Digging-Deeper: Know Your Water + Water-Rights

Don't really intend to be silly or light-hearted about water rights and water, but it is the most precious commodity here in the Desert Southwest.
Here in Arizona in what we now call The Salt River Valley, ancient indigenous cultures created a vast system of canal networks over the centuries before the arrival of new 'Pioneers'. They expanded the open canals to supply natural water resources, converted to private-ownership or municipal control to build vast fortunes for agricultural lands and ranches. After World War II those same lands were needed to create large tracts of housing for Suburban Sprawl and shopping centers and for new industries. Irrigation districts had to be created. Water usage increased. Groundwater had to be tapped into. Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants had to get built. Planning for the future, the city of Mesa once owned 11,400 acres in Pinal County called the Mesa Water Farm. That acreage - and the water-rights - were sold off to Saints Holding Company.  
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For the purposes of this post, there's all too much history to tread into now.
You can use the Search box on the landing page to retrieve all of the posts that were published.
The most recent entries are about the huge amounts of water needed by more than six new or planned data centers along the Elliott Road Tech Corridor, as well as for industrial, commercial and manufacturing users in Southeast Mesa.
There's been a 20-year Drought in the East Valley. It's once again growing fast.
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West of the Continental Divide, there's a noted demarcation in the geography where there's less than 20 inches rainfall annually.
Readers of this blog can also note there is a very distinct different pattern of what are defined as water rights in the nation's westward expansion.
Homesteading and Water Settlement Acts were the federal government incentives to lay claim to tracts of lands and territories. More than anything else, that's what led to the colonizing of Mesa and The Salt River Valley by family groups in wagon trains sent by Joseph Smith from Salt Lake City.
Their mission was to expand the Kingdom of Deseret here to create The New Zion.
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Know your rights:

ADWR to roll out new “interactive” groundwater-rights web map system 

Published: January 4, 2019

The process of providing property owners with detailed information about their groundwater rights has played out almost unchanged for decades.

It has been slow.

And cumbersome.

And inconvenient to people holding a right to use groundwater.

That is now changing. In mid-January, the Arizona Department of Water Resources’ website will feature a new “interactive” search map that – for the first time – will allow the public to conveniently access geographical and other data about their groundwater rights.

Prepared by the Department’s Active Management Area (AMA) section with the assistance of ADWR’s IT specialists, the new interactive map will assist the holders of groundwater rights – an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 landowners – with information regarding the location and boundaries of their groundwater rights, as well as a wealth of other data, including

• image information and aerial views
• the number of acres included in each right
• the annual allotment of each right

The system provides layers of maps that, for example, allow a viewer to determine how a parcel of land lines up with groundwater rights, or to determine which rights (or how many) are within a given sub-basin.

The system was designed with the intent of providing a way to determine if a parcel of land has a grandfathered right appurtenant to it.

Specifically, the Grandfathered Right (GFR) Web Map, as it is known, is an interactive map intended for use by owners and lessees of irrigation grandfathered groundwater rights and of “Type 1” non-irrigation GFRs.

The map also should prove useful to buyers and sellers of land within an AMA, among others. 

The map shows

• the boundaries of all active GFRs
• the type of each GFR (for example, whether the GFR is for irrigation
• Type 1 non-irrigation
• exempt small rights, or other uses)
• It also will indicate if a GFR has been extinguished and/or developed.

In addition to providing detailed information to those holding groundwater rights, the map’s developers anticipate it will be of value to water providers and irrigation districts as well – indeed, any entity seeking information about groundwater rights within its service area.

ADWR’s Active Management Area section regularly fields questions about the boundaries of groundwater rights. Until now, someone seeking information would have to wait for the Department’s personnel to create a map tailored to their request to share with them.

The new, online system changes (and simplifies) all that. It can be easily searched and viewed by address, parcel number, owner name or groundwater-right number.

The Grandfathered Right Web Map will be active by mid-January.

 A “work in progress” version of the website can be viewed here: http://gisweb2.azwater.gov/igfr

 

A SPECIAL SCOOP from Rose Law Group Reporter: The Low-Down on 'Quick-Jab' Bill Jabjiniak

Jabjiniak doesn't look like this anymore

Here we go again Quick Jab Bill knows how to provide more than a few quick punches to pump up his prospects here

[SCOOP] Google, manufacturing growth and Opportunity Zones — Mesa Economic Development Director Bill Jabjiniak gives the lowdown

Posted by Staff  /  July 11, 2019  /  No Comments 

By Mike Sunnucks | Rose Law Group Reporter
"Mesa has just landed a $1 billion Google data center, approved a Class A office development next to the Chicago Cubs and landed a 150,000-square-foot lease at that space from benefits from WageWorks. That will bring 1,000 jobs to the planned development called The Union."

