Pinal County Water Augmentation Authority approves ‘program of work’

The Pinal County Water Augmentation Authority Board of Directors met Tuesday to discuss and approve several items including an Interagency Agreement with the Town of Florence, an accounting agreement with the firm Henry and Horne, LLC, a Program of Work for PCWAA for the years 2008-2011, various reports from the Executive Director, as well as a new Web site soon to be located at www.pcwaa-az.org.

The collaboratively built program of work includes sections on projects and programs, funding, policy, operations, administration, communications and research.

Mid-course adjustments are anticipated. During the next six months, PCWAA will be working on:
(1) The Central Arizona Project recharge project and Arizona State Lands site;
(2) Working on statute reauthorization (ARS 45,1901-1999);
(3) Assisting the Local Drought Impact Group with their implementation; and
(4) Identifying, evaluating and prioritizing organizational meetings to attend.

In operations management, long-term storage credit accounting is being transferred to bookkeeping at Henry and Horne, as Glinda Weddle retires from board’s staff. The sxecutive director will oversee this accounting. No incentive water has been ordered from Central Arizona Project for 2009.

In administrative management, the yearly audit is being conducted by the auditing section of Henry and Horne, LLC on Aug. 14, after which the water authority will have a formal financial audit to share.

Transfer of administrative accounting will also move from Glinda Weddle to Henry and Horne bookkeeping section, supervised by the executive director of the water board or Barbara Massey-Nino. Working files reside with the executive director and official files reside with the water board’s statutory agent, Attorney Steve Cooper.

Communications this month will include presenting to member entities’ governance boards or councils the water board’s program of work for 2008-2011. Specific expectations of the executive director will be asked for from member entities.

The wateer board’s Web site will be operational at www.pcwaa-az.org and will be kept updated by the executive director.

A volunteer, Barbara Miller, has been assisting the executive director in outreach research.

Glinda Weddle, who served with the organization for many years will be missed.

“We congratulate her on added responsibilities at Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage District,” an organization spokesperson said.

The board’s purpose:
• Strives to include all organizational water users in the Pinal AMA, and consequently, the water experts of the area
• Works together to maximize current and future water (supplies and use) for the Pinal AMA
• Supports growth where there are available water supplies (Smart Growth)
• Advocates for comprehensive and responsive water resource management policy
• Represents a unified voice for water issues on behalf of the Pinal AMA
• Appreciates in-kind contributions
• Seeks partners, contributions and volunteers.

This is from a press release submitted by Pinal County.

Image courtesy of Pinal County