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  • 1.  CALL TO ORDER - PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - INVOCATION    REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:
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  • A.  Information/Discussion/Action for the Board of Supervisors to convey support for the Yavapai-Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement and authorize the Board Chairman to sign theLetters of Support to be sent to Congressman Elijah Crane, Congressman David Schweikert, Senator Mark Kelly, and Senator Ruben Gallego. (Stephen Christensen)
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  • B.  Information/Discussion/Action to approve or deny a Petition for Redemption of Exemption Waiver from Cristi Melser to have her property tax exemption that is deemed waived by A.R.S. §-11153(A) redeemed for tax year25. (Sherra Kissee)
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  • C.  Information/Discussion/Action to acknowledge the Gila County Treasurer's engagement of Baker Tilly US LLP to perform an independent audit and reporting for the Gila County Treasurer's Office in consideration of the July25 update to the Uniform Accounting Manual for Arizona County Treasurers (UAMACT) and approve related Professional Services Contract No.2625 with Baker Tilly US LLP not to exceed $48,500. (Monica Wohlforth/Maryn Belling)
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  • D. Information/Discussion/Action to set primary and secondary property tax rates for FY25-2026 for all taxing jurisdictions within Gila County and convey tax rates for all jurisdictions to the County Treasurer; and adopt Resolution No.-08-01 providing for the collection of taxes for all jurisdictions by the County Treasurer for FY25-2026. (Maryn Belling)
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  • E.  Information/Discussion/Action to approve Amendment No.to Contract No.1124 -0 Radio Contract with C&M Communications, LLC to extend the term of the contract through June,26, and increase the contract amount by $6,190.20 for a new contract amount not to exceed $72,001.80. (Sarah White)
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  • F.  (Motion to recess as the Gila County Board of Supervisors and convene as the Gila County Library District Board of Directors.) Information/Discussion/Action to ratify the Board of Supervisors' approval for the Gila County Library District's submittal of the SaddleBrooke Community Outreach Enrichment Program Application in the amount of $5,000, and accept funding in the amount of $5,000 designated to Gila County for the Hayden Public Library for the period of September25, to December,25. (Elaine Votruba) (Adjourn as the Gila County Library District Board of Directors and reconvene as the Gila County Board of Supervisors.)
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  • G.  Information/Discussion/Action to authorize the Gila County Animal Care & Control Division to submit a FY26 Grant Application to the Arizona Companion Animal Spay and Neuter Committee in the amount of $10,000 for one year to expand Gila County's discounted spay/neuter services program. (JC Castaneda)
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  • H.  Information/Discussion/Action to adopt Resolution No.-08-03 to authorize the Deputy County Manager to sign agreements and contracts for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Cesspool Replacement Project. (Joshua Beck)
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  • I.   Information/Discussion/Action to approve Contract No.-02PV-18-GC1 between Gila County and Sentinel Technologies, Inc. in the amount of $249,312.78 (including tax) for Microsoft Renewal that is based onGovernment Procurement Alliance (1GPA) Contract No.-02PV-18 for the term of August,25, through August,26. (Carrie Bartling)
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  • J.  Information/Discussion/Action to approve Economic Development Agreement No.26-00000041 between Gila County and the Cobre Valley Youth Club in the amount of $15,000 to reopen the Cobre Valley Youth Club playground and provide funding toward the purchase of a van, which the Board has determined to be for the benefit of the public. (Woody Cline)
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  • K.  Information/Discussion/Action to authorize the advertisement of Invitation for Bids No.042025 - Globe Detention Center Dirt Removal and Fence Clearing project. (Olivia Todd)
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  • L.  Information/Discussion/Action to approve Amendment No.to Contract No. CTR061839-EZ with Skyline Builders and Restoration, Inc. to extend the term of the contract through September25, for the Sheriff's Squadron Patrol Room Renovation project. (Joseph Dickison)
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  • M.  Information/Discussion/Action to approve Modification No.3 to Forest Service Agreement No.-RO-11031200-232 extending the expiration date from September,25, to March26, updating the Cooperator Contact information from Thomas Goodman to Carrie Kittrell, and adding attachment A - Paid Sick Leave Requirements. (Thomas Goodman)
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  • N.  Information/Discussion/Action to approve Amendment No.to Contract No.0322 - On-Call Pavement Markings with Traffic Safety, Inc. extending the Contract for an additional one-year period from September,25, to September,26, for a contract amount not to exceed $150,000. (Thomas Goodman)
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  • O.  Information/Discussion/Action to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement for Election Services between the Gila County Recorder's Office, Gila County Board of Supervisors on behalf of the Elections Department, and the Town of Payson to provide election services for the Town. (Eric Mariscal)
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  • P.  Information/Discussion/Action to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement for Election Services between the Gila County Recorder's Office, Gila County Board of Supervisors on behalf of the Elections Department, and the Pine-Strawberry Fire District to provide election services for the District. (Eric Mariscal)
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  • 3.  CONSENT AGENDA ACTION ITEMS: (Any matter on the Consent Agenda will be removed from the Consent Agenda and discussed and voted upon as a regular agenda item upon the request of any member of the Board of Supervisors.)   A.  Approval to appoint the Precinct Committeemen put forward by Gila County Republican Party Chair Pam Derks as follows: Steven Miller, Phillip Kent Thomas, and Adrian Hal Key.   B.  Approval of the monthly activity reports submitted by the Human Resources Department for June25.   C.  Approval of the monthly activity reports submitted by the Human Resources Department for July25.   D.  Approval of the Board of Supervisors' April,23; July,23; August23; July,25, and July,25 meeting minutes.   E.  Acknowledgment of the24-2025 Immunization Report and Immunization Action Plan submitted by the Gila County Public Health & Community Services Department per Arizona Administrative Code R9-10-1004 for licensing rules and regulations.
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  • 4.  CALL TO THE PUBLIC:   A call to the public is held for public benefit to allow individuals to address the Board of Supervisors on any issue within the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors. Board members may not discuss items that are not specifically identified on the agenda. Therefore, pursuant to Arizona Revised Statute §-431.01(I), at the conclusion of an open call to the public, individual members of the Board of Supervisors may respond to criticism made by those who have addressed the Board, may ask staff to review a matter or may ask that a matter be put on a future agenda for further discussion and decision at a future date.