BLOGGER NOTE: Bill looks more like this these days >
he's tougher and more rugged than that 'baby-blue-eyes' image featured as the opening image.
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HOW MANY SCOOPS DO YOU WANT?
First of all, please notice the source The Rose Law Group Reporter. . . and the reporter? Mike Sunnucks.
Flavors of the day, some with 'sprinkles-on-top' and all double-scoops, please!
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"We caught up with Mesa Economic Development Director Bill Jabjiniak to get the low down on site selections, prospects and what’s on the horizon in the East Valley. Jabjiniak is seeing an upswing in manufacturing interest in Mesa and hopes Opportunity Zones tax break will spur more locates and investment.
What kind of economic development prospect mix are you seeing right now in terms of industry, sector and number of jobs?
“In terms of the industry segments within which our prospects operate, 38% are manufacturing companies. Technology companies make up 10% with healthcare at 4%, which aligns with our targeted HEAT industries (Healthcare, Education, Aerospace, Technology).
In terms of the types of facilities or buildings for which our prospects are looking to occupy or construct, 46% are manufacturing with advanced back office, warehouse, and corporate headquarters combined at 27%.”
Anything surprising on this front?
“Industry types have remained consistent over the last year, but we’ve seen a big increase in demand for manufacturing facilities and data centers.”
What kind of workers and real estate space are they looking for?
“In terms of in-demand real estate spaces, we’ve seen a 46% increase in the demand for manufacturing facilities and strong interest in real estate for advanced back office, warehouse, and corporate headquarters.
As we land these prospects in Mesa, these companies are looking for

• highly trained manufacturing workers
• engineers, and managers
• well-educated office professionals
• and logistics personnel, among others.”

Has this year’s prospect and site selection differed at all from previous years?
“Compared to previous years, manufacturing is really picking up. Developers have recognized this trend. Since January 2018, more than 30 industrial buildings, consisting of nearly 2.5 million square feet, have been constructed, are under construction, or are currently in the entitlement process in the City of Mesa. Many of these projects are in Mesa’s Opportunity Zones.”
What’s the biggest asset you are touting about Mesa right now?
“Mesa has many strategic assets that play a large role in companies’ decision-making processes including

1. the new Union development
2. Falcon District
3. Elliot Road Technology Corridor
4. Pecos Advanced Manufacturing Zone,
5. SkyBridge Arizona at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport to name a few.

An asset we’ve been promoting recently and has drawn significant attention is Mesa’s Opportunity Zones program.
City of Mesa’s Opportunity Zones are part of a federal program designed to spur investment by providing tax benefits to investors who hold their investment between five to ten years. Most of the Mesa Gateway Area, the Falcon District, Downtown Mesa/West Main Street, and a portion of the Fiesta District are bounded within Opportunity Zones and provide real tax savings for companies looking to invest in these areas.”
What is the biggest challenge Mesa faces right now in landing jobs and employers?
“One of Mesa’s biggest challenges was the lack of large foot-print industrial space and insufficient available Class A office space. Today, we are seeing this change.
As mentioned earlier, more than 30 industrial buildings, consisting of nearly 2.5 million square feet, have been constructed, are under construction, or are currently in the entitlement process in the City of Mesa.
Moreover, two new significant Class A office projects have recently been announced –

• Union in July 2019
• Gallery Park in November 2018.

When completed, these two projects will create 1.75 million square feet of new Class A office space to Mesa – nearly tripling – the percentage of Class A office space in Mesa.
Companies are quickly absorbing this new office and industrial space, sometimes before building completion.
For example:
INDUSTRIAL: In May, The Landing at PMG, a new industrial subdivision north of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, announced three companies, Collabtech Group, Huesman Brothers Door and Custom Molding, and Russell-Sigler Inc., would be locating in the soon to be completed park.
OFFICE: In July, it was announced WageWorks would be locating their U.S. operations and 1,000 employees in 150,000 square feet of The Union, a 1.35 million-square-foot class A office complex that has yet to break ground.”

Hizzoner John Giles + That 'NextMesa' Vision Thing



 "Mesa Mayor John Giles is living proof that seizing a spontaneous opportunity can have a historic impact."
Now really, what's that all overblown hype about? It's just one
more spoon-fed narrative produced for mass consumption as an assignment in an intermediate reporting and writing class.
Another piece of __ (4-letter word)pre-fabricated pulp fiction.

Highlighted in boldface type,  it's the opening declarative sentence written by Casey Flanagan in the following article for a JMC 301 intermediate reporting and writing class at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication @ ASU.

