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Pinal County
Property Taxes are PAINFUL. PEEL Away the PAIN
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Be certain to
visit the "Truth-Detector" Page that discusses Pinal County Issues - CLICK
HERE
ALSO CHECK THE GOLD CANYON
COMMUNITY EVENT CALENDAR - CLICK HERE
UPDATED
AUGUST 19, 2008
A public hearing is being held
by Central Arizona Association of Governments (CAAG) regarding Gold Canyon
Sewer Company’s request to amend their Certificate of Need and Necessity
(CNN), Draft 208. This amendment would allow them to enlarge their area of
operation to include Superstition Mountain Properties and Apacheland
development areas, around 385 acres, into their existing coverage area. The
hearing will be held Thursday, August 21, 2008, 3:00PM, at Central Arizona
Association of Governments Administrative Office located at 1075 S. Idaho
Road, Suite 300, Apache Junction, AZ 85219. I urge you to attend whether you
are for or against this expansion.
Normally I am in favor of businesses being allowed to expand; however, there
already exists litigation by R.U.C.O. on behalf of Gold Canyon Sewer Company
customers challenging the volume demand claims and capacity requirement
claims by Gold Canyon Sewer Company. We are still awaiting the decision
hearing by the Corporate Commission on the original litigation, a hearing
that may happen in September. A decision by Central Arizona Association of
Governments (CAAG) on this expansion request may muddy the statistics on the
upcoming decision hearing of the Corporate Commission.
In my opinion someone should propose to Central Arizona Association of
Governments (CAAG) that no decision be made on Thursday, August 21, 2008 and
suggest the hearing be postponed until after the Corporate Commission makes
its decision on similar issues. Unfortunately, I will be out of town that
day or I would make the postponement proposal myself.
If you plan to attend, please notify J. Peter Armenta by mail at: CAAG, 1075
S. Idaho Road. Suite 300, Apache Junction, AZ 852I9, by telephone (480)
474-9300, toll free (800) 782-1445, fax (480) 474-9306 or by e-mail at:
jparmenta@caagcentral.org.
Thank you.
Roy Fuerherm - A.D.O.B.E. President
UPDATED
AUGUST 13, 2008
For some time now we have all been waiting for the Arizona Corporation
Commission to finalize the case Residential Utility Customer Office (RUCO)
obtained as re-hearing Gold Canyon's rate request. Although that date is yet
to be set, it does seem the possibility for setting such a date may be
soon. September could be the month. So stay tuned.
When it is announced I'll be sure to alert any and all interested and I also
hope that as many customers that attended the hearing nearly a year ago will
make every attempt to be at the Commission Office this time.
Ron Kelly
UPDATED JULY
3, 2008
Thank you, Roland. I know this will provide little comfort but I can
tell you the Commission is particularly busy at this time. Gold Canyon is
not under a time limit like rate cases so I do not expect anything on an
expedited basis. But I do not mind your inquiries and they do remind me to
contact you so please continue to check in every so often. I think
something good is going to come out of this. I am also glad to hear your
community is so involved in this. Take care and I will speak to you soon I
hope. - Dan
Thank you Dan;
Very much aware that the Commissioners are very busy. I understand they are
almost overwhelmed in the numbers these corporations requesting
increases. Every newspaper and TV bemoans our economy problems. And it’s
the guy on the bottom of the chain who pays for all their requests. I have
to thank the people of Gold Canyon for their contributions to pay for buses
that will carry them to the Commission to hear and see this come to
fruition. They certainly spoke loud and clearly on the Petitions entered at
the Commission May 26th & May 27th. All of us out here now know the
average daily water consumption is only 145 gallons per day, so where
Gold Canyon reported their maximum flow day was obviously miss-information
under oath presented to the judge hearing this case. I'd be interested in
hearing what perjury earns here in Arizona, presuming our officials care
about perjury in matters like this...
The scheduled Closing Brief May 5th and Reply Brief set for May 22nd will be
paper submission only. After the judge receives the documents he will meet
with the commission and give his opinion in the matter.
The Commission will then set a date, most likely two weeks after the May
22nd date. I hope all those interested in this matter will consider
appearing in that commission hearing room to support all of RUCO's argument
in our behalf. That argument is; Gold Canyon Sewer Company flooded the
property with $millions$ building more plant than was or will be necessary
for years to come. Their hope, that doubling plant size only to have it's
present customers pay for connections which may never be made and service
capacity that may never be truly needed, if ever needed.
