We were pleased to have the recent opportunity to meet the new City Manager, Taylour Tedder. We sat down to discuss his recent relocation to Boulder City and some of his plans for the future.
Mr. Tedder had previously visited our city while on vacation with his wife, Amber. They elected to tour Hoover Dam and on the return trip to Las Vegas, they stopped in Boulder City. They were impressed with the city and its amenities, including the outside activities and family-friendly atmosphere.
Mr. Tedder spoke highly of Mayor Kiernan McManus, Interim City Manager, Michael Mays, and other city officials who provided him with frequent updates about current activities so that when he relocated and assumed his new responsibilities, he was able to “hit the ground running.” He noted that staff has been very friendly and welcoming in helping him learn more about how the city operates.
The pandemic has affected communities across the United States and of course, Boulder City is no different. Mr. Tedder stated that he would continue to focus on a clear public information campaign to keep the public up-to-date on current government policies and objectives towards helping the community. He also pledged to remain in contact with local business owners to keep them apprised of federal, state and local programs designed to assist them during difficult financial times.
One of Mr. Tedder’s first priorities will be to fill the currently vacant Utilities Director position. He also plans to continue to distribute available federal funding as needed to meet community needs. Another priority is working with the Southern Nevada Water District (SNWA) on water conservation in a sustainable way that is so important to the region during this period of drought.
In important news related to renewable energy, he will be looking at the costs of upgrading the power infrastructure to see if it is cost-efficient in order to retain some of the power generated by the leasing of city land in the Eldorado Valley corridor to solar companies. This will take some time and study.
The City is currently contracting a compensation study to ascertain where city salaries are in relation to similarly-sized communities. It’s been approximately ten years since the last compensation study so this information will be valuable to retain and hire talented employees.
The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) will be reviewed later this year. One of the items that will be investigated is potential improvement to the city’s fleet by transitioning to more energy-efficient vehicles. Mr. Tedder is excited to utilize new technology to assist residents and businesses in conducting city business online. In his former position as Assistant City Manager in Leavenworth, KS, he supervised the Information Technology Department and plans to use the experience to further modernize city business.
In closing, Mr. Tedder wanted to let residents know that he is available to meet with them to discuss concerns. He feels listening is an important way to gain perspective on issues and he plans to continue his open door policy for both residents and employees.