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  • 5.  At any time during this meeting pursuant to A.R.S. §-431.02(K), members of the Board of Supervisors and the County Manager may present a brief summary of current events.  No action may be taken on the information presented.    WORK SESSION ITEMS:
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  • A.  Information/Discussion on critical operational and administrative deficiencies affecting the Russell Gulch and Buckhead Mesa landfills. (Thomas Goodman)
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  • B.  Information/Discussion of the consideration of the employment of a Gila County Public Works Department Director.(James Menlove)
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  • C.  Information/Discussion to consider the proposed Pleasant Valley Veterans Retreat fee structure and provide direction to staff regarding next steps. (Joseph Dickison)   IF SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS ARE NEEDED, PLEASE CONTACT THE RECEPTIONIST AT (928)5-3231 AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO ARRANGE THE ACCOMMODATIONS. FOR TTY, PLEASE DIAL1-1 TO REACH THE ARIZONA RELAY SERVICE AND ASK THE OPERATOR TO CONNECT YOU TO (928)5-3231. THE BOARD MAY VOTE TO HOLD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE BOARD’S ATTORNEY ON ANY MATTER LISTED ON THE AGENDA PURSUANT TO A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(3). THE ORDER OR DELETION OF ANY ITEM ON THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO MODIFICATION AT THE MEETING.
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Transcript

Event transcript
It is August. 00:00:00
18/20/25 It's 10:00. 00:00:02
I'm going to call this meeting to order and. 00:00:05
I've asked. 00:00:08
With our. 00:00:11
Landfills to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and then after that, Mister Montague. 00:00:13
Lead us in a prayer. 00:00:18
If you would stand. 00:00:19
And to the Republic for which it stands. 00:00:27
Nation under God. 00:00:30
Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:32
Dear my father. 00:00:44
We're thankful for this day. 00:00:45
We're thankful that the BLS is able to come together. 00:00:47
Who ask thee to give them your spirit that they listen to thee agenda items that they will bust. 00:00:50
No one is for the county. 00:00:55
And say these things, the new Jesus Christ. Amen. 00:00:57
Thank you. 00:01:00
I think we're going to have a. 00:01:05
For a schedule today, so why don't we just go ahead and. 00:01:06
It started with our. 00:01:09
Regular agenda items. 00:01:11
We have with us this morning the honorable. 00:01:14
Chairwoman of the. 00:01:16
Total, not total. You have a pie. 00:01:18
Apache Nation. 00:01:21
Tanya Lewis and also with her, Susan Montgomery. 00:01:22
And the item is information, discussion and action for the board. 00:01:27
Of supervisors to convey support for the Yavapai Apache Nation water rights settlement. 00:01:31
And authorized the board chairman to sign. 00:01:37
4 letters of support. 00:01:39
To different Congress people. 00:01:41
Eli Crane, Congressman David. 00:01:43
Schwerker, is that how you said? 00:01:52
Yeah, sorry. 00:01:54
Senator Mark Kelly and Senator Ruben Gallego. 00:01:56
So this item. 00:02:00
Is listed as my item I was asked. 00:02:02
To present this and so. 00:02:05
I think. 00:02:07
Chairwoman has a presentation, would you like to come? 00:02:08
Forward and do that and welcome. 00:02:12
Thank you for coming. 00:02:15
Thank you. I appreciate this. 00:02:16
Thank you for this opportunity. I appreciate it. 00:02:27
Chairman Christensen. 00:02:30
Vice Chair Klein. 00:02:31
And supervise my Humphrey. 00:02:33
Because this is very important in our tradition, I'd like to introduce myself and my in my language. 00:02:34
Before I begin my presentation. 00:02:40
She Tanya Lewis Jones. 00:02:44
Denton Schlemmer. 00:02:48
Standing walnut and sling. 00:02:50
She might eat the Louisiana. 00:02:52
She taught a Lyman, Louisiana. 00:02:54
Reddy Valley. Shakira here. 00:02:56
Good morning. My name is Tanya Lewis. I'm the chairwoman for the Ava Pai Apache Nation. 00:02:58
I am the daughter of the late Ethel and Lyman Lewis. 00:03:02
Arizona. 00:03:05
I am of the standing Walnut clan on our mother's side. We follow our. 00:03:06
We follow our mother's side where matriarchal society. 00:03:10
And my father is actually from the San Carlos Apache tribe, my late father. 00:03:13
He's from the Seven Mile District and then my mother is deep rooted in the Verde Valley, which is my clan, the standing Walnut 00:03:18
clan. 00:03:21
That we. 00:03:25
We come from the Verde Valley, so I just wanted to share that with you and thank you for this opportunity to present. 00:03:26
Our water settlement with you. 00:03:32
So to start it out, I have a map here to show everyone the ancestral Yavapai and Apache homeland and neighboring tribes in 00:03:36
Arizona. 00:03:40
So we have been here since time immemorial in the Verde Valley. As you can see, we started out our ancestral. 00:03:45
Territory of 16,000 square miles. 00:03:51
Send a green off to the left is our Yavapai. 00:03:54
Where we broke and then on that. 00:03:57
The right is the. 00:03:58
Apache area that we roam. As you can see that includes this area as well. 00:04:00
So we do have we are related to the San Carlos and the White Mountain. 00:04:05
Apache people as well as the Mescalero. 00:04:08
The. 00:04:11
And the tonsil Apache. 00:04:13
In 1871 to 1875, we were established the Camp Verde Indian Reservation in the Verde Valley. 00:04:16
Which was 900 square miles. That took us down from 16,000 square miles down to 900 square miles. 00:04:22
Of our area and this was done by Executive Order of President Ulysses Grant. 00:04:29
And then in 1875, we were forced removed by military. 00:04:34
To the San Carlos Reservation, where we were held as prisoners of war. 00:04:38
Over 20 years. 00:04:43
So we. 00:04:44
Gracefully started heading home in the early 1900s. 00:04:46
Meaning the Birdie Valley area. 00:04:49
And along the way. 00:04:51
Of course we stopped. This is where our relatives come in. 00:04:52
Some of us stayed here in San Carlos and some of us made the trip home. 00:04:55
And way. 00:04:59
And now today, as we stand now. 00:05:01
Our current reservation lands is 2.86 square miles. 00:05:04
So as you can see, we've gone down and down and down. 00:05:07
I want to share also to the importance that. 00:05:11
The first lands that we received from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 00:05:14
Was in the lower. 00:05:18
Areas umm. 00:05:20
And we had to. 00:05:21
Beg to have. 00:05:23
The federal government purchased the land in which it started. 00:05:25
Our homeland. 00:05:29
Development. 00:05:30
So we started there and now we are at the 2.86 square miles where we're at today. 00:05:31
Just as a history, we have bought back every single property that we have to date. 00:05:37
So we've worked. 00:05:43
Continuously we've worked hard previous leadership and. 00:05:44
