Bullhead City Council Regular Meeting – September 3, 2024

The Bullhead City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 1255 Marina Boulevard, Bullhead City, Arizona. All council members were present except Councilmember Lazarga; Councilmember Ring participated by telephone. The council issued proclamations, heard a Mohave Electric Cooperative presentation on electric bills, received public comments, and approved the consent agenda and all numbered action items on 6-0 votes.

Presentations, Proclamations and Reports

• Bullhead City Morning Kiwanis president Grace Hecht announced a $15,620 donation for free children's swimming lessons; County Supervisor Hildi Angus said she supplied the full amount with remaining COVID district funds. Mayor Steve D'Amico also thanked SNS for a $3,000 donation to the program.
• The council proclaimed National POW/MIA Recognition Day, with VFW and American Legion members present, noting that more than 81,000 service members remain missing or unaccounted for.
• The council proclaimed Recovery in the Park, a free family event scheduled for Saturday, September 14, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Riverview Legacy Ramada at Rotary Park. The proclamation as read named September 4th, conflicting with the September 14th date in the recital and announcement; the discrepancy was not corrected during the meeting.
• Mohave Electric Cooperative's Tyler Carlson said the purchase power adjuster (PPA) is a fuel-cost pass-through reviewed by the Arizona Corporation Commission and a third-party auditor; MEC had returned about $82 million in credits since 2014. Market purchase power costs rose 159% from 2021 to 2023, natural gas rose 61% per decatherm, and July 2024 usage was 39.73% higher than July 2023, June was 10.7% higher, and the June-July 2024 total was 53.15% higher than the prior year. The PPA was being reduced from 2 cents to 1 cent beginning with September 6, 2024 bills, and MEC hoped to return it to zero before year-end if costs remain stable. Carlson said July 2024 was the hottest month in Bullhead City's recorded history and MEC's rates remained the lowest among the compared utilities for the average 1,777 kilowatt-hour July usage.
• City Manager Toby Cotter reported on the city's 40th anniversary of incorporation celebration on August 25, thanking donors and volunteers, and said the Senior Enrichment Center is expected to open in November 2024 after a resolved gas-line delay; the parking lot should be complete by the end of October and the emergency generator arrives October 1.
• Councilmember reports included a plaque from Mojave Community College Bighorn Athletics thanking the city for supporting the new soccer program, and praise for Bullhead City utilities for responding quickly to a Friday afternoon water leak.

Consent Calendar

• The council voted 6-0 to waive the reading in full of all ordinances and resolutions presented for adoption.
• The council voted 6-0 to approve the consent agenda without discussion: approval of the minutes of the August 19, 2024 Special Council Meeting, the August 20, 2024 Special Work Session Meeting, and the August 20, 2024 Regular Council Meeting; and approval of sludge disposal expenses to Mohave Valley Landfill in an amount not to exceed $200,000 for FY 24-25, with authorization for the City Manager to approve resulting payments.
• No items were pulled from the consent agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Stephen Lee said the recent arrest of Telegram's founder and his own Apple email account denial showed government overreach; he described Operation Lockstep and alleged federal encouragement of crime, offered to volunteer as a reserve police officer, and urged residents to be armed and vigilant.
• Barbara Pape announced a Colorado River Republican Women meeting on September 4 featuring Trump Force 47 campaign and Mojave County field director Julie Cottington.
• Diana Lestat of the Elks announced a free youth fishing clinic, Catch Your First Fish with the Elks, on September 28 at Rotary Park from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a special-needs session from 8 to 10 a.m. and other youth from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Jeremy Brunk of TW Communications updated the council on the conduit project from Hancock north to the river: about 65,000 feet of conduit installed, with restoration on Riverfront Drive complete and other street completion dates through mid-September.
• Cindy Fruzal asked the council to add September 11 to the city's patriotic holidays for displaying American flags along Highway 95, Heroes Highway, and remembered local fallen service members.
• Pamela Smith announced an October 12 DAR event at the Bullhead City Veterans Memorial and, speaking personally, said voters should support Donald Trump, citing MEC cost increases from 2021 to 2023.
• Rose Jacobs of the Colorado River Concert Series announced the 50th anniversary season and sponsorship opportunities starting at $300 and $500, with $1,000 student outreach sponsorships and $2,000 business partnerships.
• A resident named Herbie criticized the mayor for interrupting him during an August 20 parks committee meeting, said his First Amendment rights were violated, and threatened to raise money for a civil rights lawsuit.
• Tana Belt, from the City of Needles, thanked the city and announced a National Day of Service hands-only CPR training for eighth graders involving multiple police and fire agencies.
• Scotty apologized to Mayor D'Amico for a two-year stolen valor accusation, saying a newspaper reporter corrected an error that transposed another veteran's military service onto the mayor; he also said vice presidential candidate Tim Walz's military record was being hidden by national media.

Discussion Items

Item 3 – Wastewater Treatment Polymer Purchase

• Wastewater Manager Tim Fontneau presented a request to approve the purchase of Praestol K 148 L and Praestol K 274 FLX Polymer from Solenis for the Section 10 and Section 18 Wastewater Treatment Plants in an amount not to exceed $75,000 for FY 24-25, authorize the City Manager to approve resultant payments, and waive competitive bidding under Bullhead City Municipal Code 3.37.030(D). Fontneau said the polymer separates liquids from solids in sludge, reducing disposal costs. The motion carried 6-0.

Item 4 – Naming the Animal Shelter BARC

• Human Services Director Jeff Tipton requested approval to name the new animal shelter at 2435 Miracle Mile the Bullhead City Animal Resource Center (BARC), presenting a two-year transformation from a pound image to a no-kill resource center. He reported the shelter's save rate improved from 57% several years ago to 86% in 2022 and 92% in 2023, with a 40% reduction in euthanasia equal to 80 animals. Intake rose from 1,434 animals in 2022 to 1,709 in 2023, up 19%, and is trending near 2,000 in 2024; adoptions rose from 413 to 477, up 15%, trending near 500; return-to-owner rose from 276 to 336, trending near 350; and transfers to other agencies rose from 69 to 179, trending near 200. Tipton noted current capacity pressure, including 38 dogs against a capacity of 31 among about 70 animals, and listed new amenities and partnerships. Council members praised the shelter staff; one council member requested a future agenda item to allow foster households to keep up to five animals. The name change and item were approved 6-0. Note: the agenda listed this item twice, but it was considered once.

Item 5 – Portable Concrete Mixer Purchase

• Public Works Director Johnson requested authorization to purchase a CLP and CMK 175 portable concrete mixer from Cart-Away for $106,524 under the August 13, 2024 quote, authorize City Manager payments, and waive competitive bidding under BMC 3.37.030(D). Johnson said the mixer allows staff to make small pours of about 1 to 2 yards for sidewalk repairs without ordering short loads. Council discussion covered sole-source availability, the one-year warranty, and materials; one public commenter questioned the price and suggested building a similar unit. Staff said materials are readily available and the unit improves efficiency. The motion carried 6-0.

Key Outcomes

• Waiver motion, consent agenda, and Items 3, 4, and 5 were each approved unanimously on 6-0 votes.
• A council member said he would ask to place a future item on the next agenda to amend the animal limit so foster households could keep up to five animals.
• MEC announced its purchase power adjuster would drop from 2 cents to 1 cent starting with bills dated September 6, 2024.
• The Senior Enrichment Center is targeted to open in November 2024.
• No public hearings were held, and no items were withdrawn or added to the agenda.