Bullhead City Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting – August 19, 2026
Bullhead City Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting – August 19, 2026
The Bullhead City Parks and Recreation Commission met on August 19, 2026, with all commissioners present except Commissioner Amann. The meeting included approval of the May 20, 2026 meeting minutes, a robust update on summer recreation programs, and a detailed discussion on electric-assist bicycles in parks. The Commission voted to send a recommendation to City Council regarding e-bike regulations.
Consent Calendar
- Unanimously approved the May 20, 2026 Regular Meeting Minutes (4-0).
Recreation Program and Events Update
- Recreation Manager Claire Adams reported an exceptionally successful summer season, including:
- 1,329 registrations for the Star-Spangled Summer Camp (the largest to date).
- A free football camp hosted by NFL player Sugua Lubi and fellow players, drawing 322 participants.
- Swim lessons completely sold out.
- Several community events: Memorial Day pool party, Fourth of July pool party, Splash Bash with six inflatable bounce houses and a 42-foot obstacle course.
- Launch of a Junior Golf Program at Chaparral Golf Course.
- Upcoming fall events include AYSO soccer and the Bullhead City Farmers Market (opening October 3rd).
- Adams thanked staff, volunteers, and partners.
Discussion Items
- Electric-Assist Bicycles in Parks – Sergeant Diaz presented on the lack of state regulations for e-bikes, explaining the three classes (Class 1: pedal-assist up to 20 mph; Class 2: throttle up to 20 mph; Class 3: pedal-assist up to 28 mph) as defined in ARS 28-101. He noted that bikes over 750 watts are considered motorcycles. He recommended adopting ordinances similar to other cities (e.g., Mesa, Lake Havasu City) that limit e-bike speeds on shared paths (e.g., 5 mph) and restrict where they can be ridden. Commissioners expressed concerns about pedestrian safety and discussed potential solutions: speed limits, designated bike lanes, and community outreach. Chairwoman Petrillo invited input from the biking community. Commissioner Schott suggested a phased approach.
Key Outcomes
- Motion Carried (4-0): The Commission voted to recommend to City Council that:
- Class 1 and Class 2 electric-assist bicycles be permitted in city parks.
- A speed limit of 10 mph be enforced on all park trails and paths.
- A designated bike lane be established on the Riverwalk for shared use.
- Class 3 e-bikes and higher-powered electric motorcycles/dirt bikes were excluded from the recommendation.
- Next Agenda Item: Commissioner requested adding a discussion on the possible relocation or removal of the golf course at Rotary Park to the next agenda.
Commissioners' Comments
- Commissioner Cribb asked about the football camp becoming an annual event. Recreation Manager Adams confirmed the NFL player plans to return next year, possibly expanding to a two-day camp.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the open call or on agenda items.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. Today is Wednesday, August 19th. Uh, welcome to the Parks and Recreations Commission meeting. Um if you wish to speak on an agenda item, uh please come forward when chairperson. Called uh cult to order. That's after this, but okay, we're gonna call order. Okay. Roll call. All commissioners are present except Commissioner Amund. Okay. Uh Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. And it is visible. Liberty and Justice. All right. We are going to do the open call to the public. Uh, however, we have no attendees, therefore, we will close the open call. Uh we have no presentations today. Um time for Ms. Claire, your recreation program update. Okay, thank you. Good evening, madam chair and commissioners. Summer is coming to an end, and I am excited to share that it was an incredible season for recreation. Over the past few months, our team has been busy creating opportunities for our community to stay active, make memories, and enjoy everything Bullhead City has to offer. We wrapped up our star-spinkled summer camp, and it was our biggest summer yet, with an amazing one thousand three hundred and twenty-nine registrations over our five-week program. Those numbers don't even include our special one-day football camp hosted by our hometown hero, Sugua Lubi, who recently signed with the NFL Raiders. Along with fellow players and coaches, Sagan provided two free football camp sessions for our local youth, welcoming 322 participants. Personally, this was the highlight of my summer. Watching our local kids interact with professional athletes, build confidence, and have so much fun was truly an unforgettable experience. Swim lessons were completely sold out. We hosted three dive-in movies, a memorial day pool party, a fourth of July pool party, and wrapped up the season with our much anticipated splash bash. Families were able to cool off with free admission to the pool, enjoy six inflatable bounce houses, including an impressive forty-two-foot obstacle course, and free hot dogs and chips. Seeing so many families laughing, playing together and making memories before school started again reminded us why these community events are so important. Rotary Park continued hosting overnight softball and baseball tournaments, bringing teams and visitors into our community. We also launched our new junior golf program at Chaparral Golf Course, where kids receive golf instructions on Friday mornings. After the tremendous success of our youth golf camp, we wanted to continue to utilize utilizing our beautiful remodeled golf course while introducing young people to the game and encouraging them to spend more time outdoors. As much as we're sad to see our summer come to an end, we're incredibly excited for what lies ahead this fall. Our calendar is filling up quickly. While community events and sports tournaments taking place nearly every weekend, AYSO soccer will soon kick off, and we're especially looking forward to the return of our community's favorite tradition, the Bullhead City Farmers Market, which opens on October 3rd. Registration has already opened, and we're excited to continue seeing the growth and enthusiasm this event has generated over the past few seasons. I want to close by thanking our incredible recreation staff, our volunteers, community partners, sponsors, coaches, instructors, and everyone who has helped make this summer such a success. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve serve this community, and we look forward to another season of recreation. Thank you. All right. As always, uh, action packed schedule uh from the Parks and Rec Commission to the city. Thank you for all that you do. Uh commissioners, any comments regarding current events? Um, I do. I wanted to know about will the guy, the football player, will there be another camp that he's thinking about doing making this like an annual thing every year?
openpublica.com