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.

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.

Since September of 2022.

It means I've made a career out of learning how humans make decisions (especially poor decisions), how to modernize their organization via technology in a responsible way, and taking complex initiatives and simplifying it into "what's the first step?"

My career was never a straight line. Instead, I followed interesting problems in various industries. That's why I've worked in HR, Process Improvement, Operations, Finance, and finally as a tech entrepreneur. My brain looks at the systems of things - how all the pieces fit together.

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.

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).

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.

My background in planning comes from actually doing the work. Being in the room where these decisions happen - from zoning and comp plans to infrastructure and economic development - I've had to work through what's real, what's possible, and what actually gets something over the line. In fact, the AI I developed was designed to help planners understand changes and impacts to their towns via data that is otherwise hard for them to access (i.e. produce a draft of a connected trail system, if we change the use of this parcel of land - how does that impact utilities, or what vacant plots are available for a new childcare facility).

So when I think about municipal and regional planning, I don't think about it as some abstract exercise. I think about it as, can this actually happen? Because a plan that just sits on a shelf is useless. You have to understand the code, the constraints, the infrastructure, and the financial reality, and then you have to be able to stand behind the decisions publicly. At the regional level, it's even more obvious. Housing, transportation, workforce - none of it stops at our boundaries, so pretending it does just slows everything down. I've participated in regional planning via DRCOG (Denver Regional Council of Governments) for transportation, housing, and aging.

My process is pretty simple. Start with what already exists. What does the code say, what does the comp plan say, where are the constraints. Then get really clear on what we're trying to do. Affordable housing, childcare, economic development, whatever it is. Then pressure test it. What actually works under the current rules and where does it break. I like to go all the way down to the parcel level because that's where things get real very quickly.

And then let's be honest about tradeoffs. What does this option unlock, what does it limit, and what are the downstream impacts. Too often planning tries to smooth that over, and that's how you end up with confusion and frustration. I'd rather be clear up front so people can actually make informed decisions and move something forward.

At the end of the day, planning should help us get things done. Not just talk about them.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Taking legal action is even something Mayor Billy has endorsed but the difference between the two of us is that I'm willing to act on it sooner if necessary to put pressure on either the property owner or the state. What has been irritating for me is the state asked us to keep it out of the political arena - in other words activating political friends to keep the pressure on them. So, leadership decided to stop. But, we should have never stopped we should have continued to keep the pressure on them because as the post in facebook illustrated this week - those weren't clean up crews - the property owner is STILL waiting on CDPHE!

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.

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!

Thank you for your patience in my reply. I realized I needed to do some more learning. My answer can be heard in this video on the website: https://nichole4nederland.net/?v=rIQXoc2JbbQ

After thinking about this more, I would like resources to figure out transportation for seniors aging in place. There is no greater impact on livelihood if folks can't get places to do their shopping, go to the library, or go play some Crazy 8's. And I think I have an idea...

Please provide the "untruths" that were rampant during the preschool process. If anything multiple data points were offered and presented that supported the building of the preschool.

To say, "she did nothing to clarify, only muddied the water..." you must mean I pulled each of those public comments to understand if it was residents or out-of-towners who were in support of the preschool. Yup I did that. You must also mean that when the lease came back before the board I crunched the data to understand what the increase in the square footage took up in total square area compared to the rest of the zones in the code, and realizing the additional square footage still didn't even come close to the area constraints in other zones or properties - yup guilty again.

Just because the data doesn't support your argument and your stance does not mean it didn't clarify the situation. But, I'm also on record multiple times, including the March 3rd meeting on the Sub Area plan stating that infill, building within our town borders, is the best form of "growth." Not "preserving our natural surroundings" - no idea what that means - again, provide the exact quote - pull it from a public meeting so everyone has access to the same information.

"She's got an agenda..." you bet I do...to provide opportunities for our community. To take care of our folks and we can do all of that without expanding buildings outside our borders.

