BULLHEAD CITY – At the Dec 4 regular meeting of the Bullhead City Council, resolutions that benefit business, community, and law enforcement were all passed.
The first agenda item that was discussed and voted on was a resolution focused on food redistributor DOT Foods’s request to receive a permit fee waiver and construction sales tax. These requests would benefit a DOT Foods expansion in Bullhead City. The company anticipates between 50-70 full time jobs, as a result of the expansion – all of which would be necessitated by an economic analysis of the theoretical expansion. With the economic analysis the City Council and the City Manager would be able to properly calculate the benefits of those economic incentives to the community of Bullhead City and would then be able to move forward with incentives.
In 2017, DOT Foods constructed a distribution center in Bullhead City. The construction was aided by receiving state, county, and city incentives. The discussion about the possibility of future incentives for a DOT Foods theoretical expansion made up the majority of the city council meeting and was the only agenda item not to be passed unanimously. The discussion mostly centered around the feasibility of continuous incentives for business expansions and whether or not the city could afford to continue to cover the costs for business growth and also, had DOT Foods in particular already received enough incentives in the past. The council weighed that against the possibility of economic prosperity for the community.
“This is really more than an expansion,” said councilmember Mark Clark. “An expansion is building a carport on your home. We’re looking at adding over 30% more jobs in this company, than what they currently have. This is a significant expansion. This is a huge expansion. This is bigger than most other businesses in the community and this is only their expansion.” The resolution was passed by the council 4 votes to 3.
The next agenda items were focused on funding for law enforcement. Bullhead City Chief of Police Brian Williamson presented arguments for funding roughly $8,000 for cloud service fees and two portable Lidar units for traffic enforcement, and $3,000 for 10 portable breath test devices. There was also an agenda item detailing a request for the authorization of a safety enhancement stipend request to the 100 Club of Arizona for $14,000 for 15 ballistic helmets with helmet carry bags for the SWAT team. The materials that make up the SWAT Team’s ballistic helmets deteriorate after five years, as such they have to be replaced. This agenda item also dictates that the newly purchased materials would last for 10 years, changing the spending routine. All three agenda items were passed unanimously.
The last three agenda items were concerned with authorization of a contract to purchase Emulsion Oil from Quality Emulsions, authorization of a contract with McCormick Construction of Bullhead City to construct a baseball parking lot for Rotary Park, and approving an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Bullhead City and the Fort Mohave Indian Tribe for use of the tribe’s detention facility. All three agenda items were passed unanimously.
The next Bullhead City Council Meeting is scheduled for 5:30, Dec 17 at the City Council Chambers.
– Michael Morrison
