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Record of Proceedings

Bullhead City Council Regular Meeting – October 6, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, October 6, 2026
BodyBullhead City, Arizona
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:10:56

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

I'll start the Pledge Allegium.

0:02

Ready?

Speaker 2

0:08

And

Speaker 3

0:08

to revolve for which it says one nation under God and the liberty and justice for all.

Speaker 4

0:25

All right, I have a proclamation.

0:28

I will be reading declaring Wednesday, October 7th, 2026 as National Night Out in Bullhead City.

Speaker 5

0:35

Lori, are you joining

Unassigned speaker

0:37

me?

Unassigned speaker

0:47

Oh.

Unassigned speaker

0:49

And

Speaker 5

0:50

the chief.

0:51

And the chief, yeah.

Unassigned speaker

1:21

National

Speaker 4

1:21

night out dedicated to strengthening communities and promoting crime, drug, and violence prevention.

1:29

And whereas National Night Out provides an opportunity for citizens across the nation to come together with their local law enforcement agencies and strengthen cooperative efforts to promote safe neighborhoods.

1:43

And whereas concerned and engaged citizens play a vital role in supporting the Bullhead City Police Department through active participation in crime, drug and violence prevention efforts, and by fostering strong relationships between law enforcement and community.

2:01

And whereas it is important that the citizens of Bullhead City recognize the significant role they play in creating safe, healthy, and connected neighborhoods, and understand that community involvement and partnership can have a positive impact on reducing crime.

2:18

Whereas the Bullhead City Police Department proudly partners with the Bullhead City Fire Department and Mojave Electric Cooperative, our official electric utility sponsor to support the success of National Night Out, and whereas strong partnerships between police, fire, community, organizations, businesses, and residents, along with neighborhood safety awareness, cooperation, and camaraderie are important foundations of the National Night Out Program.

2:50

Now, therefore, I, Karen Dahlman, mayor of Bullhead City of Arizona, do hereby proclaim Wednesday, October 7th, 2026, as National Night Out in the city of Bullhead City and encourage all citizens to join together in supporting and participating in this important community event being held in front of the Bullhead City Police Department, 1255 Marina Boulevard.

3:16

Let us come together as a community to strengthen relationships, promote safety, neighbor, promote neighborhood safety, support our first responders, and demonstrate that working together, we can make Bullhead City a stronger, safer, and more connected community.

3:32

In witness hereof, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the official seal of the city of Bullhead City to be fixed on the sixth day of October 2026.

Unassigned speaker

3:44

Thank you

Speaker 3

3:44

so much.

Speaker 6

3:55

Cool.

3:56

Thank you.

Speaker 3

3:58

Thank you, everybody.

3:59

This is the 27th year for Bullhead City Police Department to host National Night Out, and we are excited to walk and talk with our community members so that you can meet your first responders in a relaxed atmosphere.

4:14

We're so grateful for Mojave Electric Cooperative partnering again this year.

4:18

Today, when they showed up with three truckloads of bikes, trikes, scooters, skateboards, you name it.

4:25

They brought it in the door.

4:27

They're in Arizona.

4:28

I'm gonna butcher

Unassigned speaker

4:29

it.

Speaker 3

4:30

But uh Arizona help me out, Tyler.

4:34

No, he's like, no, Lori, I don't got you.

4:37

Um Arizona Power Cooperative, is it that it sponsored also some of the prizes?

4:44

We'll have also Salvation Army donated amazing family basket and other community members as well.

4:51

DJ Loki will be spinning the tunes.

Unassigned speaker

4:54

Our Air Force Junior R O T C from Mojave High School will be presenting the colors at 5 p.m.

Speaker 3

5:01

And we will have the Mojave High School choir singing the national anthem.

5:05

And our chief will be speaking and talking to our community, just encouraging police and community partnership as long as well as our assistant fire chief Scott Neal.

5:17

We'll just give a short welcome to everybody there.

5:20

And then it's just basically a huge block party to make sure that our community is connected and feels like they know their neighbors and that they're in a better community that's promoting a crime safe crime and safety tech crime and safety initiatives throughout the city.

5:40

So thank you guys very much.

