Bullhead City Council Regular Meeting – November 3, 2026

The Bullhead City Council met on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 6:30 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting featured a major flood emergency declaration following a severe storm that caused an estimated $4 million in damage, presentations from ADOT on a Highway 68 safety study, and a report that the city will face no water cuts next year due to its substantial Colorado River entitlements. All action items were approved unanimously (6-0). Public speakers raised detailed questions on vehicle procurement, water conservation accounting, infrastructure resilience, and the scope of the emergency waiver.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: Minutes of the October 20, 2026 Regular Council Meeting were approved.
• Item 2: Resolution 2026R-43, authorizing submittal of a grant application and receipt of funds for the Police Department, was adopted.
• The consent agenda was approved by a 6-0 vote with no items pulled for separate discussion.

Manager’s Report (City Manager Cotter)

• Election Day: Vote counts from Mohave County are expected with early counts around 8:00-8:30 PM; final results may take several days.
• Highway 68 Safety Study: ADOT’s Todd Steinberger reported that a roadway safety assessment of Landon Drive and SR 68 is nearly complete. Minor improvements (reflective tape, additional signage, moving the speed drop to 55 mph 500 feet up the hill) can be handled in-house. Larger items include added lighting, possible restriction of through movements or left turns at the intersection, and restricting UTVs from the right-of-way. Councilmember Donald asked about transverse rumble strips; Steinberger said they could be evaluated but noted limited benefit at 55 mph. The Mayor expressed appreciation for ADOT’s response to the council’s resolution.
• Veterans Day Parade: Claire Adams announced the 18th annual Paul Walsh Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 7, at 10 AM, from Lewis Drive along Miracle Mile to Marble Canyon. Grand Marshals are Sergeant Jim Robinson and Corporal John Ridarte, both Vietnam veterans of the 1st Marine Division.
• Veterans Day Ceremony: Linda Saldana from Veterans United described the November 11 ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park at 11 AM, including the unveiling of a new OV-1 Mohawk aircraft, a Humvee, and a deuce-and-a-half truck. The Mayor praised the park as among the best in Arizona.
• Farmers Market: Recreation Supervisor Jess Nunnelly announced the Homegrown Holiday Market on Saturday, November 14, from 9 AM to 1 PM at Community Park, featuring live music, bounce houses, face painting, over 80 vendors, and free canvas bags for the first 300 attendees.
• Water Allocation & Utilization: Utilities Director Mark Clark reported that Bullhead City expects no wet-water cuts next year, contingent on California signing the multi-state Colorado River agreement. The city holds 29,149 acre-feet of entitlements but uses only about 11,500 acre-feet (40-45%). The city is the second-largest fourth-priority entitlement holder on the river. Clark noted that the city bought water entitlements when they were $750-$1,400 per acre-foot; today they cost over $20,000. The city can more than double in size and still have adequate water. City Manager Cotter added that the city’s unused entitlement currently flows to Phoenix but remains the city’s water to use in the future.
• Chaparral Golf Course: Reopening on November 11.
• Improvement District Bonds: Finance Director Robert Drexler reported that $16.5 million in bonds were sold on October 21 with over $51 million in orders, allowing interest rate reductions. The average rate was approximately 5.6%.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Misty Davinny (Bullhead City residential property owner, speaking on Item 3): Questioned why the motion authorizes “plus applicable taxes” when taxes appear already included in the $67,886 total; asked for a firm not-to-exceed amount. She also noted the 2024 GMC Savana is two-wheel drive, not four-wheel drive, questioning whether it can reach all utility sites as claimed. She asked what the 5-year/60,000-mile warranty covers, including the $250 deductible and exclusions, and requested that quotes be compared on same drivetrain, mileage, equipment, and delivery cost.
• Harvey Pryor (on Item 4): Expressed strong concern that treated effluent still contains prescription drugs, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and heavy metals that treatment systems do not fully remove, arguing the city is “polluting the river with pharmaceuticals.” He disagreed with staff’s assertion that the water meets all federal and state standards.
• Misty Davinny (on Item 4): Expressed support for conserving Colorado River water and establishing reserves, but asked for detailed accounting: which figure (5,000 acre-feet annual max, 3,776 acre-feet measured return flows in 2025, or the ~5,800 acre-feet mentioned) is the actual authorized annual conservation amount. She questioned independent verification of measurements, safeguards against double-counting, and public availability of annual reports. She also asked whether using reclaimed water locally on golf courses or parks would provide greater immediate benefit by reducing potable demand, and whether stored credits are guaranteed recoverable during severe shortages or could be restricted by federal operating conditions. Finally, she noted that the city’s own general plan and 2023 water master plan document significant water delivery deficiencies, and requested a reconciled accounting of entitlements, committed development, delivery capacity, emergency reserves, and recoverable credits before relying on conservation credits for growth.
• Misty Davinny (on Item 5): Expressed concern that cost savings on the pump rebuild should not come at the expense of reliability. She asked what engineering assessment supports the expected service life of the rebuilt pump, what warranty and performance testing will be provided, and whether other critical wastewater lift stations also lack adequate backup equipment. She requested a comprehensive inventory of pumps, motors, electrical systems, generators, and controls approaching or exceeding expected service life, along with a funding and replacement schedule. She also noted that the 2023 water master plan identified significant delivery deficiencies and that council should demonstrate the entire water and wastewater system can accommodate projected growth before relying on entitlements and conservation credits.
• Misty Davinny (on Item 6): Asked how much of the city’s documented infrastructure deficiencies (identified in the 2023 water master plan) the new Well 6-1 will actually correct. She requested the confirmed sustainable yield under extended operations, the additional firm capacity after accounting for outages, the total anticipated cost and completion date for electrical service, transmission lines, storage, backup power, and integration, and a measure of the improvement against existing system needs.
• Unnamed Member of the Public (on Item 7): Asked for clarification that the emergency waiver applies only to this specific emergency and will not carry over to future flood recovery requests. The City Manager confirmed the waiver is limited to this emergency declaration, though some projects may still need to be bid if time permits.

