James Howard Adams
Age: 36
Marital status: Happily married to Tsvetelina Stefanova for two years, together for 17.
Family: son to Melinda and Stuart Adams, son-in-law to Mihail Minchev, brother to Mary Adams, brother-in-law to Joel Urioste, and uncle to George James Urioste.
Education: Associate of Applied Science in deaf studies
Occupation: Performing artist, musician
Length of Boulder City residency: 27 years
Previous experience serving Boulder City (appointed, elected or volunteer positions): Elected to City Council 2019
Previous experience serving other governmental agencies (appointed, elected or volunteer positions): Appointed to Board of Health (2019-present); appointed to Nevada League of Cities (2019-2021); appointed to Southern Nevada Water Authority (2021-present)
Club/organization affiliations: Dam Short Film Festival volunteer
Honors/awards/special qualifications: “Best Human Amplifiers” – Las Vegas Weekly, Best of Las Vegas 2018, for our work promoting arts and culture throughout Southern Nevada; “Best Category-Busting Musical Act” – Desert Companion, Best of the City 2016, for outstanding performance and the release of our second full-length album.
What is your vision for Boulder City in 10 years, taking into account the ongoing drought and efforts to boost historic preservation?
My vision for Boulder City is one of a thriving community that has modernized its approach to policy and governance, while still maintaining the same quality of life that we have all come to love and cherish. We have already started to see the success of investing in our historic district. Historic preservation funding from the city has aided in saving one of Boulder City’s most iconic commercial buildings, once under threat of demolition. Now, new life has been breathed into it as the Dam Roast House & Browder Bookstore.
Continued support for these grant programs will help to ensure we stave off further erosion of our historic sites and landmarks and, with perseverance, help reverse some of the damage already done. But, all of this will require the commitment of City Council and the vigilance of residents to ensure the newly drafted Historic Preservation Ordinance is passed, and that it is not stripped of its enforcement so that our years of hard work and investment are not so easily undone.
The city must also modernize its approach to water management and conservation. An upgraded wastewater treatment facility will help Boulder City save over a million gallons of water every day by allowing us to use reclaimed water to irrigate our parks and golf courses. Removal of nonfunctional turf throughout our community will allow us to see further water savings, but will still not be enough. We, as a city, must audit all of our water usage, identify waste and inefficiencies, and eliminate them. Improvements to irrigation need to be made, and city landscaping should consist of a native and drought-tolerant plant palette.
We also need to understand the effect new development will have on our water supply, and its impact over the coming years. In the end, we, as a community, must ask ourselves: What are we willing to sacrifice today so that future generations can continue to prosper in Boulder City? Having that conversation will be difficult, but it will be one that secures a future for all of us in Boulder City.
City Council passed a resolution to put a question on the ballot asking voters if they would approve the sale of 16.3 acres of land southeast of Boulder City Parkway and Veterans Memorial Drive to develop a grocery store and associated retail shops. What are your thoughts on this proposal?
I believe this question absolutely belongs in the hands of our voters. When there is no competition among grocers, residents pay the price. Boulder City has for years now worked to encourage other grocers to enter the Boulder City market, but to no avail. A major reasoning is lack of available space. This question looks to address that issue. However, it is not without its concerns.
The first regards the type of grocer we are able to attract. Residents have for a long time been very clear about the types of retail they do not want to see in their community: big box stores like Walmart. The second is the fact that even if we have the land available, there is no indication that grocers will be chomping at the bit. It may take years before any action on the property is taken.
Should this question pass, it will be important that residents remain attentive and follow closely any movement on the sale and development of this land. That will be how the community ensures that it is developed appropriately in concert with Boulder City’s principles and ideals. I emphatically want to see another grocery store, but I’m not willing to sacrifice our city’s character in order to do so.