Future leaderships will continue to do that. 00:05:47
Build our homelands is. 00:05:50
We know that. 00:05:52
We do not have enough land for our people. 00:05:53
And we are checkerboarding. 00:05:56
So we are not all in one contiguous area. 00:05:57
We are in. 00:06:00
We are in Clarkdale. 00:06:01
You're in Camp Verde. You're into me. 00:06:02
We are in Rimrock and lower camp. 00:06:04
And there's a Middlebury district as well, so we have 5 areas. 00:06:07
That we. 00:06:10
Have our homelands. 00:06:11
Currently, right now we have we did a historic land. 00:06:14
Exchange with the Forest Service, which was 3200 acres of land. 00:06:18
That was swapped with the Forest Service. 00:06:23
This has been over 30 years in the making. 00:06:25
So it's been wonderful to be able all the leadership before me, whether they're here with us or not. 00:06:28
To see that they had a vision for us to grow. 00:06:33
And it was wonderful. In November of 2024, we signed those documents with the Forest Service, which the land was exchanged with 00:06:36
us. 00:06:40
So out of the thirty 203,088. 00:06:44
Like Acres will go into trust so that has actually been made public notice on August 12th. We have a 30 day waiting period. 00:06:47
With the government. 00:06:55
To see if there's anything. 00:06:57
Any. 00:06:58
Or to that. 00:07:00
To move it into trust. 00:07:03
When we did the land exchange, we did have two public meetings that she had in Chino Valley and we also had in Cap Verde. 00:07:05
So it was able to bring all the. 00:07:11
The community together and if they had questions to clarify an understanding. So right now. 00:07:13
When the lands go into trust, that will take our homelands. 00:07:19
Back to 7.6. 00:07:22
Square miles. 00:07:23
So as you can see with on. 00:07:25
From 16,000 and we're going to set. 00:07:27
So this is just a few maps that you can see the 16,000. 00:07:31
Square miles down to 900 square miles. 00:07:35
And the little red dots is what we are at today. 00:07:39
So we've gone down significantly and this is basically. 00:07:43
On the right. 00:07:48
The information that I had shared and I remember the. 00:07:49
The documents that I have read back then, they called us chiefs and it was Chief Beecher. 00:07:52
That went to DC and asked the Bureau of Indian first. 00:07:57
To buy back the 1st. 00:08:00
First acres that the nation started with when we came back home in 1900s. When we came back home, we had nothing. 00:08:02
They absolutely nothing. 00:08:08
So as I shared, we have 18. 00:08:11
1809 acres in. 00:08:14
Existing reservation, which is the Clarkdale district as you can see on the very top. 00:08:16
As we go, as we travel. 00:08:20
East on the 260 we have the Middle Birdie District. 00:08:22
We have the Camp Verde district, we have the Montezuma district, That's where our casino is. 00:08:26
And then the. 00:08:31
Rimrock District. 00:08:32
Which is off. 00:08:34
Which as you go 17 more. 00:08:35
So these are the lands that are going into trust the green areas. So as you can see, they're contiguous to the Middle Verde 00:08:39
District and the Monas in the district. 00:08:43
So that is. 00:08:48
The large green area. 00:08:49
At the 17. 00:08:51
The corner that goes up, that is our economic development area that we signed an IGA with the town of Camp Verde. 00:08:52
Which is a collaborative work. 00:08:58
That we do with them, so it's been great building our relationships with the local communities, the town of Clarkdale, the town of 00:09:00
Cambridgeshire. 00:09:04
So what is being settled? 00:09:10
This is the Gila River adjudication case. So what it is doing is we have. 00:09:11
Settlement cases in our water rights in the Gila River adjudication. What this does is this gets us out of the healing River 00:09:17
adjudication claims. 00:09:21
That this is what we are asking for. This is our forever for my people. 00:09:25
And uh. 00:09:30
And of course it's. 00:09:31
It's extensive. It's a lot of money. 00:09:32
And this way it provides water certainty. 00:09:35
For the nation and our neighboring communities and. 00:09:38
The overall goal is to protect. 00:09:41
The Verde River, which is the. 00:09:43
Last free flowing river in the state of Arizona. 00:09:44
And our local ground and resources. 00:09:47
So the history, and this is very brief, we actually started. 00:09:52
Engaging in our water settlement in 1972. 00:09:55
So this has been going on for. 00:09:59
Over 50 years. 00:10:02
In 20. 00:10:04
2008. 00:10:05
Initiated a settlement discussion with Salt River Project, the State of Arizona and other parties. 00:10:07
In 2011, Department of Interior appointed as a federal negotiating team. 00:10:12
And we agreed to compromise the water settlement budget. 00:10:17
The challenge was how to find a water resource to meet the long term needs of the nation. 00:10:20
And protecting the local aquifers. 00:10:25
The Verdict River. 00:10:27
And the water resources in our neighboring communities. 00:10:28
In 2023, the. 00:10:31
The Bureau of Reclamation, with the input of the nation and settling parties, all of us together. 00:10:33
In one room, as you can imagine. 00:10:38
How exciting that was. 00:10:40
We conducted of how you planning study. 00:10:41
Which we looked at potential water resources. 00:10:43
To support our settlement. 00:10:47
So we sat in A room. 00:10:49
We agreed on. 00:10:50
Different. There was probably like 6. 00:10:52
Options that were put on the table. 00:10:54
And we went through them. 00:10:56
Vigorously. 00:10:58
And it was very painful. 00:10:59
We had all our hydrologists, we had all our. 00:11:01
Contractors. We had all the experts in the room, not just the nations. 00:11:05
At Salt River Projects, Bureau of Reclamation, this was actually a group team. 00:11:09
And then after doing everything, we all agreed upon the CC Kragen. 00:11:15
Dam reservoir that's that's owned by Reclamation and it's operated by Salt River. 00:11:19
Project So we actually have to import water into the Verde Valley. 00:11:24
Is what we all. 00:11:29
Agreed upon. 00:11:30
To be able to bring water in. 00:11:31
And that is? 00:11:33
The overall goal to keep The Dirty river running. 00:11:35
To protect the aquifer. 00:11:38
And the ground, the groundwater resources. 00:11:40
In the Vertebrae valley. 00:11:43
So as you can see up here, we have the settling parties, which is the nation. 00:11:45
The United States State of Arizona Salt River Project. The town of Camp Verde. The town of Clarkdale, City of Cottonwood. 00:11:49
And the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, which is the CEP. 00:11:56
So that's all of us that have all worked together. 00:12:00
Diligently. Umm. 00:12:03
And working. 00:12:05
All of us together, our hydrologists, our scientists. 00:12:06
Figuring out topography, everything. 00:12:11
That we worked on together. 00:12:13
So this is a 60 mile pipeline. As you can see on the map, there's a red line from the little turquoise area all the way down into 00:12:16
Camp Verde into the Middle Birdie district. 00:12:20
So it is. 00:12:26
