The following Agenda will be considered by the Prescott City Council at its Special Joint Voting Meeting pursuant to the Prescott City Charter, Article II, Section 13. Notice of this meeting is given pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 38-431.02.

CALL TO ORDER

INTRODUCTIONS

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ROLL CALL:

• Mayor Kuykendall
• Councilman Arnold
• Councilman Kuknyo
• Councilman Blair
• Councilman Lamerson
• Councilman Carlow
• Councilman Scamardo

Link to the Agenda and Agreement

I. REGULAR AGENDA

A. Adoption of Resolution No. 4146-1306 authorizing the City of Prescott to enter into Comprehensive Agreement No. 1 with the Town of Prescott Valley, Salt River Valley Waste Users’ Association, and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, for monitoring and modeling of surface and ground waters in the Big Chino Sub-basin and Upper Verde River.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: MOVE to adopt Resolution No. 4146-1306.

Prescott and Prescott Valley Councils Consider Agreement with SRP

The City of Prescott and the Town of Prescott Valley Councils will meet jointly on September 19, 2012, at the Centennial Event Center at Antelope Hills Golf Course in Prescott. The topic on the agenda is to consider approval of a comprehensive water monitoring and groundwater modeling agreement with Salt River Project and the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association regarding the City's Big Chino Water Ranch Project and other related matters of mutual interest.

Prescott and Prescott Valley are engaged in discussions with SRP to complete a comprehensive agreement that follows and in part implements a February 11, 2010, Agreement in Principle which resolved longstanding differences with respect to water rights in the Big Chino, set forth a framework for future agreements, and ended litigation among the parties over plans to pump groundwater from the neighboring Big Chin Sub-basin as authorized by Arizona state law.

Today’s vote would finalize an agreement that will provide a basis for addressing water management within the Big Chino Sub-basin and potential effects on flows in the Upper Verde River. Specifically, the agreement sets up a program for the enhanced monitoring and modeling of groundwater flows, confirmation of the parties’ rights to water arising from within the Prescott AMA, and a mutual agreement by all parties not to challenge those rights.

Prescott Valley Mayor Harvey Skoog stated, "This agreement is another step toward creating water security in our communities and our environment. It demonstrates responsible water management through a partnership among the Communities, Salt River Project, the Arizona Department of Water Resources, and other agencies."

"Projects are successful when they make sense to begin with, are well thought out, and a strong commitment exists to make them happen," Prescott Mayor Marlin Kuykendall commented. "Successful partnerships rely upon people who have a common purpose, and trust and respect among the partners. This agreement is so important in demonstrating the viability of importing water for the benefit of the region, and doing so on a foundation of science. Today the City is very pleased to be able to continue working with Prescott Valley and Salt River Project to maintain the momentum of the Big Chino Project."

"The parties have worked diligently over the past two and a half years to develop plans to monitor the groundwater system in the Big Chino aquifer and develop a plan to refine previous groundwater modeling efforts," said John Sullivan, SRP’s chief resources executive. "The parties intend to work together with the Arizona Department of Water Resources, the U.S. Geological Survey and other stakeholders as appropriate to be sure that these future modeling efforts include multiple concepts of groundwater movement, and that any predictions by the groundwater model bear out through real data collected in the monitoring effort."

Officials from Prescott, Prescott Valley and SRP will be available for comments following the September 19th meeting.

Who: The City of Prescott and Town of Prescott Valley Councils

When: Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 1:30 p.m.

Where: The Centennial Center at Antelope Hills Golf Course, 1989 Clubhouse Drive, Prescott, AZ 86301

Contact: Craig McConnell, City Manager, City of Prescott (928) 777-1380 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.