Discussion Items

• Item 3 – Purchase of Used Vehicle ($67,886): Utilities Director Clark presented the purchase of a used 2024 GMC Savana from 928 Auto Brokers for the city’s electrician. The current camera van cannot reach all utility sites. Three bids were received; this was the low bid. The vehicle includes a 5-year/60,000-mile extended warranty. A councilmember thanked staff for spending the extra $2,000 for the warranty. Another thanked staff for buying local. In response to public questions, Clark stated the two-wheel drive is sufficient for most sites; tax language is standard to cover minor discrepancies; and the taxes on the invoice match applicable rates. Vote: 6-0 to approve.
• Item 4 – Extraordinary Conservation / Intentionally Created Surplus (ICS) Agreement: Clark explained that treated A+ effluent from the Section 10 wastewater treatment plant, previously sent to evaporation ponds, will now be returned to the Colorado River. This creates “new water” to the system, allowing the city to earn ICS credits — essentially a water savings account behind Hoover Dam. The program can save up to 5,000 acre-feet per year (though current capacity is about 3,700 acre-feet). Over two years, 5,000-10,000 acre-feet could be saved, providing more than half of the city’s annual water use. Unlike direct reuse (golf courses, parks), ICS credits can be used anywhere in the city. Clark noted this is one of six programs the city is developing; collectively they could cover 100% of a potential full water cut. In response to public comments, Clark clarified the 5,000 acre-foot cap was set to allow for growth over the 10-year agreement without needing amendments. He confirmed the city cannot currently put the full 5,000 acre-feet into the river due to capacity at the Section 10 plant but will grow into it. The state maximum for Arizona is 125,000 acre-feet total; Bullhead City’s share is 5,000. Vote: 6-0 to approve.
• Item 5 – Emergency Pump Rebuild for 18-2 Lift Station ($76,490.03): Clark explained that a 150-horsepower pump at the 18-2 lift station suffered an electrical failure. Rebuilding is about $40,000 cheaper than buying new and should provide equivalent service life. The rebuild was treated as an emergency waiver of competitive bidding because the station has only one full-capacity pump; a smaller temporary pump is in place but cannot handle peak flows. Councilmember asked for clarification on the emergency basis for waiving bidding. A councilmember noted the importance of backup. Clark added that during the recent storm both wastewater plants flooded. In response to public questions, Clark stated the rebuilt pump will serve as the primary backup once returned; the smaller temporary pump provides limited backup now. Vote: 6-0 to approve.
• Item 6 – Purchase of Property for Well 6-1 ($125,000): Clark presented the purchase of land off Landon and the Parkway for a new well site to serve the growing north Mojave area (North Fork). Test drilling showed this will be the largest producing well on the north side at approximately 650 gallons per minute. All new source approval test results were positive. The purchase includes a General Warranty Deed, a 30-foot perpetual public utility and ingress/egress easement, and a 20-foot perpetual public utility and ingress/egress easement. In response to public questions, Clark stated the well will increase production capacity to serve new industrial and commercial customers; the City Manager noted the purchase is just one component and additional investment in electrical, storage, and transmission will follow as the project is designed. Vote: 6-0 to approve.
• Item 7 – Emergency Declaration for Flood Damage (Resolution 2026R-44 / $600,000 Transfer): City Manager Cotter described a severe rainfall event that began Friday afternoon, October 30, and continued through Sunday. The flooding caused an estimated $4 million in damage, destroyed streets, washed debris into the river, and created sinkholes (e.g., Palma and Raymar). Over 50 city staff and multiple private contractors (Premier Construction, McCormick Construction, Burr Wright Construction, National Construction) have been working since the event. The city is pursuing state and federal disaster assistance, including a potential presidential disaster declaration. The resolution authorizes the Mayor and City Manager to take all necessary actions, temporarily waives formal bidding for this emergency, and transfers $600,000 from General Fund Contingency to HURF and Flood Control Funds. Cotter acknowledged $600,000 will not cover all needs but stated he would return on November 17 or December 1 with updates on state/federal reimbursement and further funding requests. Councilmembers asked whether $600,000 is enough; Cotter confirmed it is sufficient to cover the next two weeks of contractor payments, overtime, and street repairs. Vote: 6-0 to approve.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda approved 6-0, including meeting minutes and a police grant resolution.
• Item 3 approved 6-0: Purchase of a used 2024 GMC Savana for $67,886 plus applicable taxes and upfitting, with a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty, as an exception to competitive bidding.
• Item 4 approved 6-0: Approval of the “Extraordinary Conservation – Intentionally Created Surplus” exhibit to be incorporated into a System Conservation Implementation Agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for recovery of treated effluent.
• Item 5 approved 6-0: Approval of the emergency pump rebuild agreement for the 18-2 Lift Station for $76,490.03, waiver of competitive bidding, and authorization for the City Manager to execute and issue payments.
• Item 6 approved 6-0: Acceptance of real property (deed and two easements) for $125,000 for the Well 6-1 site, and authorization for the City Manager to issue payment.
• Item 7 approved 6-0: Adoption of Resolution 2026R-44 declaring an emergency due to the flood, authorizing the Mayor and City Manager to take necessary actions, temporarily waiving formal bidding, submitting documentation for potential county/state/federal emergency funding, and transferring $600,000 from the General Fund Contingency to HURF and Flood Control Funds for continued emergency operations. Further funding requests will be brought to council at subsequent meetings.