It was picked-up to get included by a media group that uses the word INDEPENDENT in their mastheads for any number of newspapers and online issues that cover different areas in four states - Delaware, Maryland, Florida and Arizona
The non-profit corporation calls itself Newszap , claiming it is dedicated to "community journalism" that is published

for the people

of the people

and by the people

Any reasonable person might ask, given what the Independent Media Group states, why they chose to publish an article by a journalism student @ ASU who chose John Giles as the feature.

It was published July 11, 2019 in Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent owned by Independent Newsmedia Inc. "dedicated to community journalism. Its newspapers and websites in Arizona, Delaware, Florida and Maryland are published for, of and by the people.
Independent's news publications are dedicated to community journalism, with a unique blend of issue-oriented stories, reader submissions and "refrigerator" news and photos." https://www.newszap.com/

Making the rounds in mainstream media news Casey Flanagan's article was also re-published word-for-word in The Rose Law Group Reporter click or tap here

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Mesa mayor’s ‘NextMesa’ vision

acknowledges what is great, areas needing improvement

What was that so-called "spontaneous opportunity"?
If the truth be told, there was nothing spontaneous about it! Former mayor Scott Smith had a higher political calling and lost out to Doug Ducey in a race for governor in 2014. Giles was vice-mayor at the end of one term 1996-2000 as a Mesa City Council member. At that time Giles (13 years before)  himself brought up the word ANXIETY to explain leaving public office in the year 2000. . . .There might have been other reasons that go un-explained.

At any rate, Giles became the chosen successor and choice of the generations-old Mesa political machine as the new front man installed into the mayor's seat by Scott Smith's tail winds that blew him into the highest office inside City Hall as an unelected incumbent for a few months before the next vote - that's usually a shoe-in and a frequent scheme used when politicians want to pass-on-the-power to the selected successor to maintain the status quo.

Out of the public eye for more than 13 years, Giles 'got a calling'. Giles is a guy who craves being in the spotlight all the time for every opportunity he can muster. 
To his credit at his first inauguration he admitted publicly he needs help with new ideas. His time in-office has been 'learning-on-the-job' - not exactly one of the marks of a great leader. Giles is more the mouth-piece and front-man for a long-established network of cohorts who are all closely-connected. And like many elected and salaried city officials, Mayor Giles went to Brigham Young University receiving an undergraduate degree. He got a law degree from ASU and started his own personal injury/accident law firm in private practice by himself until he made his own son-in-law a business partner in Giles & Dickson.
Here are

In his 4-year stint on the Mesa City, these are some of his achievements as a member of the Mesa City Council that are cited in Casey Flanagan's article:

• He  was proud of his work in creating the Mesa Arts Center
• He was proud of his work in creating multiple swimming facilities across town
• He also worked to pass a law to require fluoridation of Mesa’s water supply.   
• While on City Council, Mayor Giles also served as vice-mayor to Mayor Wayne Brown.  He said Mayor Brown had health issues at times, leaving him to gain some mayoral experience himself.  *

*BLOGGER NOTE: Wayne Brown owned Brown & Brown Chevrolet. There were a lot of 'special deals' agreed to with city officials.
It was a scandal-filled time in the city's history that's left a vacant open 10-acre entire block a big eyesore downtown when the old showroom and other Auto Nation buildings were demolished during the summer of 2017. There appeared to be some HazMat removals taken away from the property at that time. The city did regain ownership of a 3-story parking garage on the north of Main Street that is unused.The sales showroom, auto sales-and-service dealer had a presence downtown for 85 years, in an abrupt move to Gilbert.
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Here are some of the highlights from the article:
> "One aspect of the city Mayor Giles is working to improve is education.  He said education is “one of our core values as a city,” but the city “is trending in the wrong direction” in education attainment.   
> Mayor Giles has also worked to revitalize Downtown Mesa. . .He said the process of making Downtown Mesa an attractive place to live is an “overnight sensation that’s decades in the making.”  

> Mayor Giles works with Mesa’s Chamber of Commerce to help the local business community grow.  Sally Harrison, president and CEO of the Chamber, said he provides support by “attending events and meetings, like our TV show Mesa Morning Live, ribbon cuttings and meetings involving education and policy. . . he is fun, knowledgeable and supportive.   
Now, really what else could Sally Jo say when she gets quoted about the mayor?

> Melissa Randazzo, who handles public information for the office of the mayor, said, “it’s considered a part time position being mayor here*, but it’s definitely full-time for him.  There are days when you have council meetings, and that’s when you expect to see them, but he’s here every day, all day.  He has an open-door policy, so he’s really easy to work with.” 
* NO - it's a full-time salaried job at about $75,000 per year.