CLICK
HERE FOR GCSC RATE CARD
(Update to Gold Canyon Sewer case
FROM Ron Kelly - Received May 5, 2008); The interveners were
notified by hand delivered notice April 24 that the scheduled May 13th
meeting was canceled.
The
notice goes on to state that the Closing Brief will take place on May 5th
and the Reply Brief will be held on May 22.
I have been collecting
signatures on petition stating the
daily consumption
of water supplied to customers of Arizona Water Company as noted on each
bill those of us in Gold canyon receive each month.
If the AZ Corporation
Commission is to believe what GCSC reported as processed in their test year
as 1.9 million gallons, the commission would do a complete study of their
report.
My
contention is if GCSC was honest about this reported figure they would still
be getting the 475 gallons from their customers. The figure reported is
bogus and as sworn testimony constitutes perjury.
Time
to call for justice and ask the commission to act accordingly.
Roland
Kelly - MBV.
Download the P S petition - CLICK HERE,
all signers appreciated. Please be sure to include daily water consumption.
Petitions may be left at MBV office on Mountainbrook drive when filled. I
will deliver right after the hearing on May 22nd.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Update from Ron Kelly 02-26-2008)
As I
reported several days ago, it was scheduled by ACC that February 25th & 26th
were set for the continuation of hearings RUCO was granted by the ACC for
the benefit of all Gold Canyon Sewer customers, of which there are 4000 give
or take.
As of
yesterday's hearing which did take place, the schedule was changed due to
illness of one of the RUCO staff. The agreement yesterday was that the
hearing would not take place today, 26th of February, but would be delayed
until the 31st of March.
Yesterday's hearing was at times rather interesting, as Algonquin's witness
gave testimony to the absolute validity of Gold Canyon Sewer company’s
investment, which is put at fifteen million dollars.
For your information the 4000
customers interested in backing RUCO's case of excess capacity and
the excessive billing by the sewer company's law firm was to say the very
least
SPARSE.
A total
of seven customers were present backing RUCO's appeal before the judge and
AZ Commissioners.
If you
were one of the seven your presents at this hearing was a vote of agreement
with RUCO.
If you couldn't find the
time to be present yesterday and will not be available on March 31st you
will be voting for the rate increase.
We know it's a fact that the commission was very much aware and interested
in your side of this case, February 2007 when over 400 letters arrived at
the commission. Those letters and phone calls inspired the Commission, its
staff and RUCO to look long and hard at what the company was asking for in
its rate case.
It
also served to convince the Commissioners that the increase was far to
aggressive and was the main reason that at least four commissioners believed
in RUCO's request for a rehearing was appropriate, but as of yesterday with
consideration of the State's budgetary problems, even RUCO may be
threatened, as it was back in 2000 by industrial interests.
March
31 at 9:30 AM 1200 West Washington Phoenix this case will be decided. If
the numbers showing real interest in favoring the increase the hearing room
will be as empty as it was yesterday. You will be convincing the
commissioners, its staff and RUCO that what the company is expecting is
reasonable!
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to you on a regular basis.
Dr. Mary Stokrocki, Resident of Mountainbrook, and
Professor of Art Education at Arizona State University, Tempe summarized,
"An Art Educator's Mission: Celebrating Art in Everyday Life."Penn State
College of Arts and Architecture. (2007, Fall). Outstanding Alumni Award.
An art educator's mission: Celebrating art in everyday life. Arts and
architecture News. Retrieved 10/30/07 from
CLICK HERE.
Dr. Stokrocki also published a children's book
Emily York, Lindsey’s Desert Surprise, Middleton, WI: EYE Exceptionals.
"When Lindsey visits her Grandma who lives in the desert. she thinks it's a
boring place until her Grandma teaches her the difference between just
looking and really observing." This gorgeously illustrated book is also
about taking care of our eco-critters who appear in the book.
Some thoughts on the AJ Fire District.
AJUSD School Over-Ride
Defeated
The Gold Canyon Website has confirmed
that the AZ Corp Commission has approved the rate increase for the GC
Sewer Company.
(posted (August 8, 2007) According to
major sources the AZ Corporation Commission will revisit the approved rate
increase. Rumor indicates that the rate may be rolled back to a figure
between $40.00 and $45.00 per month.
CLICK HERE FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
(Posted August 10, 2007)
As you may already know, the Corporation Commission has voted 4 to 1 to hear
the Gold canyon Rate case as requested by RUCO Residential Utilities
Customer Office. Gleason (chairman) being the dissenting vote.
