Nichole for Nederland

I'm running because I believe Nederland deserves confident, practical leadership that can connect the dots between public safety, infrastructure, modern governance, economic development, and housing affordability. As the person who led the Eldora acquisition, I'm ready to keep doing the hard, coordinated work it takes to build a future that is viable for locals.

I'm focused on building, prioritizing, and filling what we already have before acquiring more land. I'm open to annexation only if it delivers a clear, material benefit we otherwise couldn't achieve, but my biggest emphasis is modernizing how we plan, approve, and deliver projects, not growing for growth's sake.

I served on the Housing Study Committee in 2023, and my day-to-day work gives me insight into what communities across the U.S. are doing that actually moves the needle. Here in Nederland, I want us to combine obvious wins like reducing upfront barriers with more innovative strategies that unlock supply.

Wildfire preparedness means hardening homes and reducing risk long before smoke is in the air, and it also means helping residents have a plan and the right gear if something does happen. I'm especially interested in pairing practical mitigation with early detection and smart, proactive tools, alongside the infrastructure redundancies that matter in an emergency.

Please spread the word by sharing my website with friends and neighbors, posting it in your community circles, and bringing your questions to my coffee talks. The fastest way to help is to start conversations and point people to one place to learn more and stay informed.

The municipal election is Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

Yes, your local representatives do this work outside their 9-5 and outside the duties of parenting or caregiving. I'm first a wife and mom. After that, I'm the CEO and founder of an AI tech company that helps local governments use safe, ethical, responsible AI to better serve their communities. You can see that work here: mytownai.net (opens in new tab).

My company was born from the pain points I experienced in local government. I needed on-demand access to our local government data, so I built the tool I wished existed. That means I bring both a grounded understanding of how local government works and the innovative infrastructure to help modernize how it can operate into the future.

Thanks for your question.

It is unfortunate that it has taken 25 years to get this going. Here is a quick update on where things are and what has been happening recently.

June 2022: The Nederland Board of Trustees had three proposed routes but voted to pursue Congressional Designated Spending through a FEMA-administered Legislative Pre-Disaster Mitigation program because of various problems with the proposed routes.

October 2022: The Town formally accepted FEMA grant terms and conditions.

October 2024: Trustees allocated $146,000 as the local match for the FEMA grant.

August 2024: A multi-agency group, including Town staff, Boulder County rangers, JVA, BOT members, Nederland Fire Protection District, Planning Commission members, Parks & Open Space members, and the NDDA, walked three newly proposed routes. These routes were scored on safety, feasibility, cost, environmental impact, and effects on nearby residents and wildlife.

May 2025: The BOT approved Resolution 2025-10, extending JVA's professional services agreement through December 31, 2025, ensuring continuity of engineering work.

July 2025: A public work session introduced the two leading routes:

• A Magnolia Road connection
• The Boulder Canyon Route - The fire department has expressed support for the downhill option, citing safer wildfire evacuation dynamics and faster emergency response access via Boulder Canyon

The BOT directed town staff and JVA to design both the Magnolia and Boulder Canyon routes to full, shovel-ready design status to have both routes in case one fell through or didn't end up being feasible.

December 2025: The BOT received an update that the plans were updated with LIDAR data and emergency-services input.

The FEMA planning grant will close at the end of 2026. Once we have the routes designed, it will allow us to then capture project capital funding from FEMA to actually build out the route.

So, things have materially advanced and I'm focused on continuing to push this project throughout 2026 to get those FEMA construction dollars.

Also, I live in the Big Springs neighborhood. It's my family I think about in knowing this project has stalled for the last 25 years - and honestly it makes me mad.

Thanks for the question, it gives me the opportunity to clarify a few things.

To be clear, I have never stated that I am opposed to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office. In fact, I voted to bring BCSO in, and they have been a strong partner to Nederland. Sergeant Mendez and the entire team were exceptional during the Caribou Shopping Center fire, and their professionalism has consistently shown up when it matters.