So, for all of you reading this. If you want someone who ACTUALLY surfaces the data, who moves things forward when it makes sense for our community (like a wonderful childcare facility), and does it knowing not everyone is going to be happy - and she is okay with that - then I'm your next Mayor. #Energy #Innovation #GetsStuffDone!

We got this Nederland.

First let's talk about receipts. Who has a track record of actually getting things done for this community that doesn't involve staff? Too often electeds will take credit for work that was done by staff so we need to be able to differentiate that work. From the housing study to the strategic plan to being asked to represent Nederland for Eldora I step in to push projects over the line.

Now, that aside let's talk about community engagement. I was once asked by May to be part of a group that would jump start community engagement. I was new to the board and very eager to do this. However, after several meetings it became clear that May wanted community engagement that met her definitions. For instance she didn't want to have an event at Salto because a "previous Mayor frequented there." Conversations were mostly about attacking others rather than staying focused on creating, building, and reimagining the system. Every one of us has to determine our boundaries - of what we are willing to partake in with others and I realized that what I wanted to build for the community was not the same thing May wanted to build, so, I removed myself from that effort for which I have been paying for ever since.

Now, coming to May's reference of "locking yourself in a room" - this is me on public record so, anyone can go find the meeting where I said it and what it refers to is me saying, we (the board) will lock ourselves in a room to figure out childcare for this community - meaning having ongoing work sessions if necessary. Yup! I said it! And you know what? I would say it over and over and over again! A community without 0 - 2 childcare is a joke.

I want to reimagine community engagement and surface constructive ways to move our community forward. I want to spin up informal committees to solve emerging issues. I want technology to inform our residents because they can't make a board meeting during dinner and kid bath times. I want to surface the not-so-loud voices who have GREAT ideas but need bite-sized ways to engage. WE CAN DO THIS NEDERLAND!!!

Regarding health insurance - which I'm so glad May brought up because this is all about equity and engagement. Not everyone in our community has access to a salary that enables them to have the luxury of volunteering for the Board of Trustees. Nederland's next chapter will require all hands on deck and even folks who want to contribute their time but can't make the math work because they don't have a high salary or are on an hourly wage or don't have adequate access to healthcare. So, ironically, this is one of those tactics to encourage new voices, new engagement on the board from folks who otherwise might not participate. They could have access to government benefits that they could otherwise never access. This is about broadening the pool of folks who can participate while building a culture that says, we'll take care of you.

Here is a recent video I created because people were asking me about the AI I created and my thoughts on the environmental impacts: https://nichole4nederland.net/?v=zqos2oSj5gw

I built AI to help make sense of local government data - to help solve my own pain points and to help residents and folks who want to invest in our communities, like developers, also make sense of municipal code.

AI absolutely has social, environmental, and safety impacts that we have to continue to surface and which I'm actively involved in so that I can shape its future.

One of the most inspiring moments I had was meeting Gloria Steinem and talking about AI and the impact on women. For those of you who missed the 60's and 70's she was one of the biggest forces in women's rights.

But also in that room was Dr. Joy Buolamwini who wrote the book, Unmasking AI. Her work exposes how AI algorithms weren't built to recognize black faces which can lead to huge injustices around facial identification. Also in the room was Kate Crawford who wrote the Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Manuela Veloso is considered one of the god mothers of robotics.

The point is that there is movement to help shape this technology so it works better for our world. So, it can keep saving lives, solving climate change, and assisting every day folks to alleviate the mental load in their days.

I support the AI companies being held to account for IP infringement of artist's and writer's work. I help the every day small business owner get a breath of relief after using AI to scale their email outbound that would have otherwise taken weeks to execute. I educate jurisdictions across the United States to assess their policy toward AI and push for sustainable data center infrastructure.

April 7th is around the corner. Vote for someone who looks at constraints and sees opportunity. Who will bring energy, innovation, and the discipline to get things done.

