On this day, one year ago, I became our Mayor, and in the past year, we have been focused on increasing communication and transparency. Recognizing that the 'rumor-mill’ is often inaccurate, many citizens have questions that can easily be answered by reading the monthly Staff Reports that the BOT receives. It's also no surprise that people aren't eager to read the 400-page board packet. So, we've consolidated the Staff Reports on the town's website for easy access. You can also see a full year of NederMayor Blogs on the Town's 'Mayor and Trustee Reports' page.
I got used to it, but at first, it felt slightly strange to develop friendships with other Board members entirely in public meetings. There are no back room secret deals. We think things through in a public forum, and often use the Nederland Planning Process (NPP). With this transparent process, comes responsibility on all of our parts to be respectful of our fellow community members' viewpoint.
Town Clerk’s Office – I met with our Town Clerk, Teresa Myers, who ensures we comply with “sunshine laws.” She's often found putting together documentation alongside 'Gertie', our Canine Ambassador.
She, along with other staff, is responsible for implementing Board-approved policies and ordinances and disseminating information to our residents.
People can count on the Town's website to be accurate. It is the best and most reliable source for information about our Town government, policies, and laws.
Social Media – I met with Fort Collins Mayor Karen Weitkunat and Jan Martin, Colorado Springs Mayor Pro Tem. They noted the role social media played in getting information out during the wildfires in their areas. Nederland has already seen the benefits during time-sensitive events, so I'm grateful Teresa ensures the accuracy of the Town's official Twitter Feed and the Town's official Facebook Page. Feel free to 'friend' or 'follow'.
For me, maintaining the NederMayor Facebook Page is a practice of exploring the technology, but I hope for it to be informative as well. Remember, that as we've seen, anyone can post incorrect information, but you can trust what you see on the Town-affiliated sites.
Register to Vote – A real world example: Rumors are circulating on social networks concerning valid voter registration. Teresa has posted a page with information about checking your voter registration.
Emergency Management – Our Board of Trustees met with the Boulder Office of Emergency Management (Boulder OEM) to discuss emergency planning with our police and fire departments.
For accurate emergency information, everyone should sign up for Emergency Alert Messages from Boulder County. You can prioritize five types of contact methods you could receive from them.
The Inter-Mountain Alliance (IMA) is also looking for people to become a part of the Mountain Emergency Radio Network (MERN) to use Ham Radios to keep information flowing if power is cut in the area. Here's the Link.
Neighborhood Slash Pick-Ups – will be in Sunnyside & Hilltop Terrace Sept. 17-21; in Old Town Sept. 24-27; Downtown Oct. 1-5; and in Big Springs Oct. 8-12. For more information, see the Town's Slash Pick-up webpage.
[Here is a Video Valediction] This is a DJ from the Netherlands, Sander van Doorn, (a.k.a. Filterfunk), with S.O.S., which is a remixing of The Police, Message In A Bottle. [What is a Video Valediction?]
