All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
With seven members present, the Niwot Local Improvement District advisory committee recommended approval of three funding requests at its regular meeting July 5 at the Niwot Inn. The LID collects a 1% sales tax in Niwot’s business district and makes recommendations to the Boulder County Commissioners for expenditures which benefit the business district.
Chair Scott Firle was joined by Vice-Chair Eric Bergeson, Treasurer Bruce Rabeler, Mary Coonce, Lisa Rivard, Keith Waters and Cornelia Sawle. Mark Ruzzin was the liaison from Boulder County.
The first request was presented by Chuck Klueber, Streetscapes chair of the Niwot Business Association, on behalf of the NBA and a co-sponsor, the Niwot Cultural Arts Association. The request was essentially a renewal of and update of a 2021 application for up to $4,000.00 to fund the cost of removal of the Spear Lodge Man tree carving, which was rapidly deteriorating, from its familiar home on Niwot Road next to Cottonwood Park West.
Klueber reminded the LID that images of the tree carving by the late artist Eddie Running Wolf are often identified with Niwot’s image. He described how the tree carving was cut off and removed to the workshop of Niwot Road resident Jeff Wolcott last year to dry out. He went on to explain that the initial plan to restore the tree carving by use of a material that would be absorbed and harden the wood had to be abandoned because of the extent of deterioration. “There were pieces that were just falling out of the tree,” Klueber said.
Wolcott, who is providing the storage space at no cost, has connected with Eddie Running Wolf’s son, Dustin Wolf, who is an accomplished artist in his own right. The younger Wolf has begun work on restoring the original work of his father.
Klueber explained that wood from the base of the original tree carving has been used to create blocks of wood that can be re-carved in areas of severe deterioration. “There is a big chunk missing in the middle, and they are putting wood in from the original tree so that Dustin can carve it close to Eddie’s original sculpture,” he said.
The original funding request for $4,000 toward an early estimate of $4,500 was renewed. Klueber indicated that because the nature of the restoration had changed, the total cost is now estimated to be approximately $21,600, largely due to labor costs. Dustin Wolf is being paid $30 per hour for his work, which Klueber described as a “reincarnation” of his father’s sculpture. Klueber noted that much of the other costs had been donated. The NBA committed $500 to the original funding, and Klueber indicated that the NBA and the NCAA were committed to funding the balance of the cost because of the importance of the sculpture to Niwot, and the unique opportunity to work with Eddie Running Wolf’s son.
LID members questioned where the completed sculpture would be displayed, and Klueber said that several options were being considered, though the plan was to display it indoors to prevent further deterioration. Possible locations include the Niwot Emporium hallway, the foyer near Niwot Vision offices, Niwot High School, or even creation of a structure specifically for the sculpture near the original tree carving site. The LID unanimously approved the application.
Klueber also described a corresponding effort to create a life-size metal replica of the original tree carving for permanent outdoor display. Klueber has been working with David Lee and Chad Fletemeyer, of local landscape architectural firm Fletemeyer & Lee Associates in addition to CU professors and students to create a new 3D scan of the restored carving, then having a life-size metal sculpture printed in aluminum, which could be painted with a patina to replicate the original color of the wood carving. Anne Postle and Lisa Rivard of the NCAA’s sculpture park committee have also been involved in the process.
That project is estimated to cost approximately $36,000, which would be funded by the creation and sale of miniature maquettes of the tree carving by the NCAA. Plans also include removal and preservation of the additional two existing carvings, as well as creation of additional metal sculptures.
The second application for funding was presented on behalf of Niwot Youth Sports by fundraising coordinator Riki Frea and executive director Pat Longseth. The 50-year old non-profit organization is raising funds for the Monarch Improvement Project, which would include a building with permanent restrooms, a concession area, a storage area, and a meeting room at Hangge Fields at Monarch Park.
“We have over 1,000 kids who participate annually in our programs,” Frea said. “We’re fortunate to have the Monarch fields but they are in desperate need of improvement.”
The cost of the project is estimated at $500,000, though much of the cost will be covered by in-kind donations of labor and materials, or discounted pricing. Approximately $100,000 of the cost is associated with purchasing a sewer tap from Niwot Sanitation District and connecting to the service line, Frea said.
“Many businesses in town have offered in-kind or discounted services,” Frea said. So far NYS has raised a total of $252,800, with $152,000 raised since May 1. NYS requested $15,000 from the LID, noting the number of ballgames, tournaments, and out-of-town visitors the facility brought to the area. “We recently witnessed one softball team [at a tournament] that had 10 pizza boxes delivered from Abo’s Pizza,” Frea said.
Frea noted that a number of fundraising projects were underway, and appreciated that the July 4th pancake breakfast proceeds had been earmarked for the project by the Niwot Community Association and Niwot Market.
Frea noted that the facility is in use regularly from April through October, with a few weeks off in July. The six fields are used for all of the NYS softball program and by the younger age groups in the baseball program. Boulder County has owned the land on which four fields are located since 1984, and leases the fields to NYS for a nominal fee. The other two fields are located on adjacent land on which NYS owns a permanent easement.
“Monarch [fields] are not representative of Niwot,” Frea said, speaking of the need for upgrades. “We want the fields to be up to date.”
Longseth, who is also an alumnus of NYS programs, spoke of the importance of the programs to youth in the area, describing it as “an investment” in the youth. “I would not be where I am today without Niwot Youth Sports,” he said. Frea, whose children also play in the program, said, “I did not realize the number of multi-generational families involved in Niwot Youth Sports until I got involved in the fundraising.”
Firle asked about installing a kiosk at the facility which would inform visitors of events and businesses in Niwot, and Longseth was receptive to the idea. When asked about the timeline, Longseth replied, “This project is 20 years in the making. The goal is to complete it in four to six months, with groundbreaking in October.”
Bergeson moved to approve the request, which was seconded, and unanimously approved, with Coonce abstaining due to the fact that Porchfront Homes, which she co-owns with her husband Tim Coonce, is providing discounted general contractor services for the project.
The third funding request was presented by Bergeson on behalf of the NBA for the second-annual Honey Bee Harvest Festival, slated for August 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The funding request was for $4,000 toward the total estimated cost of $6,800. Victoria Keen, Dawn Server and Deb Fowler are coordinating the event, and Bergeson described it as very similar to the format from last year. “There is a strong educational component with programs at the Grange,” he noted.
Coonce spoke in favor of a motion to approve, citing the educational opportunities the event affords. The request was unanimously approved.
In old business, Bergeson reported that the parking lot had one EV charging station working, and one that was not yet in service. The first two hours of charging are free, with a small fee after that. Coonce reported that $3.14 had been collected so far from the one station which is operational.
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