5:42

And I hope to see you tomorrow night right here in front of the city council chambers, 1255 Marina Boulevard from 5 to 7 p.m.

Unassigned speaker

5:59

Thank you.

Speaker 4

6:30

Alrighty.

6:31

So we are going to start with call to the public.

6:35

Call to the public is available for citizens wishing to address the council on issues within the jurisdiction of the city, but not listed on the agenda.

6:44

Comments must be limited to three minutes or less unless speaking on behalf of a group of citizens that are present, and that time will be adjusted to five minutes.

6:54

Please let Vice Mayor know so he can adjust the

Unassigned speaker

6:57

time.

Speaker 4

6:58

A maximum of 30 minutes is going to be allotted for call to the public.

7:02

And citizens wishing to address an item that's already on tonight's agenda should wait until that is announced.

7:09

And at the conclusion of call to the public, individual members of the council may respond to criticism made by those who have addressed the council.

7:18

They may ask staff to review a matter or may ask the matter to be put on a future agenda.

7:23

However, members of the council cannot discuss or take legal action on matters not already on the agenda.

7:31

Who's up first?

7:32

Come on up, Harvey.

Speaker 7

7:43

Good evening, everybody.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development████████████████████20%
Water And Wastewater Management██████████████14%
Community Events████████████12%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%
Public Safety████████8%
Procedural█████5%
Youth Programs████4%
Zoning Regulations████4%
Public Engagement███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Bullhead City Council Regular Meeting – October 6, 2026

The Bullhead City Council met on October 6, 2026, at 5:30 PM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting covered a wide range of topics including a proclamation for National Night Out, public comments on flood control and a proposed general plan amendment, several liquor license recommendations, approval of a major improvement district bond resolution for the CityCentre project, contracts for infrastructure and utility upgrades, and code amendments. All consent agenda items and most action items were approved, with one funding item amended from $50,000 to $60,000. The meeting lasted several hours with presentations from city staff, consultants, and the developer.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes of September 15, 2026, Special and Regular Council Meetings.
  • Approved the final plat for North Fork at Laughlin Ranch, Tract 5151, Unit 3, including the bond, engineer’s estimate, and 8.7 acre-feet water allocation.
  • Adopted Resolution 2026R-33 granting a 10-foot utility easement to Southwest Gas Corporation near 2249 Clearwater Drive.
  • Approved a one-time payout for employees to redeem up to 40 hours of personal time and 40 hours of vacation time (80 hours maximum) from October 7, 2026, through January 8, 2027.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Harvey Pryor thanked public works for flood response but urged the city to write and enforce codes for private property drainage, stating the City Square Shopping Center drains have failed for over four years.
  • Dennis Rogers and Diana Lestat (Elks Lodge) announced a blood drive on October 20 and a fall festival craft show on October 17.
  • Elizabeth Jones (with Todd Jones, Buzz Terry, Gary Hicks, Todd Lennon) spoke against the Major General Plan Amendment P2601, arguing it would replace 1,500 acres of residential with 2,500 acres of light industrial near homes, create a loophole for future rezonings, and that city council toured data center sites despite being told no data center is planned. She cited a news article quoting a consultant mentioning a data center and a developer’s website listing Laughlin Ranch in pre-development.
  • Gary Hicks stated he purchased a home in Laughlin Ranch without knowledge of the pending rezoning and questioned why no signs were posted.
  • McKenzie Covert (former city PIO) raised concerns about a recent city reorganization that eliminated/demoted employees, including the PIO position. She asked about cost savings, new costs, council knowledge, and the timing given an upcoming election on the general plan.
  • Leland Gilmore (VFW Post Commander) invited the community to an Octoberfest on October 10 and thanked Council members for helping secure a stage.
  • Rose Jacobs (Colorado River Concert Series) announced the 25th season starting November 5 with “Best of Broadway” featuring Terry Barber, and sought sponsors.
  • Larry Toon Force thanked police, fire, and city crews for their response to the recent heavy rainfall.
  • Eva Genevieve invited the public to a Halloween pet costume contest on October 17 benefiting Black Mountain K9 Search and Rescue, and reminded of the Republican women’s club meeting on October 7 with Chief George.

