Candidate profile: Charles E. Bullen Jr.

Charles E. Bullen Jr. is one of 13 candidates seeking a seat on City Council.

To help residents make an informed decision when casting their ballots, the Boulder City Review asked each candidate to answer three questions and invited them to record a video interview in lieu of a candidates’ forum, which could not be held due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Bullen’s response is below in his own words. They have been edited only for grammar, spelling and style.

Charles E. Bullen Jr.

Age: 58

Marital status: Married

Family: One son, two daughters, four grandsons (1 month, 4 months, 3 years old and 6 years old). My mother lives in Red Bay, Alabama, and a brother lives in Birmingham, Alabama.

Education: Graduated high school, some college, high-voltage electrician trade school.

Occupation: Maintenance supervisor at Hoover Dam, 13 years

Length of Boulder City residency: 12 years

Previous experience serving Boulder City (appointed, elected or volunteer positions): I volunteer for the Boulder City Chamber or Commerce; Boulder City Elks, Lodge 1682, leading knight.

Honors/awards/special qualifications: I have served the federal government for 35 years, 10 years United States Air Force, 25 years civil service; Department of the Air Force Exemplary Civilian Service award, Squadron Category I; Civilian of the Year, 2006.

► What do you feel are the most pressing issues for Boulder City in the near future?

We need to look at the solar contracts and write them so they benefit us more than just providing lease money. We should be getting power from those companies, which would offset our power rates. We need to attract tourists to our community by getting our train museum built and tracks put down so that we can connect Boulder City to Henderson. This would allow us to have more events at the train museum.

► What is your position on development in Boulder City? What type of developments do you think are appropriate and where should they be allowed? What types of developments do you think are inappropriate? Does the city have the necessary infrastructure to support any type of development?

I am in favor of the controlled growth ordinance that our city has. I am in favor selling homes around Boulder Creek Golf Course. The sale of Tract 350 was approved in 2010.

I believe we need to promote small businesses with tax incentives, land and with a payback plan once established. For example, a machine shop that would like to move to Boulder City. We should help them get here; we have land on Industrial Road. Small manufacturing businesses usually have about 25 to 30 employees, which would be a few jobs for people in need of one.

Another issue is a grocery store; we really need another one. A lot of people I talked to would like to see a Trader Joe’s or something like that. I personally miss Central Market’s butcher shop; their cuts of meats were amazing.

I don’t think that we need a cannabis business or gambling; that would be an inappropriate development in Boulder City.

► Traffic and parking appear to be problematic in the downtown area. Do you have any suggestions to improve the situation? Would allowing off-road vehicles on city streets help or hinder this issue?

We need better signage to direct visitors to our city’s additional parking lots. Work with Park Service to use some of their parking lot on weekends. We should welcome off-road vehicles into town; we have the desert for families to enjoy. There is an off-road trail between Boulder City and Goodsprings that a lot of off-road enthusiasts enjoy riding. It would give them the opportunity to come to Boulder City and spend their money with us. Plus, it opens the door for repair shops, rentals and perhaps even a dealership.