City hires utility director

The new utilities director is a Boulder City native who brings with him a variety of management experience including more than 16 years at the Bureau of Reclamation.

“Being born and growing up in Boulder City, I was extremely fortunate to experience all that this vibrant community has to offer,” said Joseph Stubitz. “Boulder City is unique in the surrounding area in that we own and operate our electrical distribution system. When I saw the opportunity to give back to my hometown in a professional capacity, I became very excited at the possibility of joining Team BC.”

Before taking the position with the city, Stubitz worked as an electrical engineer with the Bureau of Reclamation, where he helped start its compliance program for the Lower Colorado Basin and was responsible for reviewing and updating Hoover Dam’s standard operating procedures.

He was valedictorian of Boulder City High School’s class of 2003, and said he is looking forward to serving the community that built Hoover Dam.

“I was born and lived in Boulder City from 1985 to 2016 when we purchased a house in Henderson as our family grew. … I have very fond memories of summers at the parks and rec department and playing near the gazebo,” he said. “Walking past the gazebo every day will remind me how much fun I had as a kid and to appreciate the history of our town.”

Stubitz started his position Tuesday, Jan. 4, and said he is focusing first on making sure staff members have what they need to do their jobs well.

“I want to hit the ground running with the many upgrades that we have planned, to ensure continued reliable delivery of water and power to our customers in our rapidly changing environment,” he said. “The dedicated employees are the lifeblood of our organization and ensuring that they have everything they need will be critical to our success. I also look forward to working with the Utility Advisory Committee and collaborating with the community to keep our Boulder City way of life sustainable for years to come.”

The utilities department maintains the city’s water, wastewater, electrical and landfill systems.

“Utilities director is a critical role on the city’s leadership team, especially at a time when the sustainability of Lake Mead is so important to us all,” said Taylour Tedder, city manager. “Joe comes with outstanding experience working in the Lower Colorado River basin and we look forward to his insight and expertise on utilities management.”

Stubitz earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering science from Colorado State University as well as a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts. He is also a licensed professional engineer with the Nevada Board of Professional Engineers &Land Surveyors.

He took over for Dennis Porter, who resigned in August to take a job in the private sector.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.