At the same time, part of my responsibility as a Trustee is to regularly reassess our partnerships - especially when costs are expected to rise year over year. During the most recent budget cycle, the Board had to restructure the BCSO contract by reducing full-time coverage while increasing the use of extra-duty officers. That was a pragmatic, creative response to rising costs, not a critique of BCSO's performance.

There may come a point where the cost-benefit equation changes and it no longer makes sense to rely exclusively on BCSO. If that happens, I need to be prepared to have that conversation. Cost alone would not drive that decision. Any discussion about re-establishing a local force would have to include full funding for training, equipment, staffing, and long-term support.

Will the Board move toward a local force in 2026? I don't know. 2027? Also unknown. 2028? Still unknown. Those decisions depend entirely on future conditions, finances, and community needs.

Personally, I would love to see a local horse patrol someday. Being the daughter of two police officers, I've seen the trust and presence a local mounted unit can create. That idea doesn't have to replace BCSO - some have suggested a hybrid model. It would add complexity, but it's not off the table.

Ultimately, any decision will be driven by context, feasibility, multiple data points, and what best serves Nederland over the long term, not any particular ideology.

Again, thank you for the question.

Acquisition of the Eldora Mountain resort is expected to be completed on April 30, 2026 per the Asset Purchase Agreement Section 7.1 (d). You can read the entirety of the Asset Purchase Agreement here (opens in new tab).

The consultants who developed the Subarea Plan as part of the Comprehensive Plan recommend a bridge designed to support two-way traffic. As shown in the plan materials, their preferred location is a second bridge connecting Snyder Street and Lakeview, based on engineering feasibility. If that option proves infeasible, the alternative is a connection at the end of East Street near TEENS, Inc.

Any decision would hinge on feasibility. Each location presents different challenges, and the determining factors are whether the site can safely support both pedestrian and vehicle traffic, accommodate heavy emergency vehicles, remain financially viable, and be secured from the current property owners.

The Subarea Plan can be accessed here (opens in new tab).

I wholeheartedly agree with this. Can you believe we were denied a grant for a siren within about a week of the fire? We will be trying again this year.

Since September of 2022.

Thank you for your question.

I think a lot about our cultural identity as a community. I love the idea of a Nederland-owned festival - something that is truly ours and reflects who we are. You've named three real pieces of that identity: NedFest and our music history, the Farmer's Market and our appreciation for wholesome, local food and goods, and Frozen Dead Guy Days, which showed our willingness to embrace the weird.

However, Frozen Dead Guy Days was deeply polarizing. It split the community, even as it undeniably drove local business revenue. So, I often wonder, what kind of festival would unite Nederland rather than divide them? I recognize we can't make everyone happy but I'm interested in at least not having something so polarizing.

One of my favorite ideas I've heard is "Nessie Days," built around the Nederland Loch Ness Monster 🦕. I could see it creating room for music, a farmer's market, and our eco-conscious values, while still allowing for our playful, offbeat character. It's also naturally kid-friendly - especially the idea of "spotting" Nessie in the reservoir.

What came through clearly in the 2024 Comprehensive Plan is that residents want Nederland to be known for its outdoor identity. That's the anchor. A festival like Nessie Days ties together our outdoors culture, local economy, and sense of fun in a way that feels inclusive and distinctly Nederland. But, I'm sure there are many other ideas out there that would also fit - I would love to hear them!

Maybe it's two festivals: something more NedFest oriented and another Nessie oriented.

But to answer your question: Yes!! I'm all in on Nederland festivals!

Here is (opens in new tab) the staff report that was presented to the BOT regarding the West Wing of the Community Center. The BOT decided to move forward with Option 3 which was to bring the Community Center into full compliance and renovation.

Public lands are a public trust: water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and long-term climate resilience. I support protecting old-growth and mature forests, and I'm aware that industrial logging needs to be strategic.