My biggest takeaway was that there is a lot of work to do in terms of educating folks about the impacts of AI. We need to talk about how to both create it and use it in a safe, ethical, and responsible manner.

How it applies to Nederland: we are a small local government with more things to do than people to do them. Using AI to review development plans that assess if they meet code in minutes versus weeks. Using AI to pull summaries from board meetings so residents can keep up on information instead of being expected to attend meetings.

There is a time and place for AI and its use shouldn't be for everything, but where it can be used, it really can help folks.

I actually couldn't agree more. This is why I draw the line at AI video. While I experimented with these tools early on, I don't use them anymore because I don't like being spoken to via an AI persona and I'm so tired of every other video on Facebook being AI generated. It's really infuriating.

I was sitting on a call once with a tech owner in Silicon Valley. At the time, I was working on crafting policy for the United States like how the EU crafted their AI laws. This tech owner said, "Why do we have to tell people they are interacting with AI?" He was referring to voice agents and call centers because they were implementing AI call center agents to handle the call volume. I about lost my $%^&.

That's when I realized - I have to be at the table. I have to be intervening because people deserve to know when they are interacting with AI and make the choice if they want to or not.

Saving lives refers to things like cancer identification and treatment. It could also reference early wildfire detection like what they are using in Gilpin County.

AI is starting to play a real role in how we tackle climate change. It can help optimize energy systems, make climate modeling more accurate, and speed up scientific breakthroughs like new materials for carbon capture. It also helps us run things more efficiently across transportation, agriculture, and waste management, and gives us better visibility into what's happening with deforestation and broader ecosystem changes.

YES!!! That's exactly right!! People are the experts! The nonprofit I started focuses on this: putting experts at the helm of technology and innovation because they have the use cases - they know the right things to develop via technology and what needs to be left alone for the humans to continue to do.

If the experts are not front and center then everything goes sideways and we ABSOLUTELY lose the human connection, the human component. Now more than ever IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE HUMAN!!! It's okay that you don't care about AI but I care and I care how it impacts people, the environment, and safety.

I designed the overall system and use cases that brought the product to life. Understood that my statement could be perceived as having developed the underlying model - totally get that - thanks for the feedback. One of these days I would love to have our own bespoke small model running the AI but it's not feasible at this time.

True - I could have replaced those "hopes" with actual things I'm doing - thanks for the messaging help.

I do support these AI companies paying artists and writers for the work they stole to train their models. I teach courses (one of them up here in Nederland!) on how small business owners can use AI to scale themselves.

Then my work with the GovAI Coalition, which was born out of the City of San Jose and put together for the sole purpose of helping local governments procure safe, ethical, and responsible AI, allows me to help jurisdictions better understand AI, the policies around it, and how to advocate for better data center infrastructure and fight for sustainable practices around AI.

At the GovAI Coalition we have an internal group that solely focuses on the environmental and sustainable parts of AI and what we can do to impact policy.

How long have you lived in Nederland?

7 years

Briefly describe your current career and home life?

I am the CEO of a tech company that helps local governments better access their data and reduce their consultant spend. I live with my son, Leo, and husband, Joseph, while our other two sons, Brodie and Aidyn are out adulting in the world.

Briefly describe your educational and professional experience and explain how your skill set can best serve the Town of Nederland.

I've worked across multiple industries and roles throughout my career, building the skills needed to lead a town like Nederland. My background spans the nonprofit sector, healthcare, and now technology. Along the way, I've led organizations in HR, operations, and finance, and today I serve as a CEO and small business owner.

These experiences have required navigating complex challenges, setting a clear vision, motivating people, and executing plans that deliver real milestones. In my current role on the Board of Trustees, I have been involved during a period when the Board approved the acquisition of Eldora and the issuance of municipal revenue bonds, and the Town is preparing the related bond documents. My previous experience in financial oversight, risk assessment, and responsible governance informs my decision-making process. The Eldora effort was not the first $100M+ acquisition I've worked on, which gave me the experience and perspective needed to help guide Nederland through a moment like this, with an emphasis on process, careful review of available information, and adherence to established legal and fiduciary responsibilities as the approved transaction and related financing move toward closing.

