Candidate profile: Judith Hoskins

Councilwoman Judith Hoskins 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.

Hoskins’ response is below in her own words. They have been edited only for grammar, spelling and style.

Judith Hoskins

Age: 82

Marital status: Widow

Family: Two children and grandchildren

Education: Attended Ohio State University

Occupation: Retired and incumbent councilwoman

Length of Boulder City residency: 20 years

Previous experience serving Boulder City (appointed, elected, or volunteer positions): I was appointed to City Council in November 2019 and am now serving. Elected eight times and served 16 years as president of Bella Vista Property Owners’ Association. Volunteer positions: Meals On Wheels, Senior Center of Boulder City; Emergency Aid of Boulder City; Lend-A-Hand of Boulder City; Southern Nevada State Veterans Home; Mountain View Care Center, and The Homestead at Boulder City. Former president of the nonprofit Flight-For-Life of Ohio.

Previous experience serving other governmental agencies (appointed, elected or volunteer positions): I have 26 years of service with the federal government in the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Defense. I held positions with the Department of Army, the Army and Air Force Exchange.

Club/organization affiliations: Workforce Connections and One-Stop Career Center at Boulder City Library, American Association of University of Women and Community Association Institute.

Honors/awards/special qualifications: Distinguished Federal Service award and Boulder City Magazine Unsung Heroes award for making masks and isolation gowns for those in need.

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

In our lifetime, we have never been confronted with such a serious situation as this pandemic. The city and its employees are working on getting us beyond this. This community has always worked together to help each other. Our fire department and city staff have gone above and beyond with testing, providing personal protection equipment, organizing donations and vaccinations.

My goal is to see that we come together and return to normal and get our lives back. My immediate goals are getting people vaccinated, well and working, seeing businesses profitable and our children returning to school.

We are fortunate that our city is financially stable.

▶ 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 development do you think are inappropriate? Does the city have the necessary infrastructure to support any type of development?

Our community has made clear its desire for conservative growth. Our residents have no desire for large-scale development. We have built more homes for the past four years than in the previous 20 years. I have asked for new proposals for the land around the Boulder Creek Golf course previously approved in 2010. Previous offers to sell the land were unsuccessful. With my latest request, the city has recently received four proposals from well-known developers Toll Brothers, StoryBook Homes, American Nevada Co. and Lewis Homes. The sale of this land could benefit our municipal pool.

I am working to bring a second grocery store to Boulder City. Boulder City’s origin was for a master plan community with residential neighborhoods and commercial development where appropriate. We know the importance of our neighborhoods, and I will work hard to preserve that.

We are witness to the aggressive growth policy of our neighbors. Growth does not pay for growth, which is why our property taxes are a fraction of other cities. I will maintain our low taxes.

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

How great is it that our businesses are so well supported. Our historic uptown is limited, and there are no easy solutions because of our businesses’ success. We need to find solutions to our transportation issue just like every other city. Concerning off-highway vehicles, the residents of Boulder City have already voted and were not in favor.