All of this it will cross 4 service lands on existing roads and right of ways. 00:12:27
And when the pipeline comes down, the nation will build a new. 00:12:32
New water treatment plant. 00:12:37
Which is over where our it's on the I-17. 00:12:39
There's a Chevron right across the street from the casino. 00:12:42
There's a land that's right above it. It's black. 00:12:46
And that's where we would cook. 00:12:48
In the pipeline. 00:12:50
For the wastewater treatment plant. 00:12:52
And then they will also provide importer water service for our current and future growth of our reservation because this 00:12:54
settlement is. 00:12:57
This is it. This is what we need for our people. 00:13:01
For Homeland. 00:13:04
The congressional legislation includes an option to upsize the pipeline to deliver up to 1600 acre feet of Kragen water to benefit 00:13:06
the local communities. So in the agreements that we have, it states that they have five years from the date of the settlement. 00:13:13
Signage that if they would like. 00:13:20
To hook into this opportunity for water. 00:13:22
As we share, we are good neighbors. 00:13:25
And we're a good stewards to the land and water and by being a good neighbor. 00:13:28
It's being able to to work with our local communities as well. 00:13:32
And then what are the major benefits of the settlement? 00:13:39
As you can see, it protects the surface water in the Verde River. It's culturally important to the nation. 00:13:41
Serves an economic driver for the entire Verde Valley through tourism. 00:13:46
Provides a key water resource to neighboring and downstream communities. 00:13:50
Keeping in mind that there is a. 00:13:54
There's the biomass scenic downstream from us where his sister tried to stop. 00:13:57
River Hula. Indian community. 00:14:02
Community. Their water settlement is based off the Verde River. 00:14:04
Our relatives down South further. 00:14:07
The Fort McGowan Nation is also tied to the Verde River in their water settlements. 00:14:09
So that's why we're always very conscious of what the decisions we make. 00:14:14
Who is gonna affect and how it's gonna? 00:14:17
Effects and also protecting the animals in. 00:14:19
That are downstream from us as well. 00:14:22
We project the limited ground. 00:14:25
Groundwater supply in the Verde Valley by limiting future groundwater pumping by the nation. Camp Birdie, Clarkdale and Cottonwood 00:14:26
supporting smart growth. 00:14:31
So right now. 00:14:35
We have. 00:14:37
When we build our homes. 00:14:38
In our communities, you can tell which homes have been there for a while because they have longs and things like that. 00:14:40
Going forward in our community and to me, we actually do 0 escaping. 00:14:45
So if we're asking our neighbors to be responsible. 00:14:50
We need to be responsible. 00:14:53
As well. So we work together on that. 00:14:54
And we provide an option for neighboring communities to also use their Craig and imported water as I shared they have. 00:14:57
Five year option whether? 00:15:03
They like to opt in or opt out. 00:15:05
So with the in stream flow. 00:15:10
It was very. 00:15:12
Important to the nation. 00:15:13
And my late uncle, Vincent Randall. 00:15:16
He has passed. 00:15:19
It was in. 00:15:22
He passed in December of 2023. 00:15:24
And it's been very difficult. He was a man of integrity. 00:15:26
He was my mentor, he was my school. 00:15:30
Orders and he always told me. 00:15:32
That him and other elders that had passed on. 00:15:35
It is important to preserve the in stream flow. 00:15:39
For our cultural purposes. 00:15:42
It is important to never forget who we are aware without. 00:15:45
It is always important to protect them. 00:15:48
So everyone. 00:15:51
Who has come before me in leadership? 00:15:53
We have been told that that. 00:15:55
And it's been understood by us and even those coming forward. 00:15:56
We this is very important to the nation to recognize. 00:16:00
Our culture and significance ties to the river. 00:16:04
So the. 00:16:08
The settlement calls for a minimum in stream flow to be maintained at the Verde River at the Middlebury district on the 00:16:09
reservation. 00:16:13
It had a healthy ecosystem of flowing. 00:16:16
Verde River supports plants and animals apart. 00:16:19
Cultural, traditional and religious importance to the nation. 00:16:21
A flowing river that brings wildlife, recreation and. 00:16:25
And economic opportunity for the entire Verde Valley. 00:16:28
Just finished in the entire. 00:16:31
So these are. 00:16:35
Photos This is my niece. 00:16:36
Dance her ceremony Naias. 00:16:38
This is our coming of age ceremony for women. These are done. 00:16:41
Down by the river and our ceremonial grounds. 00:16:44
The river plays a significant importance to this as the. 00:16:47
As river provides the life. 00:16:50
To all of us. 00:16:52
All the all the Goa is her home, which is the middle photo that they're building. 00:16:54
Akawa is what we learn. 00:16:59
To do to build. 00:17:02
When we build shelter, the goat is not only just a. 00:17:03
That's our hub, that's our sanctuary, that's where we feel safe. 00:17:06
That's. 00:17:10
That's where we gather. 00:17:11
This is where we raise our children. 00:17:12
This is where we. 00:17:14
We discipline our children. This is where we build our family. 00:17:15
So it's very important. And the girl. 00:17:18
Builds this on her own and these are taken by the Cottonwood trees along the river. 00:17:20
So when we. 00:17:26
We take the Cottonwood trees along the river. We pray with Han Din, which is the cattail, the yellow powder, the yellow pawn. 00:17:27
How many time would you take something from the earth? 00:17:34
We pray. 00:17:37
And bless the ground. 00:17:38
That it's there for the next person who needs it. 00:17:40
That is with our medicines. 00:17:42
That is with the. 00:17:44
The trees, that is, for the animals. 00:17:44
That is everything that we do. 00:17:47
That is what it means to be a good stewards of the land. 00:17:49
With these, not only do we use the Cottonwood trees along the river, we also use the Willow trees and the cat. 00:17:52
That we use in our ceremonies. What are the the burden basketwood? 00:17:58
Terrace Christensen has at his desk right now. 00:18:04
As made out of catclaw and Willow and the buckskin. 00:18:06
From the male deer. 00:18:09
That we use that. 00:18:10
And we? 00:18:12
We use that together. 00:18:14
And we use that for ceremony and then we use that to teach our young, our young lady, our young woman. 00:18:15
The importance of life. 00:18:20
Because this is a four day of strenuous. 00:18:21
Fair faith integrity. 00:18:23
Strength in any way possible because we all know as adults and as we get older. 00:18:27
Life is hard. 00:18:32
Life is difficult, but this teaches her. 00:18:33
How to deal with these? 00:18:35
In a positive manner, In a faithful manner. 00:18:37
In which she. 00:18:40
She learns this. 00:18:41
And with the gone, when we say our prayers and as we dance. 00:18:44
That they be heard. 00:18:47
And that they go up. 00:18:49
They go up to the Creator. 00:18:50
And he answers our prayers. 00:18:52