In your words please explain why you wanted to run for this position.

After April 30th, the anticipated closing date of the acquisition, Nederland will enter a materially different operational phase. The complexity of what we will have in front of us will increase significantly. As the person who helped lead the Eldora effort and someone who has worked on acquisitions of this size before, I understand the scope of the transition the Town is undertaking and the level of governance, oversight, and coordination it will require.

We will need to rethink many of our systems and how the town operates. At key inflection points, organizations need new structures, new processes, and clear priorities. I've built and rebuilt systems like this before, and I have experience contributing to the development of structured, accountable approaches that support effective implementation. That's the work that excites me - seeing new opportunities, then putting the frameworks in place to make them succeed!

You've already seen this in the work I've driven: getting major deliverables across the finish line, including the 2023 housing study, the town's strategic goals, and the public processes and Board action for the Eldora initiative.

At moments like this, you want the person who has already been doing the hard work to keep doing the hard work.

Of the major projects/issues currently facing the BOT (Bobcat Ridge annexation, downtown redevelopment, TEENS, Inc. child care proposal, suggestions for code change to come from the comprehensive plan update, suggestions for streets improvements to come from the multimodal transportation plan, the Chipeta Park pump track, tourism initiatives, water and sewer infrastructure, securing water rights, the keeping animals ordinance, the commitment to Proposition 123 and affordable housing development, an interconnected trails system, etc.) which would you make your top priorities?

Beyond supporting careful planning and oversight for the Board-approved Eldora transaction, as the acquisition moves toward closing my next priorities are public safety, infrastructure, affordable housing and childcare, rethinking how our community communicates and governs itself, and positioning Nederland as a "town within a park" by expanding our recreation opportunities.

If you'd like to learn more about these priorities and the ideas behind them, you can visit my website: nichole4nederland.net

Who, if anyone, would you consider a mentor or figure who inspired you to run for this position? How did they inspire you?

Honestly, my kids - and the youth in our community - are one source of inspiration for running for Mayor. When I was first considering it, I had to really step back and ask myself why I wanted to do this.

Besides genuinely knowing I have the skillsets to guide us, the answer was simple: I want to help create a place where, if my kids or the young people growing up in our community want to stay and build a life here, they can. A place where they can find jobs, have places to recreate, access education, gather for dinner with friends and family, and eventually raise their own kids here too.

Have you ever, or are you currently, serving on any boards for any non-profit organizations? If not, what organizations, or causes, have you considered joining?

A few years ago, I started a company called Women Defining AI. It began as an education initiative to help women and non-binary individuals learn artificial intelligence's impact on productivity, bias, ethics, the environment, and mental load. After growing the community to nearly 2,000 people, we transitioned it into a nonprofit so we could scale its impact. I now serve on the board.

I also co-chair the Use Cases Committee for the GovAI Coalition, which is currently pursuing 501(c)(3) status. The coalition was launched out of the City of San Jose, California, with the goal of helping local governments procure safe, ethical, and responsible AI systems. Through that work, I help governments across the United States understand AI - its risks, biases, and ethical considerations - and identify the right use cases if they choose to adopt it.

Also, my previous non-profit board experience has been when I've been called in to help non-profit boards operate better. Whether that was to help them work through complex initiatives or work through conflict.

Of Nederland's various boards and subcommittees (Board of Zoning Adjustment, Nederland Downtown Development Authority, Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board, Planning Commission, Sustainability Advisory Board, Youth Advisory Board), which would you be most interested in serving as liaison for and why? (Mayoral candidates please answer hypothetically)

None of the above. In fact, part of my vision is to rethink our current governance structure and create new boards that are better equipped to handle the complexity of the moment we're in.

