October Pinal Partnership Government Relations Committee meeting recap: elections updates, Queen Creek water & 2020 Census updates
The Pinal Partnership Government Relations Committee, led by Co-Chairs Rebecca Timmer with Wilson & Company and Ben Bitter with the Town of Florence, hosted their monthly meeting on October 27, 2020.
Nick Ponder with the League of Arizona Cities and Towns was a guest speaker at the committee meeting. Nick gave an elections update and presentation related to all of Arizona. Regarding Pinal County, polling indicates Pinal County will largely retain their current legislative makeup. Rebecca and Ben would like to thank Senator Frank Pratt for being an active member of the Committee; a relationship that is an asset to the organization and Pinal County.
Heather Wilkey with the Town of Queen Creek, and Government Relations Committee member, discussed additional water resources for the Town of Queen Creek. Upon considering how the Town can offer the best water rates to customers served while also being responsible water users, they began seeking approval to transfer about 2,000 acre-feet per year of Colorado River water from farmland in the Cibola area of La Paz County to the Town. Current ownership of the land will remain while they consider future residential development. There is believed to be enough water to support their continued growth as well as growth in the Town of Queen Creek. The transfer has support of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, which although it lowered the amount of water being transferred to a little over 1,000 acre-feet per year, has still recommended the transfer to the Secretary of the Interior, who must provide the final approval. Public comments and letters of support will be encouraged, starting early 2021. For more information, please contact Heather Wilkey.
Ben gave a brief update of the 2020 Census efforts. The Census is now closed with 99.9% of Arizona households counted in some way, shape, or form. Come April, when numbers are officially released, we will see if Arizona will gain an additional congressional seat.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2020 via Zoom. Committee meetings are open to all members of Pinal Partnership. Please contact Melissa Johnson if you would like information to join the committee and/or join as a member of the Partnership.