And that's what the ceremony is so important. 00:18:55
And that's why we it it. 00:18:58
This is what ties us to the industry and flow of the Verde River. 00:19:00
This is what brings to our attention that we need to take care of it, because if it takes care of. 00:19:03
If we take care of it, it takes care of us. 00:19:08
We have. 00:19:10
Wild spinach that grows we have the onions we have. 00:19:11
Of course, the natural habitat as well that lives along the river. 00:19:14
We need to protect them as well. 00:19:17
And then the. 00:19:19
Just to make sure that. 00:19:20
It's taken care of. 00:19:22
For generations to come, today our. 00:19:23
Our children, our grandchildren, those yet to be here with us. 00:19:25
This is a quote from our late. 00:19:31
Elder Mary Sign as long as the river flows. 00:19:33
Life will be good. 00:19:36
Because we take care of it, it takes care of us. 00:19:39
And I strongly believe that. 00:19:41
I believe in everything that we do. I believe in our cultural, our culture and our traditions. 00:19:44
I want to share with you that I did not grow up with my culture or my language. My mother spoke Alva Clive fluently and she was 00:19:49
raised in the church. 00:19:52
And we are. We are raised in the Baptist Church. 00:19:56
My father was a traditional man, an Apache man who spoke the language, but my mother chose us to raise us. I call it modern. 00:19:59
So we were raised in the church. 00:20:06
Were raised in the Baptist Church. 00:20:08
Were still in that church today. 00:20:10
But we also uphold our culture and traditions as well. 00:20:12
And my family. 00:20:15
And because I was not raised in that. 00:20:16
I had to send my children up to White Mountain to our family where my son. 00:20:19
Took on the tradition. 00:20:23
When there's not much more I can do. When our little boys act out. 00:20:25
I sent him up there and he came back to the man he is today. He's 32 years old and a successful entrepreneur. 00:20:29
My daughter the same way I went through ceremony. These are things I didn't get to have, but I had to send them to relatives to 00:20:34
learn. 00:20:37
My daughter went through Nyans. 00:20:41
It was beautiful, it was wonderful. It goes to show how strong she was. Her godmother is always there for her, to protect her and 00:20:43
guide her in her godfather. 00:20:47
It's been wonderful to see all our young women go through us, go through this. 00:20:52
My daughter is now at. 00:20:56
And a huge is 21 and she's starting her. 00:20:57
Dental hygiene career. 00:21:00
So it's very exciting to see how. 00:21:02
How we all know how the blessings come to us. 00:21:05
To our families, to our people. 00:21:08
To our community. 00:21:09
And to protect it, and to always. 00:21:11
Only speak for it and believe in it. 00:21:14
So this water settlement is a win win across the board we have. 00:21:16
Full support from all our settlement parties. 00:21:21
We the only one that needs to sign their water settlement is the city. 00:21:24
Hotmail. They've had some. 00:21:27
They have they have new council, they have a new mayor, they have new leadership. 00:21:29
And prior to that, they had, they had a little. 00:21:33
They had a moment in put in their government, but I'm glad to see that they're doing. 00:21:36
They're doing well. 00:21:40
I do work with all the local communities. It's been great. It's been wonderful to be able to sit with your Christianson. 00:21:42
And spend time with him. 00:21:48
And to come up to paste in and do that, and it's an honor. 00:21:49
And very humbling to be to stand here before the Hewlett County Board of Supervisors. 00:21:54
To share this with you and seek your support of the nations Water Song. 00:21:59
Thank you. We're here. 00:22:04
I think the chairwoman and we're going to have some questions, I'm sure so. 00:22:05
I did. 00:22:09
Want to let you refer to this. This was given to me by. 00:22:11
Tono Apaches and which are your. 00:22:16
Relatives, your ancestors, etc. 00:22:20
And the past chairman? 00:22:23
Jerry Nicholas. 00:22:25
Gave that to me and so. 00:22:27
I didn't bring it to be a display, but since you mentioned it, I. 00:22:30
And it's and. 00:22:33
The way it's made and everything has significance. 00:22:34
But I went out, you know, because the Apache seemed to come from all around and they liked to pick the acorns from the. 00:22:37
Oaks and. 00:22:43
That's kind of a thing if you don't understand. 00:22:44
The Emory oaks and the struggles that they're going through with those trees now to make sure that they survive. 00:22:47
So we've got a few on the property in. 00:22:54
Basin and at my home and so I decided, why don't I just fill them up with acorns right there? 00:22:56
And uh. 00:23:03
So several hours later. 00:23:04
I gotta say. 00:23:07
I finally got it. 00:23:08
And so I gave that to you. 00:23:10
To make your traditional. 00:23:12
Meals and stuff out of it, but. 00:23:14
That's a lot of hard work and we have people come from. 00:23:16
The White Mountains and everything. 00:23:18
Intubation to do that. 00:23:20
So thanks for the presentation. 00:23:22
And let's open it up. 00:23:25
And I've learned so much from you so. 00:23:27
The chairwoman and I have have. 00:23:30
Lengthy discussions regarding Fossil Creek, which is another matter. 00:23:32
Completely. We're not talking about that today. 00:23:36
And so I've learned a lot about. 00:23:39
Your culture and the past and everything so. 00:23:41
Umm. The presentation today. Just kind of. 00:23:44
Touches the edges. 00:23:47
Some of that so. 00:23:48
Supervisor. 00:23:50
Humphrey. 00:23:51
Thank you very much for being here today. 00:23:53
I appreciate your presentation. 00:23:57
And with your presentation, I have no question. 00:23:59
You answered a lot of questions and a lot of history and. 00:24:03
What you're trying to do so? 00:24:07
Have no question. 00:24:09
Thank you. Thank you, supervisor. Supervisor. 00:24:11
Chairwoman Lewis, thank you for being here. 00:24:14
It's really good to see you and to meet you. 00:24:17
I do have questions. 00:24:22
So start with the. 00:24:24
The idea of. 00:24:28
Of tapping into CC. 00:24:31
With another pipeline. 00:24:33
And as you both know, CC Kragen is real vital. 00:24:35
County. 00:24:39
It supplies paste in. It supplies a tunnel, Apaches and face in and. 00:24:41
And that is most of our water. 00:24:46
Is right there coming out CC Kragen. 00:24:49
Cissy Craig's not very big. 00:24:52
And so. 00:24:56
I'm hesitant to put another straw into CC again. 00:25:01
And I respect all your traditions, as you know I have. 00:25:06
Three reservations on me. 00:25:10
San Carlos. 00:25:13
White Mountain Apaches and the Tunnel Apache so I'm very familiar with. 00:25:14
Both familiar as I can be. 00:25:18
With the. 00:25:20
Traditional culture and. 00:25:22
Traditions and things so. 00:25:25
But I do respect all that. 00:25:27
But I have some grave concerns over the water. 00:25:28
In the supply of the water. 00:25:32
Obviously. 00:25:34
If you go through this settlement, and you very well may. 00:25:35
