Bullhead City Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - February 19, 2025
Bullhead City Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - February 19, 2025
The Parks and Recreation Commission convened on February 19, 2025, at 12:30 PM to hear public comments, receive a superintendent report on facility updates and upcoming events, and consider improvements to the Rotary Park RC track. The commission unanimously approved the previous meeting minutes and voted to recommend the RC track improvements to city council. A public comment about a dog off-leash area was taken under advisement for a future agenda.
Public Comments & Testimony
- A resident requested a designated area along the river and sandbar where dogs can play off-leash without fear of animal control citations. She expressed appreciation for the parks' condition. The vice chair and attorney noted the commission could not respond directly but offered to place the topic on the next agenda; the commission agreed to do so.
Discussion Items
- Parks and Recreation Superintendent Report: Superintendent Heath provided updates on facility openings: the Optimum Community Center gymnasium, multi-purpose room, and offices are now open, hosting programs such as Vita free tax service (Mon/Tue/Thu 8 a.m.–1 p.m.), basketball, gymnastics, and tenant moves for Veterans in Motion, Positive Pause, and Saint. Grand opening events are scheduled for the Senior Enrichment Center (March 4), UTV trailhead at Parkway in Silver Creek (March 18), and Gary Keith Park (April 11–12). Upcoming events include: AFA Bash for Bats Adult Softball Tournament (Feb 21–23, ~70 teams at Rotary and Ken Fovard Parks), Farmers Market (March 1, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.), Power Play Sporting Events youth baseball (March 1–2, ~60 teams), Dave Cops Tournament of Champions girls softball (March 6–8, largest high school tournament in the nation), 200% Sports youth 7-on-7 football (March 8–9, ~110 teams), Empire Sporting Events youth baseball (March 15–16, ~36 teams). Free Fun Believable Friday events for ages 3–14: Candy Hearts Experiments (Feb 21), Race into Fun (Feb 28), Shamrock Slime (March 7), Lucky Leprechaun Day (March 14). Golden Games 2026 training events: chair volleyball (March 10), horseshoe pitching (March 14), basketball skills (March 19). Commissioners praised the recent Golden Games and asked about age limits and volunteering; Heath confirmed all ages welcome and volunteers can call 928-763-0158.
- Rotary Park RC Track Improvements: Superintendent Heath presented a proposal for upgrades to the existing RC track, including new clay dirt (six loads donated by SNS Concrete, ten more to be purchased), electrical outlets at the driver’s stand and shed, lights (already in town, installation within a week), two additional water hoses, pipe for track layout (fundraised by club), signage, and improved ADA access. A new oval track is planned south of the driver’s stand, funded by city council. Community members spoke in support: David Alton (club organizer) reported 35 entries at the first race, projected 100–150 after improvements, and noted club-run events with $10 entry fee going back into the track. Anthony Del Vecchio suggested adding a crawler garden, road course, drag strip, and high-banked clay oval. Harvey Pryor described the hobby’s positive impact on mental health and community, highlighting inexpensive box-stock classes for youth. Brian Iwano (Bullet Hobbies owner) offered education on LiPo battery safety and collaboration on events. Commissioners discussed integrating RC activities into city recreation programs; Heath affirmed 100% support for partnership.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to approve November 20, 2024 regular meeting minutes: Unanimously approved (4 in favor).
- Motion to recommend Rotary Park RC track improvements as presented: Unanimously approved (4 in favor). The recommendation will be forwarded to city council.
- Next agenda topics: The commission agreed to discuss a potential dog off-leash area at Rotary Park and, if necessary, updates on the oval RC track (though construction may begin before the next meeting).
Meeting Transcript
Welcome. Welcome everyone to the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. Your interest in the business of the commission is appreciated. If you wish to speak on an agenda item, please come forward when the chairperson opens the floor for public input on that item. Next on the agenda, we're gonna call to order. Thank you. Next we will have the Pledge of Allegiance. Oh, we have a call to the public. Go ahead. So she was kind of hoping and wondering if there is a way to have an area along the river there and the sandbar where the dogs can get down there, play, have fun on everything without fear of uh animal control come along giving citations. So other than that, you guys are doing a fantastic job. Parts look great. Thank you very much. Thanks. Do we have any comments from the commission about that? About the board. Um I do. I just want to say um is there a Madam Vice Chair? Uh Madam, if I just may interrupt. Yes. Um, we're not permitted to to actually respond to that, but if you wanted to bring up uh a discussion about maybe putting it on an agenda, there's an opportunity for you to discuss that at the end of the meeting today if you want to put it on an agenda. Okay, yes. Thank you, attorney umerie. We'll definitely put that on the agenda to discuss. Okay. Anyone else? Okay, now we're moving on to our parks and recreation superintendent report. So we were waiting for thank you, madam vice chair. Um, my report today is gonna be rather brief. Um I'd like to start with the projects that we have to update. We have opened up much of the first phase at the optimum community center. This includes the gymnasium, the multi-purpose room, and our office. Uh, this has allowed us to begin offering such programs as the Vita free tax service. I encourage anybody that's interested in getting their taxes done for free to come to the community center 8 a.m. till nine, or excuse me, till one p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at the community center. Um we also are doing basketball now, that's happening this very moment, and uh gymnastics. And uh furthermore, we're allowed to uh we've we've had Veterans in Motion, Positive Pause, and Saint uh get back to business in their rooms. Uh they're not completely settled. Uh Saints still has one more move that they'll have to make after we get done refurbishing a room, but uh they're up there and uh they're welcoming clients right now. So we will have a grand opening event at the end of March. Uh other new facilities that will have a ribbon cutting or grand opening event soon include the Senior Enrichment Center, March 4th, the UTV trailhead at the parkway in Silver Creek, March 18th, and Gary Keith Park, April 11th and 12th. There will be more details uh forthcoming in future press releases about times and and specifics about all of these uh ribbon cuttings and grand openings. We have several upcoming events happening in our parks. I'd like to let you know about. Uh February uh 18th through the 23rd. Actually, it's changed to the 21st through the 23rd. We have the AFA Bash for Bats Adult Softball Tournament that's gonna be at all fields at Rotary and Ken Fovard Park Ball Diamonds. Uh so this weekend you can expect to see uh about 70 teams in town uh for that softball tournament. It's it's always a big one.
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