Friday, December 16th, 2022, 10:05am
It's time again for the Mayor's Corner (AKA the "Billy Pulpit")! In these monthly newsletters, Mayor Billy Giblin summarizes what the Board of Trustees has been up to.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!
THANK YOU Town of Nederland voters for voting to approve our three tax ballot measures. These added funds will really help provide the Town with more resources to better fund our Health and Human Services, NPD, and Parks.
Town Marshal Candidate Daniel Gledhill visited Nederland on 11/30 and 12/1. On 12/30, he met with Town Staff and then our other local Public Safety and Emergency Service organizations. On 12/1, he had a “Meet and Greet” with the public and then a BOT Interview. We offed Daniel the Marshal position on December 2nd, and he accepted on December 6th. Daniel’s first day will be January 17, 2023.
On 11/15, the BOT approved consent agenda an amendment to the Town Administrator’s Agreement and appointed Ryan Villalon to a newly-vacated BZA board member position. We then had a VERY lively discussion of the Annexation Ordinance; and the BOT in a 4-3 vote narrowly removed a town-wide election trigger from the draft. We later discussed the Master Infrastructure Plan (primarily focused on Streets); then the draft ordinances to implement the voter approval of the 0.25% sales tax increase, $4.00 per day per occupied bedroom lodging occupation tax, and the 5% retail marijuana sales tax; and finally the 2023 draft budget. Staff Reports and BOT Reports were shared in the Agenda packet.
On the 11/29 Work Session, the BOT had the 2023 Draft Budget Public Hearing, and later approved three ordinances to implement voter approval of the 0.25% sales tax increase, $4.00 per day per occupied bedroom lodging occupation tax, and the 5% retail marijuana sales tax.
This past 12/6 BOT Meeting, we started with an Executive Session regarding the Marshal position. In open session, we approved in consent agenda the Lease for Boulder County Area Agency on Aging at the Nederland Community Center, Housing Needs Assessment Contract with Bohannan Huston, and Sewer Cleaning Contract with High Country Pipe. We discussed further the Master Infrastructure Plan with asphalt updates. We approved the 2023 Budget, and opted out of the Colorado Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance. We discussed and decided to fill Trustee Blakemore’s vacancy through appointment. Finally, the three CU Boulder Graduate students from the Masters in Environment Program provided an update on the work they have done on the Colorado Wildfire Protection Plan.
NEXT MEETINGS: 12/20/22: Annexation Ordinance, 72 Barker Easement Agreement, Solar Ordinance, Eldora Presentation, and other Items. 1/3/23: BOT Appointment, creation of Public Works and Police Department Advisory Boards, and other Items TBD. These Meetings will likely be hybrid in-person and virtual; though due to the Holidays and Trustee travel, they may end up all virtual depending on in-person quorum. Please monitor the Town website for agendas. Please participate, whether in-person or virtually. These will be important meetings and we need public participation.
Community Solar Garden (CSG): large solar array from 10 kilowatts to 5 megawatts. When you subscribe to a CSG, you are subscribing to a percentage of the garden’s energy production based on your home's average energy use. The CSG is approved by your electric utility and this energy exchange is calculated between the CSG and your utility.
Nederland needs ~300 residential accounts to subscribe to reach 100% renewable energy by 2025.
US Solar CSG Campaign:
- You save!: 5% below the bill credit rate with Xcel for 20 years ($4-5 average per month and ~$800-$1000 average savings for life of contract)
- No upfront or hidden costs
- Nothing on your roof or property
- Supports new renewable solar energy on the grid
- Subscribers receive a $100 e-gift card
- US Solar gives a $50 donation per subscription to Wild Bear Nature Center or the Nederland Food Pantry
- Available to homeowners and renters and can follow the subscriber if they move within Xcel Colorado territory
- No cancellation fee
- Homeowners with solar arrays can subscribe for energy not currently generated by their solar array production
For info or to sign up: https://www.us-solar.com/partner/nederland OR: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/Community-Solar-Garden.
Income-qualified CSG Subscriptions through Energy Outreach Colorado:
- Saves average Colorado residential energy user an average of $50/month
- Supports new renewable solar energy on the grid
- No changes to your roof or property
- No upfront costs or hidden fees, and no cancellation fee
- Available to residents that make less than 80% below the Boulder County Average Median Income (AMI)
- These are limited in number so sign up as soon as possible
- 20 year contract and are great for renters as it follows subscribers' accounts to new addresses within Xcel Colorado territory
Sign up with Energy Outreach Colorado here: https://www.energyoutreach.org/community-solar.
PLEASE LET US KNOW what you think! We encourage all comments, and we need you to let us know if there are problems. We read all the emails, letters and comments that we receive and weigh them all as we make decisions.
- Attend BOT Meetings in-person or virtually every 1st and 3rd Tuesday with optional Work Sessions every 2nd Tuesday.
- Contact Town of Nederland, please go to: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/contact
- Town Hall phone: (303) 258-3266.
- Mail letter: Town of Nederland, PO Box 396, Nederland, CO 80466
- Drop a note or make a comment directly: Town Hall, M-F, 9am-5pm at 45 W 1st St, Nederland, CO
- Email the BOT: bot@nederlandco.org