And there's going to be a trade off. 00:25:39
SRP is gonna. 00:25:41
Give you water basically out of CC. 00:25:44
My question is, is what's SRP going to do with the water that you are now taking out of the Verde Valley? Where is it going to go? 00:25:48
They're just going to keep going down. 00:25:56
Stream or. 00:25:58
Or how is that designed and what's? 00:26:00
So this is Sue Montgomery, our water attorney, in. 00:26:05
Thank you for asking that questions. 00:26:09
Oh yeah. 00:26:10
And a longtime resident of Payson and actually watched the pipeline being built over Washington Park Supervisor. 00:26:11
First, let me address that. 00:26:18
The concern about straws because. 00:26:19
It's a natural concern. 00:26:21
Understand when CC Kragen, which we all call Blue Bridge when we went back up, right? 00:26:24
Hanging out and. 00:26:29
Kayaking and doing all the fun stuff up there. 00:26:30
That reservoir was. 00:26:33
Operated by felt such. 00:26:35
When the reservoir was turned over. 00:26:37
To Reclamation to operate and be operated by Salt River Project. 00:26:39
That was in the Arizona Water Settlements Act of 2000. 00:26:44
For in that. 00:26:47
There was an allocation. I wish I had a slide but. 00:26:48
If you imagine it like a. 00:26:51
Like a glass of wire. 00:26:53
Or a bucket of water. 00:26:54
Whatever, there was an allocation by Congress. 00:26:56
To northern Gila County communities. 00:26:59
That allocation. 00:27:01
Includes the pace and allocation. 00:27:03
That cannot be touched. 00:27:05
As a result. 00:27:06
Of the Avipai settlement. 00:27:07
Because the Yavapai settlement. 00:27:08
Is out of. 00:27:10
The separate. 00:27:11
Part of the reservoir, in other words. 00:27:12
There is a set allocation for Payson. 00:27:14
And that's part of the reservoir. 00:27:16
There is an additional side of the reservoir. 00:27:18
Mount of the reservoir. 00:27:20
That is operated by Salt River Project in the United States is going to acquire a piece of that Salt River Project water. 00:27:22
Is not out of the northern Hill County bucket. 00:27:28
And it is that piece that will be. 00:27:31
Basically brought through the pipeline. 00:27:33
And then I'll answer your second question. 00:27:35
Brought through the pipeline. 00:27:37
It will be delivered to a surface water drinking plant. 00:27:38
And that means it'll be treated. 00:27:41
And used for portable. 00:27:43
Uses that also allows. 00:27:44
The allocation for Kragen. 00:27:47
That the Yavapai has under the settlement has to be used on their reservation. 00:27:50
And they will use it for. 00:27:54
Potable water purposes. They'll drink it. 00:27:55
What that does is it. 00:27:58
It eliminates, of course, all the conflict. 00:28:00
About the tribe's claims. 00:28:03
And it protects sources in the Verde because they're not going to be pumping. 00:28:05
That future amount of water that they need right by this. 00:28:08
So it's going to be. 00:28:11
Consume via drinking, but it'll also then go. 00:28:12
To a wastewater treatment plant which we are going to reclaim the water and use it on our farming fields. 00:28:15
So what kind of guarantees? 00:28:20
I would assume that. 00:28:23
That northern Gila County with that settlement originally in 04. 00:28:24
Yeah, his first in time and 1st in right. 00:28:28
Well, it's a little different because you're and I'm not trying to be sneaky. 00:28:31
But it's it's not. 00:28:37
1st in time and 1st in right is sort of that idea of water rights for beneficial use. This is about how much water goes into the 00:28:38
reservoir. 00:28:41
Right when it goes into the reservoir. 00:28:45
That allocation to northern Hill County, including Payson. 00:28:47
Is not in any way impacted by the other allocation. 00:28:50
For the apple pie Apache. 00:28:53
And on Salt River Project. 00:28:55
Has worked closely with the town of Payson. 00:28:57
And we understand we're getting actually under letter of support from the town of Payson. I have not seen it yet. 00:28:59
So that's on Salt River Project purposes I'm. 00:29:04
I'm not working on that piece of it. 00:29:07
But we do not see an impact. SRP does not see an impact. 00:29:10
And I'd be happy to connect you directly with Salt River Project and they could actually. 00:29:13
Give you that graphic I'm. 00:29:17
Visualizing my head, which isn't helping you at all. 00:29:18
And walk you through it if that would be helpful. 00:29:21
I don't don't worry about that. I have contact with SRP. 00:29:24
I see it to trade off. 00:29:28
And, and like I said, I totally respect your your traditions and what you're thinking on the river. 00:29:29
I really like that. 00:29:34
But but you gotta understand my concern. 00:29:36
My concern is for Gila County. 00:29:38
Absolutely. 00:29:40
And that's first and foremost. 00:29:41
And and also when I think about a reservoir. 00:29:43
Green Lake Reservoir, if I say Blue Ridge Reservoir anymore, nobody knows. I know exactly what you're saying, so I can't call it 00:29:47
CC. So it's CC Craig and usually, but. 00:29:51
But I think of a reservoir like we have. 00:29:56
This much? 00:29:59
When I think of the Verde River, Salt River, any of these rivers. 00:30:01
You have. 00:30:06
This much? 00:30:07
Watershed. 00:30:08
And an ability to. 00:30:09
To collect water. 00:30:11
So my worry, and I think I'm legit in this, especially today because we all see our weather patterns have changed. 00:30:14
Water is a huge, huge issue. 00:30:21
Right now. 00:30:23
And what does that mean for us going forward? 00:30:24
You know, town of Pacin, the ton of Apaches. 00:30:29
I know they have all got ideas of some growth and bringing more people in. 00:30:33
Patients kind of landlocked. 00:30:38
But the tribe there's looking at? 00:30:40
Acquiring some land, additional land. So there's some growth being thought about around. 00:30:42
As well. 00:30:47
With basically any community that's just saying Arizona. 00:30:49
So when I think about that and I think about, OK, we have this. 00:30:52
Water reservoir. 00:30:56
How much? 00:30:58
In it supply. 00:30:59
Where? Where's the limits to what it can do? 00:31:02
Without running somebody really short. 00:31:06
Yeah, and Supervisor I the reservoir itself is subject to. 00:31:09
Precipitation and implementation. 00:31:13
Particular and we've done a lot of modeling, technical modeling and particular snowmelt. 00:31:15
And and some other things. So the reservoir is going to produce. What it produces is a very productive reservoir, as you know. 00:31:19
But it will produce what it produces in the At the end of the day, though, the allocation for the town of Payson is secured. 00:31:27
And the volume the patient is entitled to. 00:31:34
Which will be coming through that pipeline? 00:31:36
Will be achieved to the extent. 00:31:38
The water is in the reservoir. 00:31:41
You know, if the water isn't in the reservoir, the water is not in the reservoir. 00:31:42
Like, you know, that's a tough situation. We had that this year, we had this couple other years. 00:31:45
Back with a lack of snow belt. 00:31:50
And that's just a big. 00:31:52
