Town of Nederland, Colorado

TOWN OF NEDERLAND
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
“Nederland is just a little bit cooler ... on multiple levels”
P.O. Box 396
45 West First Street
Nederland, CO 80466
(303) 258-3266
http://nederlandco.org
http://nedermayor.blogspot.com
Events in Ned
NederMayor Blog – April 18, 2013
By Mayor Joe Gierlach
This is the second year I've been the
ribbon cutter of the Grand Opening of
Frozen Dead Guy Days. (The ribbon was
actually duct tape.)
Frozen Carnival Barker:
As I stood next to Dave Felkley, I felt a bit
like a 'carnival barker' which is becoming a
dying
art
form
through
the
Homogenization of America. As long as I
have lived here, Dave "Bigfoot" Felkley
(74) has emceed every parade and festival
in town. His personality is infused in a
tradition
of
announcing
events
consistently for over 20 years. After
having heart surgery, he said to me, "Just wheel me in, and give me a microphone." I am
grateful, that our town (with an authentically restored carousel) also has its own 'carnival
barker'.
Nederland Energy Independence Day Shaping Up:
Last month, the Board of Trustees (BOT) determined that fireworks are unsustainable,
both environmentally and financially. Facing potentially a major drought year, the BOT
decided that if we are to adapt to climate change, we need to create a new way to celebrate
Independence Day.
Rotary Club Meeting:
Michelle Northrup pitched an idea, and the Peak to Peak Rotary Club is considering if it
will act as the non-profit organization to accept donations and coordinate a Nederland
Energy Independence Day parade of LED lights.
Here's an outline of the plan:
Traditional 4th of July Parade occurs at noon as usual. In the afternoon, enjoy a
community-wide picnic at Guercio Park with local acoustic music. Public Tours of the new
energy efficient Waste Water Treatment Plant. Booths set-up by vendors/artists illustrating
energy independence. At dusk, a parade of LED lights which run on a fraction of the energy
used in conventional lights. If you are interested in this concept, please attend the Peak to
Peak Rotary Club meeting in Nederland at the Black Forest TODAY on April 18 at 5:30pm.
Solar Greens Company:
Local start-up, Solar Greens Company has completed testing specialized LED grow lights
that only utilize the parts of the light spectrum useful to plants (thus saving energy) for its
My Terrace Farmer product line. They have agreed to make LED kits available for
individuals and businesses wishing to participate in the Nederland Energy Independence
Day parade of LED lights.
For ideas, a quick search of "LED Burning Man", "LED Dragon-Lions in Starlight Parade",
"LED Jelly Fish People" should provide some examples.
Frozen Dead Guy Days Wrap-Up:
I had the opportunity to join the Frozen Dead Guy Days Team for their recap meeting.
There were great conversations about how to improve the event for our community, and a
presentation of a complex algorithm to predict next year's weather, in this era of severe
climate change.
BOT Special Events Work Session:
The Board of Trustees will have a study session on Special Events on Tuesday, April 23
6:00-9:00pm. This is an informational meeting for the BOT, so public comments need to be
submitted in writing to town hall by TODAY.
The Board of Trustees will be digesting a lot of information regarding special event impacts
and benefits to the community, with respect to our Envision 2020. Regular updates will be
provided on the Town's website and the NederMayor blog as they become available.