Discussion Items

  • Proclamation: Mayor Dahlman proclaimed October 7, 2026 as “National Night Out” in Bullhead City. Police Chief George noted this is the 27th year and encouraged community attendance from 5‑7 PM at the Police Department.
  • Manager’s Report: City Manager Cotter announced the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. He showed photos of a vintage airplane being moved from Fort Hood to Veterans Park, set for completion by Veterans Day. Chief George reported on coffee with a cop, faster background checks, two lateral officers starting, a new drone, police radio vendor quotes, Project Lifesaver, cruiser lighting changes, and waterway stats: 48 arrests, 172 citations, 1,852 verbal warnings, 14 non-injury collisions, 12 minor injury responses, zero fatalities, two drownings (with other factors), and 22 arrests transferred to ICE. Public Works Director Johnson reported on clean‑up from the September 28‑29 rain events; sandbags will be available October 6 (Friday) and October 18.
  • Council Reports: Councilmember Rings reminded of early voting (Oct 7–30) and the food bank. Councilmember Smith mentioned the Community Emergency Response Team and urged residents to read the city’s 10‑year plan. Mayor Dahlman praised staff for flood response.
  • Items 5‑7 (Liquor Licenses): All three public hearings resulted in unanimous recommendations to approve the Walgreens multi-license acquisition, Olive Garden Series 12 restaurant license, and Colianno’s Family Restaurant Series 6 bar license.
  • Item 8 (Baseline Road IGA): Approved intergovernmental agreement with ADOT for the Baseline Road HURF Exchange Project (estimated cost ~$1.4M; $900,000 ADOT funding). Includes milling, repaving, curb, gutter, sidewalk, ADA ramps.
  • Item 9 (Boys & Girls Club): After Director Dave Heath’s presentation on improved operations, Councilmember Rings amended the motion to increase funding from $50,000 to $60,000. Motion carried 6–0.
  • Items 10‑13 (CityCentre Improvement District): These bundled discussions covered the bond resolution ($16.5M), temporary construction easement, construction contract with McCormick Construction ($12,096,730), and materials testing contract. Presentations were made by financial analyst Mark Reeder, developer Jake Corda (project overview, 102 lots already built, additional 200 lots planned, national grocer, 107-room hotel), and bond counsel Paul Gales. Public comment raised concerns about attainable housing definitions, third-party developer roles, and default risk. Councilmember Smith supported after reading assessment details; the bonds are paid by developer assessments, not city funds. All four items passed unanimously.
  • Item 14 (School Resource Officer IGA): Approved renewal of the intergovernmental agreement with Bullhead City School District for one School Safety Grant SRO position.
  • Item 15 (South Supply Line Change Order): Ratified Change Order #2 for an additional 800 feet of 16‑inch transmission main ($242,095.42) funded by remaining grant money from Senator Hilde Angus. Unanimous approval.
  • Item 16 (Section 10 Blower Buildings): Approved construction contract with Kay Constructors ($4,948,131.94) for two blower buildings at the wastewater treatment plant as part of master plan expansion. Unanimous.
  • Item 17 (Wastewater Membranes): Approved sole‑source agreement with Zenon Environmental Corporation ($806,080 plus tax) to replace the last two membrane trains at Section 18 plant. Membranes are necessary for the treatment process; replacement expected every 5–7 years. Unanimous.
  • Item 18 (Board of Adjustment Amendment): Adopted Ordinance 2026‑17 to change the appeal body for zoning administrator decisions from the City Council to the Board of Adjustment. After brief discussion about delegated authority, the item passed unanimously.
  • Item 19 (Purchasing Amendments): Adopted Ordinance 2026‑18 to clean up city code chapters related to city manager and competitive bidding. Passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Proclamation issued for National Night Out on October 7, 2026.
  • All consent items (1–4) approved unanimously.
  • Liquor license recommendations for Walgreens, Olive Garden, and Colianno’s all approved 6‑0.
  • Baseline Road IGA (Item 8) approved 6‑0.
  • Boys & Girls Club funding increased to $60,000 and approved 6‑0.
  • CityCentre Improvement District bond resolution, easement, construction contract, and materials testing agreement (Items 10‑13) all approved 6‑0.
  • School Resource Officer IGA (Item 14) approved 6‑0.
  • Change order for South Supply Line (Item 15) ratified 6‑0.
  • Blower buildings contract (Item 16) approved 6‑0.
  • Wastewater membrane replacement (Item 17) approved 6‑0.
  • Board of Adjustment amendment (Item 18) approved 6‑0.
  • Purchasing amendments (Item 19) approved 6‑0.
  • Sandbag distribution announced for October 6 (Friday) and October 18 at Optimum Community Center.
  • The next Planning and Zoning meeting on the general plan amendment was noted as Thursday, October 8.