Kristin Mayes tried to place sanctions on GCSC during the hearing as she
understood the case better than any of the other commissioners, but she was
out voted 3 to 2, Mundell siding with Mayes, but Hatch-Miller and Pierce
voted to allow the increase. The chairman Gleason broke the tie voting for
the increase of 70%.
At the cost of 1,869.23 all customers were reported as notified by the law
firm Fennimore/Craig attorneys for the Gold Canyon Sewer Company.
Approximately four to five weeks after the first of August the case will be
scheduled for rehearing. Expect some rather explosive evidence to be
presented.
Pinal County Freeways! What,
NO MONEY? - CLICK HERE
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Pilferage and Poor Planning
in Pinal County
BIG STATE LAND
SALE
SEVERAL PINAL COUNTY
MANAGER STORIES ARE ALL AVAILABLE -
CLICK HERE TO REVIEW.
Hwy 60
By-Pass could be 15 to 30 years away
CLICK
HERE FOR CITIZENS LETTERS & EDITORIALS
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(Editors Note: This was received via E-Mail on Feb 1, 2008. It was NOT
directly received from Sandie Smith, however Pinal County Information
Officer Heather Murphy has confirmed its authenticity.)
MESSAGE FROM SANDIE
This is probably the
hardest letter I have ever written. After much consultation with my family,
I have decided that for personal reasons I will not be a candidate for a 5th
term as the Pinal County Supervisor for District Two and will be officially
retiring on December 31, 2008.
Being a Public Servant is one of the most rewarding and challenging
experiences that anyone can ask for. The enthusiastic people that I have
worked with are amazing and inspirational. Citizens, elected leaders the
many dedicated employees truly want to be involved and want to make this a
better place in which to live, work and play.
The 20 + years of
service as an elected official with 15 - soon to be 16 - as County
Supervisor has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. All I
have ever wanted to do is give back to my community through volunteer work
and by serving as an elected official. I have worked to do just that.
However, I will tell you that, without a doubt, this community of Pinal has
given me much more than I can ever repay.
Growing up without a
father and with a mother who turned to alcohol moving us from place to place
to keep ahead of the creditors had left me with a low self esteem. I
believed the counselors who told me I was limited in what I could accomplish
and that left me without concrete plans and goals. I used to wish my life
growing up was easier, but I know now that I have learned a lot from the
difficult times in my life. Have I made mistakes? You bet. One of the
lessons I have discovered is that I learn from the hard times and these
mistakes. The challenge is not to make the same mistake over and not to
blame others. The other lesson that I learned is that no one should put
limitations on what you can achieve. The only limitations that I have had
are the ones I put on myself.
The greatest break in my
life was when I met and married Tom. When we first came to
Pinal
County, Tom and I had been married for 9 years, had
two children 5 and 3 and our third child was born one month after arriving
here. Tom has never put boundaries around me nor doubted for a moment that I
could do whatever I wanted to do - if I was willing to put the effort into
it. He has been the support that I needed to be able to set high goals and
accomplish them - to reach beyond my self set limitations. His never ending
faith in me in our 46 years of marriage has been the stability that has been
my rock.
The second break in my
life came with the birth of our children - Sheryl, David and Kenneth. They
are more than our children; they are our friends and sources of never ending
amazement at their capacity for achievement and unconditional love and
support. We are so proud of the citizens they have become and the families
they are raising. In addition, they have given us two daughters-in-law,
Tami and Kimberly and a son in law, Ron and 6 wonderful grandchildren,
Ashley, Kirsten, Davis, Abbott, Cassandra and Nicole, who are the joy of our
lives.
The third break in my
life was coming to Pinal
County. Through the involvement in the community and with
the encouragement from friends and family, slowly came the confidence needed
to run for elected office. The challenges that have faced the County, its
elected leaders, employees and the citizens are many as we have grown from a
small county population of a few thousand to an estimated 350,000 citizens.
These challenges will continue -- to balance the needs and values of the
residents who live here now with the needs and values of those who are
coming. Growth issues such as transportation, open space and trails, and
preservation of our natural resources while creating communities where the
residents can live, work and play will continue to be of a high priority.
Meeting the demand of the ever increasing need for services - most mandated
- will also be a huge challenge. I know that the citizens and
their representatives will continue to work towards their combined goals.
The friendships I have
made over the years cannot be counted in numbers; I count them by the
experiences they have added to my life. To these wonderful friends,
coworkers, elected officials and citizens - "Thank You" for the opportunity
to serve you, to work with and for you. To my family - Thank you for the
support and unconditional love and for being the blessings you are. And, I
thank God for always being there when I have needed him.
My life is richer and
fuller because of all of you.
Sandie
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