NBA And LID
Discuss Marketing And Events   May 2011

BY KIM GLASSCOCK
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Marketing Niwot and enhancing the visibility of the town are two of the priorities included in the community action plan drawn up a year ago as the second part of the economic development process spearheaded by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
At its April 5 meeting, members of the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee approved allocating $3,500 to the Niwot Community Association to help fund marketing and promotion for the Nostalgia Day event.

“We see this as good marketing for the town,” LID member Harris Faberman said.
LID member Euvaldo Valdez pointed out that Niwot businesses benefit from the Nostalgia Day event since it draws people to town. “This is a good event for our town and our businesses,” he said.

“This is really a signature event for Niwot,” LID member Jim Eastman added. “It should have our support.”
Plans for Nostalgia Day include a pancake breakfast and a parade, children’s activities and games, and vendor booths in Old Town Niwot.
Evening events include a band and food vendors, and are held in the Cottonwood Square shopping area. The NCA also is considering adding a film festival to this year’s lineup of events in conjunction with Ni-Wot Prairie Productions.

NCA treasurer Terry Larsen told LID members that Nostalgia Day costs about $11,500 to produce, and is funded through a variety of sources. The NCA is hoping to raise about $6,500 from community and business sponsorships, approximately $1,000 from vendor booth fees and about $500 in revenues from the pancake breakfast to add to the LID money, she said.
“We try to match expenses to income,” Larsen said. “Our goal is to be self-funded.”

Gateway Sign

LID members also discussed progress being made on putting up a gateway sign at the Second Avenue entrance to Niwot from State Highway 119, another recommendation tied to the economic development process.

Historic Projects subcommittee chair Tim Wise told LID members that the Colorado Department of Transportation requires that signs located within 30 feet of the white line on the edge of the highway to be breakaway signs on metal or wooden poles. The area under consideration for Niwot’s sign is outside that restriction, but still within CDOT’s right-of-way.

“We are outside the 30-foot area, so we can do a monument sign,” Wise said. “We have the option of putting up a metal or stone sign with a stone base, or one on a berm.”

Wise added that Boulder County officials have indicated that they would like to see official permission from CDOT before starting the county approval process.

However, at the April 12 Niwot Business Association meeting, Wise told NBA members that for CDOT officials to give approval, officials need to see some design plans for the proposed sign.

“I think we should shoot for a sign that is impressive and artistic,” Wise said. “We should give CDOT plans that include everything we want and see what they say.”

Anne Olson of Olson Architecture volunteered to draw up preliminary plans which could be submitted to CDOT.

LID Legislation

Boulder County policy analyst Leslie Irwin told LID members that a bill to allow local improvement districts to add properties to their districts has been revived after being killed in March by a House committee in the state legislature. The amended bill is expected to be introduced in the state Senate under “late bill” status, Irwin said.

The proposed legislation would allow commercial property owners to request that their property be included in an existing LID, and would broaden the use of LID funds to include cultural arts and events.
Current statute does not include a way to add properties after the initial boundaries for a district are set and approved by voters.
In other business, the LID welcomed new member Laura Skaggs, who was recently appointed by the Boulder County Commissioners to serve on the LID. She replaces Ann May, who resigned in January. Eastman, Faberman, and Bruce Warren were reappointed.

Valdez told LID members that he has contacted Burlington Northern to ask that the railroad consider both the Second Avenue and Niwot Road crossings for repairs. “I have raised this as a safety issue with them,” he said. “Those crossings are in dilapidated condition.”

NBA

The NBA now has the most members in its history, NBA members were told at the April 12 meeting held at Osmosis Gallery. The group has 87 members this year, “a magnificent number,” according to NBA President Tony Santelli of the Niwot Tavern.

“We need to thank Chuck and Linda Klueber of Niwot Interiors for their very hard work to bring in members,” Santelli said.
The NBA had budgeted about $8,500 in dues income for the next year, but because of the membership growth, the group will have approximately $1,800 in extra revenue to set aside for contingencies, Santelli pointed out.

Leigh Charley of Compassionate Chiropractic told NBA members that she and Mimi Bell of Allstate Insurance have been giving small welcome gifts to new businesses in Niwot. She asked NBA members if they could donate small gift certificates, coupons or small gifts, and their business cards, to the effort.

“This way our new businesses know what is in town and can refer their customers to you,” Charley said.

Robin Abb of Rockin’ Robin’s Retro and Resale suggested that the grassroots effort become more formalized by submitting a budget and a request for funds to the NBA. She also suggested that Charley and Bell ask for volunteers to help with the welcome project.

Events

Attendance at the First Fridays Art Walk has been growing a bit with the start of warm weather, Anne Olson of Osmosis Gallery told NBA members.

“I had about 200 people come through the gallery at the April 1 event. It was pretty full,” Olson said. Olson said she sends out information about the First Fridays Art Walk event to her customer email list to help bring people to Niwot and the event.

NBA members again expressed support for a proposed jazz festival this summer in Niwot when event proponent Howard Treppeda of Treppeda’s Italian Restaurant updated the group about possible plans.

“I have had a lot of people express interest in the event,” he said. “But there are a lot of pieces to put into place to make this happen.”
Treppeda said he has had a number of jazz musicians express interest in playing, and he is working with Abb to line up musicians for the event.

Treppeda said the event is currently planned for noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20 in Old Town Niwot. He would like to close a portion of Second Avenue to use for the festival, and have food located near the Left Hand Corner building with the jazz bands performing along Second Avenue.

“I’d like to do this on a Saturday so that the businesses are open and can benefit from people who have come to town for the festival,” he said.

Treppeda also said he would like to have parking available at Niwot High School with a shuttle running between the high school and Old Town Niwot. NBA members suggested contacting Boulder County transportation to see if any funding is available to pay for a shuttle.
The Rhythm on the Rails concert series, operated by Boulder Creek Events, will have 11 concerts this summer, according to Niwot Cultural Arts Association board member Bruce Warren of Warren, Carlson and Moore, LLP.

Warren said Boulder Creek Events has agreed to assist with a transition to full operation by the NCAA for 2012. 

The NBA and NCA will receive 5 percent of all proceeds from alcohol sales. Money from the margarita booth tip jars will be donated to a different Niwot-area charity each week.

Interested charities can apply by calling 303-845-3077 and leaving a message stating the caller’s name, the organization’s name, how to contact the organization and why it deserves to receive the tip funds.

Social Media

Niwot social media director Heather Morgan announced that she is stepping down from the position due to increased hours at her full-time job. Morgan will transition out of the position over the next two months. As she transitions, she will work on redesigning the Niwot website. In the interim, Kimberly Urdiales of Old New Borrowed Blue will take over social media duties, with the help of high school intern Ali Wise.