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Mayor Spotlight
City of Bullhead City
Incorporated: 1984
Population: 39,540
Elevation: 504 ft.
County: Mohave
Area within Limits: 61.4 sq. mi.
Name, title & city/town:
Tom Brady, Mayor, City of Bullhead City
Year elected to office: 2014 as Mayor, 2002 as Bullhead City Justice of the Peace
Years served as Mayor: Eight months
Hometown: North Riverside, Illinois
Why did you decide to serve in local government?
My entire career has been spent in some form of government service, with 33 of those years spent here in Mohave County. I served 19 years as the Mohave County parks director, 10 years
as the Bullhead City justice of the peace, and now as the recently elected mayor of Bullhead City. During this whole time, my wife and I have been very active in donating our time to
community service organizations. In addition, my wife Karla previously served as the Bullhead City parks, recreation, and community services director for many years. With all of this
experience and contacts, and all of my community service, it was just natural to want to continue making Bullhead City a better place to live and what better way to do that than as mayor?
What are the biggest challenges facing your town today?
Our biggest challenge is certainly roads. With reduced HURF funding, and the recession in general, roads seem to have taken a back seat to other priorities. And like countless cities
throughout the country, we all hoped that the economy would improve and money would be available again as it was in the past. Even though the economy is improving, we've fallen far
enough behind that catching up has been a challenge. Voters were recently asked to approve a sales tax hike specifically for roads and it was soundly defeated. So moving forward,
we are looking for creative alternative solutions including partnering with Mohave County on their established chip sealing program.
What opportunities do you see for your community?
Bullhead City is blessed with amazing recreational opportunities. We have both the Colorado River and Lake Mohave which draws visitors from everywhere but primarily from a three-state
area. Directly across the river from us is Laughlin, Nevada with nine tremendous, affordable and cooperative hotel/casino properties and over 10,000 rooms. With these amenities, we
are expanding our sports facilities with the intent of attracting very large sports tournaments. In recent years, we've been very successful in this endeavor and we now have many major
sporting events each year attracting thousands of visitors to our city.
What are you most proud of during your time in office?
I'm proud to be associated with a city council and professional staff who have shown me that they all work hard and are dedicated to making Bullhead City the best that it can be.
Why is the League important to cities and towns in Arizona?
I've always been a firm believer in strong associations that share a common cause. The League of Arizona Cities and Towns provides invaluable education to its members. Where else would
one likely turn in trying to learn what it is required of a newly elected mayor or council person? The League provides that training along with a host of other educational opportunities. Cities
and towns throughout the state share common goals, and through collective and constructive dialogue, we are able to channel our thoughts into a cohesive plan that benefits all of us. The League
helps us achieve that goal and they do an excellent job in representing us when necessary at the Arizona State Capitol.
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League of Arizona Cities and Towns
1820 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: 602-258-5786
Fax: 602-253-3874
http://www.azleague.org
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