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How does Niwot Work?

Niwot Business Association – Part 9

The Niwot Business Association, known informally as the NBA, is the organization that gets most things done in Niwot's business district. While the Niwot Community Association (NCA) addresses matters of community-wide interest, the NBA has taken the lead on business-related matters. The two organizations often work together on projects of mutual interest, such as the Veteran's Banner Project last fall.

But the NBA, whose 150-plus dues-paying members often live in Niwot as well as work there, is responsible for many of the beloved events in town as well as the public improvements that give Niwot its charm and user-friendly reputation. With financial assistance from the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) and its 1% sales tax, the NBA has created the iconic Niwot gateway sign along Highway 119, commissioned a mural on the former Excel Electric building, placed event banners on street lights in Old Town and Cottonwood Square.

The NBA also plants and maintains flowers throughout town every spring, summer and fall, as well as creating the bump-out with bicycle parking and trees on 2nd Avenue and bringing the caboose and bandstand for Whistle Stop Park.

The association has worked with other nonprofits on the Native American tree carvings and the Sculpture Park along Niwot Road. The NBA has recently taken on the construction of a parking lot on Murray Street to serve visitors to Niwot, complete with accessible parking and electric vehicle charging stations.

The NBA actually had its beginnings in Gunbarrel, when the Gunbarrel/Niwot Business Association was incorporated in early 1993 as a nonprofit organization. The organization's purpose was to "provide a forum for meeting and networking with area business people on an informal social basis, and to support quality economic development in the Gunbarrel/Niwot area."

The incorporator was current Niwot and Longmont commercial property developer Cotton Burden, who had a private law practice in Gunbarrel at the time. The initial board of directors included chiropractor Tony Hudgens of Gunbarrel, sanitation facility construction owner Jim Martinsen of Niwot, 1STBank officer Marianne Reichert of Gunbarrel, CPA Brad Borncamp of Gunbarrel, Cottonwood Café owner Rich Pierson of Niwot, and attorney Bruce Warren of Niwot. By 1995, all of the officers represented Gunbarrel businesses, and the organization was dissolved administratively two years after filing its 1997 corporate report. Gunbarrel remains without an active business association.

At the same time the Gunbarrel/Niwot Business Association was being formed, a group of old town Niwot property owners were discussing how to solve persistent drainage problems on 2nd Avenue in Niwot with Boulder County officials Ron Stewart and Clark Meisner. The outcome of those efforts resulted in the formation of the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) in 1993, which initially funded drainage improvements, curb and gutters and streetlights in old town Niwot. [See LID – Part One of How does Niwot work? In the March 3 issue of the Courier.]

Pat Murphy of Niwot Real Estate, Anne Dyni who owned the former blacksmith shop and the post office, Jim Knoch who owned the Niwot Emporium building and Niwot Antiques, Chris Finger who owned Chris Finger Pianos and Janet King who owned a newly constructed office building, were at the forefront of Niwot's LID effort. One of the results of the construction project was the need to pay for the power for the newly installed street lights. Though the cost was not great, an organization was needed to pay the bill, and as a result, the property owners formed the Niwot Business Association, and committed to funding the electrical cost.

For 10 years the NBA operated as an unincorporated association while the sales tax collected by the LID paid down the bonded debt. But in 2003, the NBA was officially incorporated by Warren, with Euvaldo Valdez of Niwot Liquors, Janet Freytag of The Christmas Place, John Arnold of Edward Jones and Charles Bell of Tool Studios as officers and directors at the time. Past presidents of the NBA have included Knoch, Dallas Plese who owned Flanagan's Restaurant (now Niwot Tavern), Arnold, Bell, business owner Ken Fucik, Warren, and Tony Santelli of Niwot Tavern.

In addition to the public improvements the NBA has completed, the organization also sponsors many of the events Niwot residents have come to know and love. While some started as events years ago by local business owners, the NBA now provides funding, insurance and infrastructure, with help from the LID and the NCA.

Examples include Murphy's longtime sponsorship and organization of the Pancake Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt, as well as the Great Pumpkin Party at Halloween. Murphy remains the "champion" of those events, which predate the NBA. Others, such as Dancing Under the Stars championed by Catherine McHale, are more recent creations.

Other NBA members have taken on the "champion" role for other events, including Enchanted Evening on Black Friday and the Holiday Parade, as well as many recent creations such as monthly Sidewalk Sales. The NBA also co-operates the popular Rock & Rails summer concert series with the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, with Dan Hawk of Edward Jones serving as the NBA's co-manager of the event.

Current NBA officers include President Eric Bergeson of Niwot Wheel Works and the Wheel House, Vice-president Deborah Read Fowler of Colorado Landmark Realtors, Secretary Nancy Bureau of Left Hand Animal Hospital, and Treasurer Mary Coonce of Porchfront Homes. The executive committee includes Chuck Klueber of Designs by Linda (Streetscapes Committee), Bert Steele of Niwot Market (Cottonwood Square rep), Felicia Santelli of Santelli Healing (Membership), Jenn Porter of JM Porter real estate (Volunteers), Linda Klueber of Designs by Linda (NCA Liaison), and Catherine McHale of Power and Purpose Marketing (Marketing). The NBA also supervises the work of McHale who serves as Niwot Economic Development Director through a committee known as the Niwot Future League, with funding for the position provided by the LID.

NBA membership is open to any business or commercial property owner in the Niwot Community Service Area. Meetings are held every second Tuesday at 6 p.m., currently on Zoom, but generally at various business locations when gathering restrictions permit. Visit http://www.niwot.com for more information.

 

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