NCA holds conversation with school board representative

Karen Ragland, Niwot's St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) school board representative, joined the Niwot Community Association's (NCA) September board meeting to hold a conversation with members and the public about the banners on the football field fence, an upcoming bond measure, and property valuation and taxes.

NCA board members have previously spoken with Niwot High School (NHS) principal Eric Rauschkolb about the advertising banners on the football field fence facing Niwot Road, which are a fundraiser for the school.

Some Niwotians see the banners as an eyesore, and have requested that they be removed. Rauschkolb is reported to have replied that he would remove them if someone wrote the school a check for $30,000 to cover the loss of revenue from the banners. Ragland said during the NCA board meeting that SVVSD superintendent Dr. Don Haddad would request that Rauschkolb remove them, and Haddad would write the check.

Ragland told the board that the bond measure on the ballot next year is for the purpose of building a new high school for Tri-Town (Frederick, Firestone, Dacono) and to build a new school bus transit center. Ragland said that the bond issue will not raise taxes.

The school district has a surplus of $160 million. Ragland reported that it is invested and earning income. The budget for the 2023-23 fiscal year is $614 million, and the district is required by law to maintain a 25% budget reserve.

Most of the conversation with Ragland revolved around property assessments and the increase in property taxes for the SVVSD next year. Unlike how the mill levy for the Boulder County government is determined, school districts have a fixed mill levy that is determined by the State of Colorado.

For example, in 2021 the state legislature passed a bill to increase the mill levy by one mill per year for schools until it reaches 27 mills. This is known as the Mill Levy Correction. Other mill levies contribute to the total mill levy for the SVVSD of 58.385 mills. This is fixed and is not adjusted for the economy or property assessments. If assessments go up by 50% then property tax paid to SVVSD will go up by 50%, regardless of what their budgetary needs are. The budget for the current school year has already been approved. The fiscal year began on July 1.

Board members were also able to talk about problems with school automobile traffic, which sometimes backs up on Niwot Road from the high school nearly to 95th Street. The board also requested that NHS do a better job of communicating with the community. Ragland pledged to communicate more with the community in the future. The board thanked Ragland and moved on to other business.

Board member Vicky Dorvee reported on her work towards honoring the life of Bert Steele. Dorvee said she has spoken with many community groups and the Steele family. Some groups already have plans for ways to honor Bert Steele. The NCA has launched a committee to work with other groups in order to determine an appropriate way to honor the late Niwot Market owner.

The NCA's Local Improvement District (LID) representative, Jeff Knight, reported on the latest LID meeting. The local architectural firm Fletemeyer & Lee Associates has been developing a Niwot Master Plan and a Connectivity Plan for the LID. There will be a meeting on Nov. 9 to present the Plans to representatives of all the Niwot interested groups.

NCA Director for Trails and Open Space Vicky Dorvee investigated two problems on the local trails. Dorvee asked the county trails department when they would repair the damage to the LoBo Trail by the ponds between 79th Street and Monarch Road. The county responded that the work is delayed because of the need to obtain permission to work in the ditch beside the trail damage.

Dorvee also contacted the county about a large tree that had fallen near the LoBo trail between 79th Street and Niwot Road. The county is going to leave the dead tree where it fell in order to provide wildlife habitat.

The NCA's board member representative on the Niwot Rural Community District - Design Review Committee, Kathy Koehler, has continued to work on the neglect of the historical Bader House on the old Colterra restaurant property. Koehler reported that the owner has yet to respond to community requests to bring the appearance and maintenance back to how it should be, and has done the bare minimum in response to county requests.

National Night Out was a bust due to the weather. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office canceled the event shortly before it was scheduled to start. All of the food was donated to Our Center in Longmont.

The next NCA community event will be the Halloween Parade. Event coordinator Julie Breyer has most of the work completed. Details will come out early in October.

NCA members are encouraged to attend monthly board meetings and the public is welcome. If you wish to speak or want a specific issue discussed, please contact the NCA board at least one week in advance of the meeting to be included on the agenda. The NCA website is https://niwot.org/.