NBA discusses budget priorities

Niwot Business Association President Eric Bergeson of The Wheel House led a discussion among NBA members regarding what projects should be a priority for the NBA in the coming year.

Bergeson noted that the NBA was working with the Niwot Cultural Arts Association and Cottonwood Park West Homeowners Association to expand and enhance the sculpture park along Niwot Road. He noted that the Niwot Future League had met with Jim Fudge, president of the HOA, about a possible opportunity to return the tree carvings by Eddie Running Wolf to a protected location near the site of the original carvings.

Eddie Running Wolf passed away from Covid in 2020, but his son Dustin Wolf has been working with Jeff Wolcott of Niwot to restore the first sculpture, which had deteriorated badly due to roots of the tree continuing to draw water into the trunk, where it caused the wood to rot from the inside.

Bergeson and Anne Postle of the Sculpture Park Committee noted that the restoration had gone so well that plans were in the works to remove the other two sculptures, dry them out at Wolcott's shop, and restore them before they deteriorate further. The committee is working with architect David Lee of Niwot on conceptual plans for a structure that would allow visitors to view the sculptures, but also protect them from the elements.

Kathy Koehler raised the need to pull weeds along the sidewalk on Niwot Road near the Diagonal Highway to clean up the western entrance to town, as well as eliminating weeds growing in the new parking lot. Other topics included the lack of signage directing visitors to Niwot from the Highway 52 exit off of I-25, the entrances from 79th Street and from 83rd Street as well as from Highway 287 and 95th Street.

Other topics mentioned included the lack of Niwot signage along the LoBo Trail that goes through Niwot, as well as the appearance of the 2nd Avenue entrance to Niwot.

Bergeson also noted that elections for NBA officers and other members of the executive committee were coming up in February and urged members to consider running.

NBA Vice-President Deb Fowler of DRF Real Estate reported, "We've exceeded our goal for the Marshall Fire Fund." Although the final numbers were not yet in, Fowler said the $100,000 goal had been met with the proceeds from the 1914 House fundraiser and silent auction on Oct. 5.

Pat Murphy of The Niwot Group – Compass Real Estate spoke about the upcoming Great Pumpkin Party on Oct. 29, sponsored by the NBA. Second Avenue will be closed from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the children's parade and trick or treating at Niwot businesses.

"The Key Club from the high school is putting on a haunted house at the old Feed Store," Murphy said. "The second through sixth-graders will be inside and we'll have something outside for little kids. There's a dog contest at Old Oak [Coffeehouse], and a magic show. The elementary school kids will sing again, the band will play, and the parade will start at 11:30 a.m."