One example is a Resiliency Board. This board would assess and advise the Board of Trustees on the social, economic, environmental, physical (infrastructure), and institutional resilience of our community. By bringing these perspectives together in one place and prioritizing projects across them, we can take a more systemic approach to helping Nederland thrive.

Taking into consideration that the community is outspoken against tourism but the Town budget is seemingly reliant on tourism revenue, as Mayor/Trustee, how would you mitigate tourism-based initiatives as they come up on the agenda?

It's not about saying "no" to tourism. It's about making sure tourism fits the identity of Nederland. As a small business owner myself, I'm very aware that our community businesses rely on additional customers, outside of our local population, to help feed their families.

Events like bike and foot races have been embraced by the community because they align with what most people want to see here: recreational tourism. The same is true for events that reflect our culture and identity, such as music festivals.

So the goal is to be thoughtful and deliberate about the kinds of tourism we support, making sure they strengthen Nederland rather than change what makes it special.

The Town of Nederland, having committed to Proposition 123, is required to provide 13 affordable housing units in three years. What are your suggestions for how to achieve this goal? Do you believe that the Boulder County requirements for what constitutes affordable housing is acceptable for Nederland?

There are three deliberate approaches I want to activate to spur affordable housing in Nederland.

Our 2023 Housing Study showed that Nederland needs at least 65 affordable rental units and at least 50 affordable for-sale units, for a combined minimum of 115 units. The study also identified an upper-end need of about 260 total units across both categories.

We are nowhere near those numbers. Prop 123 was intended to help get us started, and I place more weight on the findings of our Housing Study than the recommendations from Boulder County. Based on that work, I see a three-pronged path to meaningfully increase affordable housing in Nederland.

Incentivize Developers

A few years ago, we began important work to incentivize developers to build affordable housing by allowing yard, bulk, and area variances. That was a good start, but we can go further.

Recently we began exploring policy that offers incentives when 50 percent of a development is affordable housing instead of requiring 100 percent affordability. This approach gives developers more flexibility in what they can build while still meaningfully increasing the number of affordable units.

Incentivize Homeowners

Because I work with communities across the country, I get a front row seat to innovative housing ideas. One approach I find especially promising is incentivizing homeowners to build backyard cottages to support gentle infill housing.

Today, one of the biggest barriers is financing. If a homeowner wants to build a backyard cottage, they often need to take out a HELOC, and many of the fees are due before construction even begins, such as our expensive PIF fees.

Allowing homeowners to subdivide their lot by right and adjusting and then paying these fees AFTER construction, could change that dynamic.

First, subdivision could reduce property tax pressure by allowing property owners to split their land, making mountain living more financially sustainable for some residents.

Second, once a new lot is created, it can either be sold, which provides financial security for the original homeowner, or it can be financed through traditional home lending rather than relying on a HELOC. Both options lower the barrier to creating new housing.

Then, by allowing PIF fees to be collected after the construction of the new cottage - homeowners can improve cash flow, reduce up-front construction costs, and start collecting rental income and use that income to then pay down the fees.

Assess Affordable Housing Feasibility and Permitting

The Board of Trustees recently approved moving forward with a Colorado Energy Office grant that will bring additional staff support to help promote backyard cottages in Nederland. One tactic includes offering ready-to-go, pre-designed backyard cottage plans that have already gone through the public process.

I want to expand that idea.

That same pre-approved design process could apply to duplexes, triplexes, and small cottage clusters, also known as tiny home villages. One reason affordable housing proposals face pushback is the fear that they will result in large, unattractive apartment buildings. Showing residents examples of beautiful duplexes or triplexes or other multi-unit structures that look like traditional homes could help communities feel more comfortable approving them.

At the same time, we should take a serious look at our permitting process. We can reduce the burden on staff while also making approvals faster and more predictable for applicants. New technologies are emerging that can support this shift, and I want Nederland to lead the region in making both project feasibility and permitting feel like a first-class experience.

How do you describe responsible growth for Nederland?

