayor Nichole Sterling to execute the contract and all required CDOT Local Agency documents.

Additionally, the Board was tasked with approving the release of Request For Qualifications (RFQ) forms for construction management services and geotechnical testing services for the Safer Main Streets project. 

As the project is being done in coordination with CDOT, the state agency requires “specific procurement procedures for professional services and project-related support services” to ensure that all contractors and consultants hired meet the agency’s qualifications and compliance standards. 

According to Cain, construction management services are required to “support construction oversight, coordination with the contractor, review of work, documentation, change management, pay applications, CDOT reporting, and project closeout.”

Geotechnical testing and materials testing services are required for the testing of concrete, subgrade, compaction, and “other project components.” Town staff are expected to coordinate with CDOT to review the RFQs as they come in based on the contractors’ qualifications, experience, plan of action, availability, and bid for total cost.

As for the financial considerations for hiring these specific contractors, Cain reiterated that, though the Town did not have an exact estimate for the cost of geotechnical testing services, both services are expected to be covered by the federal grant received for this project.  

Again, Trustees had few questions, and the RFQs for construction management services and geotechnical testing services were approved and passed unanimously. 

Strategic Planning

Lastly, the BOT set the dates for their upcoming Strategic Planning process, with an initial discussion to begin on May 19, and a more engaged work session tentatively planned for May 27. 

The Board’s Strategic Plan is meant to “identify the major priorities that require BOT direction, budget alignment, staff focus, advisory board coordination, department capacity, or sustained public communication.” The plan is also intended to “inform department work plans,” as it will provide departments and staff with “a clear framework for aligning day-to-day work, budget requests, project sequencing, and public communication with BOT priorities.” 

Cain provided Trustees with a list of potential goals to prioritize, listed under six different topic headings: Governance roles and civic process; organizational capacity and service delivery; planning, land use, and community development; water, wastewater, energy, and infrastructure; public safety and community resilience; and economic vitality and regional collaboration. 

Some of the potential goals for the BOT to discuss and prioritize for the next 18 months to two years include Home Rule implementation; more implementation of the goals from the Comprehensive Plan; developing staff training, salary surveys, and workforce support; upgrading technology and the Town’s internal systems; developing affordable housing and commercial space; Eldora transition and enterprise planning; and Dark Sky initiatives.

A facilitator may be hired to guide the BOT through some of the planning sessions, though Trustees were not adamant about requiring the facilitator. Cain and Sterling were also confident that they could lead the sessions with the amount of strategic planning experience between them. 

The Nederland Board of Trustees meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 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.