Melissa Randazzo makes more than the mayor at her job - her salary is about $88,000 per year (and generous benefits)
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Just like Casey Flanagan writes, "It took some reflecting to warm up to the idea of running for mayor, but he eventually decided it would be the perfect job for him. Five years later, Mayor Giles has led his home town to be the 19^th best-run city in the United States, according to statistics from Wallethub

HERE'S WHAT THE REPORTER LEAVES OUT:
#1 Worst Polluted City in the country and that Wallet Hub category includes "Worst for Pollution and Infrastructure.
More frequently than not, Casey Flanagan can join a group of reporters (or 'contributing writers') who all too often appear to somehow slant the news.
Flanagan cherry-picked just one of six key categories - Mesa ranks the next-to-last in the second tier of 20 cities in the Overall City Rank scoring a #19

It ranks the Worst #1 for Pollution and Infrastructure,
 #72 for Financial Stability,
and #59 for Education.
Let's publish that data for the sake of disclosure and transparency IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
In the interest of holding the mayor transparent and accountable or responsible for what he says, there's a few things to grab your attention to keep it fair and balanced: data.

 

Robert Reich: How Corporate Welfare Hurts You

Hizzoner John Giles Now Re-Inventing Himself As "A Border Mayor" Asking The Feds For Some Trickle-Down Money

Mesa Mayor Giles at left
in the middle

Mesa-born native Mayor John Giles was recently made the Co-Chairman of the new Immigration Reform Task Force by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He's now 'on a new mission' to transform the city's reputation beyond Mesa-native Russell Pearce's hangover from SB1070 as well as the convictions for 'racial profiling' by infamous ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Giles, a former track start and personal-injury/accident law attorney, will be trying to score again for re-election in 2020. His political career hangs on re-inventing himself to a growing active mobilized Latino population in a more diverse Mesa. 
That could be a challenge locally with his mixed history.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan met with several border state mayors in a closed door 90-minute meeting last Thursday, including Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls and Mesa Mayor John Giles, during a visit to El Paso on July 11, 2019.
(Photo: Courtesy of the City of Mesa)

According to this report  there was a noticeable different of opinion from two delegations - a delegation of members of Congress and the delegation of mayors

A tale of two visits

> A congressional delegation less than two weeks ago left the border “appalled” at the way immigrants were being kept at a Border Patrol processing station in Clint.

> But on Thursday, a delegation of mayors from across the United States described the Border Patrol facilities they toured as “pristine, clean and well-stocked”.

‘Pennies on the dollar’

Congress recently approved a stop-gap $4.6 billion Border Supplemental Spending bill to deal with the migrant crisis. However, that only includes $30 million in reimbursements to local governments and nonprofits that have cared for migrants released from CBP custody.​

Yuma, Arizona Mayor Douglas Nicholls said that amount was “pennies on the dollar” compared to the work and resources spent by border communities.​Mesa Mayor John Giles used that same phrase to plead for reimbursement for funds he said his city was forced to donate

". . . Giles, who serves as the co-chair for the conference's immigration reform task force, said the focus of his exchange with the Homeland Security chief centered on the impact that immigration and border policies are having on cities close to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Even though Mesa in Central Arizona is nearly 150 miles from the closest international boundary line in Nogales,, he highlighted how churches in his city, oftentimes smaller, poorer Latino congregations, have stepped up to take in migrants released from federal custody

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One week and a day later, and late-in-the-day on Jul 12, 2019, 8:08 PM

Mesa, Arizona Mayor John Giles describes how he says his community will be impacted by Trump's ICE raids
BLOGGER NOTE: Mesa was not on the list, There were no raids

The 06:11-minute ABC15News video can be viewed > click here

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“We were all actively involved in lobbying our congressional delegates to see the supplemental funding take place. However, $30 million is really going to be reimbursing communities like mine, pennies on the dollar for the supplies and the manpower and resources that we’ve been asked to donate to this crisis in our country,” said John Giles, mayor of Mesa, Arizona, during a press conference Thursday afternoon.

Border city mayors say $30M from Congress 'pennies on the dollar' for cost of assisting migrants

by Anna Giaritelli   | July 11, 2019 10:13 PM

LINK > https://www.washingtonexaminer.com 

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POST NOTE:
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan is holding discussions with leaders in Mexico and Central America to address the “root causes” of migration, such as crime and poverty.​

Cat Stevens - Moon Shadow 1971

Nice song to listen to on the night of the Full Moon today . . . it didn't take long to find me

Reporter details 'bizarre' exchange with Kellyanne Conway

Here's Andrew Feinberg
Damn we're all getting really sick-and-tired of Kellyanne!!

Published on Jul 16, 2019

Views to upload date on this blog: 184,990

Breakfast Media reporter Andrew Feinberg speaks with CNN's Alex Marquardt following an exchange with Kellyanne Conway. #CNN #News