Responsible growth, to me, means prioritizing infill strategies, understanding the findings of our housing study and the needs of our future workforce, and making sure that alongside affordable housing we also have the childcare and economic opportunities that support that workforce.

Growth does not have to mean outward expansion. For me, it is more important to focus on modernizing our infrastructure, strengthening our economic stability, and increasing our community's resilience for the future.

How would you encourage community engagement with local politics so as to support more robust elections and interest in public service?

I want to completely rethink how this system works. Right now, we expect residents to come to Board of Trustees meetings and somehow keep up with complex policy decisions. At the same time, our staff do not always have the tools or capacity to create meaningful engagement.

This is where I draw on my experience running nonprofits that were entirely volunteer-led. In many ways, that is what local government is. We are a volunteer organization trying to govern a community. The question becomes: how do you make that work when people's time is limited?

Rethink the Board of Trustees structure

Right now, Trustees are required to serve as liaisons to advisory boards, which can take another two to three hours per month, sometimes more, on top of their existing responsibilities.

When I think about the best use of a Trustee's time, I am not convinced this is it. A more productive approach would be to have Trustees oversee key initiatives or projects. Community engagement could be one example. Instead of simply attending meetings, Trustees would be accountable for moving real work forward.

I want a different model of accountability for Trustees. I want meaningful accountability tied to outcomes and as Mayor, I would help tap into each Trustee's strengths and what motivates them to surface the initiative that aligns with our goals and enables them to best serve their community.

Rethink our Advisory Board structure

I am also not convinced we currently have the right advisory boards for Nederland's next chapter. As I mentioned earlier, one idea is to introduce a Resiliency Board, but others in the community have also asked whether some existing boards should be reconsidered. The Planning Commission is different because it has statutory responsibilities, but the rest deserve a thoughtful review.

When residents volunteer their time, it should be meaningful and it should help guide Nederland in the right direction. Motions for the sake of motions do not move a community forward. We should ask whether the time people spend on advisory boards is truly producing the outcomes they want and we need.

Build a more effective volunteer structure

At the same time, if we rethink advisory boards, we also need a better system for getting community input and expertise.

One idea is to create short-term, project-based volunteer groups with clear timelines and goals. Residents could sign up for a specific initiative, contribute their expertise, and then the group would sunset after delivering recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

For example, evaluating our permitting process could be one of these initiatives. A small group of residents could walk step by step through the process, identify where it works and where it does not, and recommend improvements.

Well-scoped initiatives with a clear beginning and end make it easier for people to contribute. Instead of asking residents to commit to multi-year board terms, we create flexible opportunities for meaningful participation.

Re-envision What "Updates" Look Like

We should modernize how we communicate with residents and work to invest in the technology to do so. By using tools like text alerts, AI summaries of meetings, and simple digital updates, we can give people quick and clear information about what the Town is working on without requiring them to sit through hours of meetings. The goal is simple: make it easy for residents to stay informed and engaged.

Following recent complications with property owners and state authorities which caused delays in addressing public health and safety concerns, and general community wellness, what would you suggest for how local authorities can hold property owners to action regarding their empty or non-compliant properties.

We cannot tax vacant or empty properties. That is a statutory limitation for towns like Nederland. One potential path to gaining more flexibility would be to transition from a statutory town to a home rule municipality. This is something the Board of Trustees will be discussing during our upcoming strategic planning.

What we can do today is issue fines through our code for properties that are not in compliance. However, that approach can be complicated. If the delay is being caused by a state agency rather than the property owner, it is not necessarily fair to penalize the owner. Most of us would not want to be fined if the holdup was outside our control.

With the Caribou Shopping Center, town staff made sure our part of the process was ready to go, which meant ensuring the permitting process was in place.

If progress still was not happening, I would have been willing to consider stronger options. That could include pursuing legal action against the property owner, the state agency, or both.

Any decision like that would need to be carefully evaluated with health and safety as the top priority. But if those concerns were not present, I would not rule out stronger options to move the project forward.