Productive so. 00:31:53
So my hats off to you for having those meetings over water because I understand what you're saying. That's like watching paint 00:31:55
dry. 00:31:57
Hey, but you know. 00:32:00
So, uh. 00:32:03
But, but let me ask you, because you're the lawyer, one of the lawyers. 00:32:04
Yes, I am. 00:32:08
Water gets low. 00:32:09
Who gets turned off 1st? 00:32:10
That's a really good question, but I don't think it works that way. 00:32:14
If the water gets well, let me just say. 00:32:17
If the water gets low on May 1st, patient is going to get. 00:32:19
The allocation they're entitled to from their side. 00:32:22
There's not. 00:32:25
Turning off relative one or the other. 00:32:27
So are you telling me there's a way in CC Kragen that that's divided, I mean? 00:32:30
Physically, umm. 00:32:34
It's ultimately going to be. 00:32:36
The allocation that comes out of the side of the road with. 00:32:38
Part of the reservoir. 00:32:40
That is allocated to the northern Gila County communities. I am not the engineer. So now now I'm getting outside my water world 00:32:42
and into engineering land, which I can't I. 00:32:46
Rather not try to do. 00:32:51
Again, happy to connect you and give you. I could have SRP give you this in granular detail. 00:32:53
With their engineers and they would do a much better job than me. 00:32:58
Yeah, well. 00:33:01
I do have some issues with it. 00:33:04
I really do. 00:33:06
And it's a tough position to be in because it's not that I don't want to support the Yavapai Apache, that's not the case. 00:33:07
But first and foremost, I have to support Gila County. 00:33:14
And so. 00:33:17
That's my concern. 00:33:18
And especially in today's time, we haven't seen the smoke packs. 00:33:20
For a long time. 00:33:24
And that's in the issue for everything. 00:33:25
I get it. I understand that. 00:33:28
But. 00:33:30
So thank you very much and thank you so much for coming today. 00:33:32
And it's nice to meet you. 00:33:36
Thank you, supervisor. And so Susan, don't get too comfortable. 00:33:40
Oh, OK. 00:33:43
Miss Montgomery. 00:33:46
So. 00:33:47
I'm still not clear. 00:33:50
Think I understand. 00:33:51
What Superfund the client is trying to ask? 00:33:52
I'm going to try and ask it in a different way. 00:33:55
OK. So this is CC Craig. And sometimes it's full, sometimes it's half full. 00:33:57
And Payson gets 3000 acre feet. 00:34:03
1600 acre feet to the yawn. 00:34:07
And so. 00:34:09
I don't know who else. 00:34:11
Brings water out of that reservoir. 00:34:12
So as the reservoir gets more and more depleted. 00:34:15
And the allocations become. 00:34:18
Percentage. 00:34:20
Of the acre feet. 00:34:21
Listen, is that correct? 00:34:23
That is correct relative to the allocation for patients and that is true also free alpha patch. So if the water doesn't exist for 00:34:25
Payson, they're not going to pull out 3000 acre feet. 00:34:29
SRP is going to say your allocation right now is 1500 and they wouldn't do it anyways. 00:34:34
Like as we sit right now. 00:34:40
If the allocation. 00:34:42
If the water is not there, a patient is only gonna get. 00:34:43
The percentage they're gonna get. 00:34:46
And I can't speak to Payson's agreement. 00:34:47
It is a separate agreement, but that allocation comes out of the Northern Territory. 00:34:49
OK, so then the second. 00:34:53
Part of that question is the 1600 acre feet. 00:34:55
Was that previously allocated to another? 00:34:58
Entity. 00:35:03
And was it being used? 00:35:04
No. So you have to understand the percentage that goes to northern HeLa County is a, is a. 00:35:07
Fractionary part. 00:35:12
Of the overall reservoir. 00:35:13
The remaining water in that reservoir is SRP's allocation. 00:35:14
For it to do with what it wishes OK and. 00:35:18
To the point of. 00:35:21
Supervisor Klein. 00:35:22
Right now. 00:35:23
You know what they do with it if they don't ever you they drain it, they run it down East Verde and they put it in their own 00:35:25
reservoir. 00:35:27
Areas and that doesn't help. 00:35:30
Field County either. 00:35:32
Right. Umm. 00:35:33
That's that's the way the 2004. 00:35:35
Allocation in the transferred SRP. 00:35:38
Works, so there is a significant amount. 00:35:41
In the reservoir right now, that is. 00:35:43
Sits with SRP and has not been allocated to others. 00:35:45
OK. And that is a substantial part of the? 00:35:48
Very good and just and I'll get it. 00:35:51
Hang on the. 00:35:54
So yes, and occasionally they do run the water down the east birdie. 00:35:55
It ends up in the hurry. 00:36:00
And it never settles in. 00:36:02
Eva, Tony. 00:36:05
I'm just. 00:36:08
Trying to clarify. 00:36:10
The possible? 00:36:11
Impact umm. 00:36:13
Of the 1600 additional acre. 00:36:14
To the allocation to Payson. 00:36:18
Do you know how many acre feet are available? 00:36:20
At any given time. 00:36:22
To be pulled out of CC credit I would have to pull that number up. I don't want to say it cuz I don't want to be wrong but I will 00:36:24
tell you what. 00:36:27
When you're saying the 1600, are you referring to the additional allocation of the allocation for yellow? 00:36:31
The the Yavapai. 00:36:36
Even the allocation for the Yavapai Apache and if there were. 00:36:38
The decision by local communities in the Verde Valley. 00:36:42
To acquire that water. 00:36:45
Again, uh. 00:36:46
That is not coming out. 00:36:47
Of the portion and the per share share. 00:36:49
That goes to pacing that is from the larger overall application and I can follow up and give. 00:36:51
Miss Wilds the correct number for. 00:36:56
Patient I did not bring my laptop in so but I have my car so I will send it over OK. 00:36:59
All right. Yeah, we'll just try to understand. So supervisor client. 00:37:04
When you brought up the fact that turning some of that water down these birdies and going down SRP so. 00:37:07
When you guys make this deal with SRP? 00:37:12
The settlement is done. 00:37:16
Is SRP gonna give up on taking so much water out of CC Kragen to send it to Phoenix or how's that gonna work? 00:37:18
Well understand what will happen is the United States will a. 00:37:25
Wire on behalf of the apple pie. 00:37:29
A portion. 00:37:31
A small portion. 00:37:33
Of SRPS. 00:37:35
Allocation. 00:37:36
On that side of the Ledger of the reservoir. 00:37:37
Perhaps in the distance if their water is short, it might limit some of that water going through E 30, but it's. 00:37:40
It's just dependent on each year and I can't really say. 00:37:46
I really wishing you'd tell me that was the case and they're not going to send so much down there. 00:37:49
I'll just tell you the heartache I have with it. 00:37:53
That valley continues to grow and it's going to be on the expense of all of us, including Yavapai Apache. 00:37:56
That's, that's the, that's one of the big heartaches I have. 00:38:02
You know, like. 00:38:06
And I don't see. 00:38:08
The lower end of Arizona. 00:38:11
Given in to anything. 00:38:13
They just reach out broader and broader and. 00:38:15
More supplies. 00:38:17