Meeting Transcript

I'll start the Pledge Allegium. Ready? And to revolve for which it says one nation under God and the liberty and justice for all. All right, I have a proclamation. I will be reading declaring Wednesday, October 7th, 2026 as National Night Out in Bullhead City. Lori, are you joining me? Oh. And the chief. And the chief, yeah. National night out dedicated to strengthening communities and promoting crime, drug, and violence prevention. And whereas National Night Out provides an opportunity for citizens across the nation to come together with their local law enforcement agencies and strengthen cooperative efforts to promote safe neighborhoods. And whereas concerned and engaged citizens play a vital role in supporting the Bullhead City Police Department through active participation in crime, drug and violence prevention efforts, and by fostering strong relationships between law enforcement and community. And whereas it is important that the citizens of Bullhead City recognize the significant role they play in creating safe, healthy, and connected neighborhoods, and understand that community involvement and partnership can have a positive impact on reducing crime. Whereas the Bullhead City Police Department proudly partners with the Bullhead City Fire Department and Mojave Electric Cooperative, our official electric utility sponsor to support the success of National Night Out, and whereas strong partnerships between police, fire, community, organizations, businesses, and residents, along with neighborhood safety awareness, cooperation, and camaraderie are important foundations of the National Night Out Program. Now, therefore, I, Karen Dahlman, mayor of Bullhead City of Arizona, do hereby proclaim Wednesday, October 7th, 2026, as National Night Out in the city of Bullhead City and encourage all citizens to join together in supporting and participating in this important community event being held in front of the Bullhead City Police Department, 1255 Marina Boulevard. Let us come together as a community to strengthen relationships, promote safety, neighbor, promote neighborhood safety, support our first responders, and demonstrate that working together, we can make Bullhead City a stronger, safer, and more connected community. In witness hereof, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the official seal of the city of Bullhead City to be fixed on the sixth day of October 2026. Thank you so much. Cool. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. This is the 27th year for Bullhead City Police Department to host National Night Out, and we are excited to walk and talk with our community members so that you can meet your first responders in a relaxed atmosphere. We're so grateful for Mojave Electric Cooperative partnering again this year. Today, when they showed up with three truckloads of bikes, trikes, scooters, skateboards, you name it. They brought it in the door. They're in Arizona. I'm gonna butcher it. But uh Arizona help me out, Tyler. No, he's like, no, Lori, I don't got you. Um Arizona Power Cooperative, is it that it sponsored also some of the prizes? We'll have also Salvation Army donated amazing family basket and other community members as well. DJ Loki will be spinning the tunes. Our Air Force Junior R O T C from Mojave High School will be presenting the colors at 5 p.m. And we will have the Mojave High School choir singing the national anthem. And our chief will be speaking and talking to our community, just encouraging police and community partnership as long as well as our assistant fire chief Scott Neal. We'll just give a short welcome to everybody there. And then it's just basically a huge block party to make sure that our community is connected and feels like they know their neighbors and that they're in a better community that's promoting a crime safe crime and safety tech crime and safety initiatives throughout the city. So thank you guys very much. And I hope to see you tomorrow night right here in front of the city council chambers, 1255 Marina Boulevard from 5 to 7 p.m. Thank you. Alrighty. So we are going to start with call to the public. Call to the public is available for citizens wishing to address the council on issues within the jurisdiction of the city, but not listed on the agenda. Comments must be limited to three minutes or less unless speaking on behalf of a group of citizens that are present, and that time will be adjusted to five minutes.

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