Here is my current understanding of wildfire science tactics:

• Home ignition zone + home hardening first (roofs, vents, decks, defensible space), because embers are what usually take homes.
• Targeted fuels work when they're strategic, focused near communities, along planned defense areas, and maintained over time, not broad, profit-driven cuts.

And I'm safety-first on evacuation: if a second egress route out of Big Springs requires removing some trees to create a safe corridor for residents and emergency vehicles, I won't compromise lives to avoid cutting trees. If we do any removal, it should be the minimum necessary, with a clear safety purpose, restoration/erosion control, and transparent oversight so safety work doesn't become a blank check.

I don't support using eminent domain to take that gas-tank property for a community park.

Eminent domain is one of the strongest powers government has: it forces a sale, triggers legal process and court risk, and requires just compensation and proof of a true public use under Colorado law. In practice, it can mean months (or years) of appraisal fights, attorney fees, community division, and a big hit to public trust—especially when the project is "nice to have" rather than essential. Government will then be seen as coming in to take any property they want from residents simply because they want something.

With a former gas-tank site, there's another real-world issue: environmental uncertainty. Before any "park" conversation is real, you need assessment and likely cleanup planning (and the funding strategy to match). That's exactly what Brownfields programs are designed to support.

When would eminent domain be acceptable? Rarely, and only for critical, cannot-wait needs like life-safety and core infrastructure: evacuation/egress routes, roads/bridges, water/wastewater, flood control, or urgent hazards, when there's no feasible alternative and good-faith negotiation has failed. That's the threshold where government protection of life and essential services can outweigh the harm of forcing a taking.

My approach here is the opposite of escalation: relationship and readiness. I've been in communication with the property owner for the last three years and will keep the lines open so the town can be first in line when they're ready to sell. I started that communication because I knew how important that property is for our community and I'll keep at it.

I absolutely love history. My news feed is constantly filled with articles about people and events from the past. Recently I came across an article from the American Historical Association summarizing a national survey of 1,816 Americans. One result stood out: 84% of respondents said learning history is just as important as studying business or engineering.

At the candidate forum, a question was asked about how Nederland can continue preserving its history. My opponent said there wasn't much we could do because of budget constraints.

Budget will always be a limiting factor if we allow it to be.

Instead of accepting that constraint, I suggested another approach: help history fund itself.

Several months ago I sent an app idea to the Nederland Historical Society. The founder of the app had reached out to me because we share a mutual investor and she was interested in the technology I'm building for local governments. When we talked, I loved the concept: locals contribute historical stories that become a self-guided "history tour" visitors can take around town.

Then I thought, why not add a donation button in the app so visitors can contribute directly to the historical society?

If most visitors enjoy learning about the places they visit, it's reasonable to assume many would be willing to donate a dollar or two along the way. Those small contributions could add up and help create a self-sustaining funding stream for preserving local history.

Would this require some structure? Of course. It would need a bit of marketing. But it could be very lightweight—local businesses could simply post QR codes that link visitors to the historical tour.

The bigger point is this: constraints should push creativity and innovation.

If we default to saying "we can't because of the budget," we miss opportunities. Give me a constrained situation and I'll work to find a path forward.

We could even build the app ourselves and make it uniquely tailored to Nederland. There are plenty of talented people in this community who could help create something special—and doing it locally would lower costs even further while giving our town a truly unique way to share its history.

Other things to point out: the Visitor's Center will be back — it was closed temporarily to put a plan in place. Communication with town: I would need more context as to what you are specifically looking for. And, grants — don't rely on grants — pave the historical society's self-funding pathway first and use grants as a second tier mechanism so that the historical society isn't beholden to grant cycles. Also, I will note that the Historical Society does not operate under the town government — it is its own separate entity and therefore, looking for and applying for grants rests on the historical society. Can there be partnerships? Absolutely. Bring us grants you want to partner on!

Answer coming soon.