You're you are right. And I will tell you I've been a longtime member of the Arizona Water Finance Authority. 00:38:19
Right Infrastructure Authority of Arizona. 00:38:24
And in that role, I'm no longer on the role, but in that role. 00:38:27
I I represented Halo County. 00:38:30
And fought like. 00:38:32
Heck, to ensure. 00:38:33
That Gila County got a conservation dollars. 00:38:35
That are small irrigation folks. 00:38:38
And our small communities. 00:38:40
Receive the benefit. 00:38:42
Equal to. 00:38:44
What they get down in Phoenix. 00:38:45
And it was a fight like heck because they are growing and their tentacles are everywhere. 00:38:47
That's why this settlement is so important for the Verde Valley, though. 00:38:51
And we would say. 00:38:54
Important for the state as a whole. 00:38:56
Because what it's doing is. It is. 00:38:57
Benefiting rural communities, it is benefiting. 00:38:59
Not only Yavapai Apache. 00:39:02
But uh. 00:39:04
Camp Birdie, Clarkdale, Cottonwood and it's providing them all. 00:39:05
Potential alternative source? 00:39:08
That can help. 00:39:10
Protect their resources in the long term. 00:39:11
That that's a, that's a win. 00:39:14
And fighting SRP, as you may imagine, is a. 00:39:15
I have been fighting them. 00:39:18
Frankly, don't quote me on this even though the public. 00:39:19
I've been fighting them for over 25 years and achieving a settlement with them. 00:39:21
With the state of Arizona. 00:39:27
With CAP and with our local communities. 00:39:28
Is a benefit to the state because it resolves a huge piece of litigation. 00:39:31
And uncertainty. 00:39:35
For part of rural Arizona. 00:39:36
And I stand by that, Sir. 00:39:38
Really an amazing part of this settlement. 00:39:40
And I understand what you're saying and and I understand the benefits and the support this would bring to that. 00:39:42
Birdie Valley down there. 00:39:49
And in the pluses it'll bring. 00:39:50
But what pluses does it give to Gila County? 00:39:54
I don't think it hurts. 00:39:56
I don't know if it gives her plus except for that as a statewide matter it helps to resolve issues. 00:39:58
And I think that's a matter. 00:40:03
The benefits of communities. 00:40:05
At all counties. 00:40:06
Well, you, you have a way of putting this in the hot seat, you know that? 00:40:11
You know so. 00:40:15
I, I I I'm back to what I said a while ago. 00:40:18
I totally admire what you're doing. 00:40:21
And you're pushing for your people. 00:40:23
And everything over there. I really, really do. 00:40:26
I was. 00:40:30
Yeah, and I understand a lot of what you're saying. SRP is a pretty big machine. 00:40:31
And it's really big and if there was a better trade off that I could see. 00:40:38
Like, you know. 00:40:43
Water goes to Yavapai Apaches. Water goes Tunnel Apaches and Payson. 00:40:44
And we don't turn the sticket on very much on the East Verde. 00:40:49
That that would be a plus. 00:40:54
But I don't. 00:40:56
Trust that to be the case. 00:40:58
I really don't. 00:41:00
But we want you to be assured. 00:41:01
Supervisor. 00:41:03
And so if I need to do anything to facilitate a granular conversation, so you have that level of assurance, certainly that's 00:41:04
something we can facilitate and make happen. 00:41:08
Because I stand here today, I don't think it's harms. 00:41:13
I, I agree with that because thank you supervisor client for bringing that up because. 00:41:17
Those are questions. 00:41:21
We had to. 00:41:22
Because we, we don't we this, we do not want this water set on there. 00:41:23
To do any harm. 00:41:27
To anyone, no one. 00:41:28
We did. That's the whole thing. 00:41:30
When we look at. 00:41:32
Going to do this, this and this. 00:41:33
You don't want anybody to be harmed. 00:41:35
In any way? 00:41:37
And so that's. 00:41:38
I think that graph that Sue is referring to. 00:41:40
I think that'll help. 00:41:43
Because. 00:41:44
I know for me, I was trying to wrap my head around it for a minute and I was like, well, this doesn't make sense. Like. 00:41:45
You need to show me again and. 00:41:50
I would look at it and read it and then they will go over it with me. I thought I had to go through it. 00:41:52
It wasn't just like a one time thing. 00:41:57
But then it made sense and I'm like OK, as long as there's no. 00:41:59
Harm than to anyone. 00:42:02
That's the main thing. 00:42:04
And of course with the reservoir it's all based off. 00:42:05
The the rainfall, the precipitation, we've done studies on those that we've done years out and we just. 00:42:09
We looked at every possible angle. 00:42:16
For everybody across the board. 00:42:18
And that's that's why I said there were six options on the table. 00:42:20
And we're going into different subtitles. We're like, I don't know how, we're just. 00:42:23
We're losing our minds, so we just said we're. 00:42:28
These are the options and this is the best box. 00:42:30
And that's all of us sitting in the room. 00:42:33
All of us at the table with all the attorneys, all the. 00:42:35
The hydrologist on. 00:42:39
People doing topography, everybody that did everything. 00:42:40
And attorneys. 00:42:43
The lobby, like everybody in the room and that's. 00:42:45
All of us from. 00:42:48
Interior from. 00:42:49
State of Arizona. 00:42:51
CAP and. 00:42:52
SRP the towns. 00:42:54
Like everybody in the room. 00:42:57
That's why I said it was. 00:42:59
Quite the quite the action with all of us. 00:43:02
Sometimes you do, you just have to walk out of the room for a minute. 00:43:05
Like before you. 00:43:07
Pull somebody across the table, but I mean. 00:43:09
That's what negotiations are. 00:43:11
That's what we do. It's a give and take. 00:43:12
And our Tribal Council is fully aware of the steps taken all the way through. 00:43:15
That are give and takes to the nation to have to do as well. 00:43:18
They were difficult ones. 00:43:22
But we believe, we believe in the settlement. 00:43:25
Thank you for that question. 00:43:27
And I do respect your concern. 00:43:29
I do and I know that. 00:43:31
It's important with the role that you have. 00:43:33
We have similar roles. 00:43:36
Our responsibilities to make sure that people are OK. 00:43:37
So one thing and I'm a firm believer of is especially when it comes to rural areas and you are a rural area as well. 00:43:43
You know we can't do anything alone. 00:43:50
Right. And so? 00:43:53
Please keep that in mind. 00:43:57
I believe that I'm a firm believer in that. I sat with them at the table as many at times and I say I always admire the expertise 00:44:01
in the room, the knowledge. 00:44:04
They would be like, oh, this happened in this case or this happened in that case, and you need to be mindful of this. 00:44:09
ABC. 00:44:15
And I said we can't do this. 00:44:17
We need everybody. 00:44:19
We do this together. 00:44:20
That's how it's been all the way through, it said. We have to do this together. 00:44:22
You are right, you're correct. 00:44:25
My executive assistant right there, Kathy Melvin, and she'll get your. 00:44:29
Your number and stuff anymore? 00:44:33
Because I will be calling you to have that meeting with SRP. 00:44:35