Doug Ducey Appoints Four Members to New Water Infrastructure Finance Board

Neil Jones

Governor Doug Ducey (R) announced the appointment of four Arizonans to the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) board Monday to help oversee Arizona’s water future.

“We passed the most significant water legislation in 40 years this year in partnership with our legislative leaders,” Ducey said. “Now, with the right team, we’re positioned with $1.4 billion to secure our state’s water future for the next 100 years. The board members of the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority will be important stewards of our water resources, pursuing innovative augmentation and conservation projects.”

Ducey’s appointees include David Beckham, Buchanan Davis, Jonathan Lines, and Andy Tobin. Beckham of Maricopa County has real-estate project and business operation experience. From Pinal County, Davis served as Ducey’s Natural Resources policy advisor and has a background in water, agriculture, and environmental policy. Lines currently serves on the Yuma County Board of Supervisors, following his role as the Arizona Republican Party Chairman, with a family history in water policy. Tobin, of Yavapai County, previously served as the Speaker of the House but has most recently worked as director of the Arizona Department of Administration.

“I’m confident that with fresh ideas and diverse backgrounds, representing every corner of our state, we will ensure Arizona remains a land of opportunity for families and businesses. Our appointees have the right skills and experience to position our state for future success,” Ducey said.

The entire board will consist of nine members, with members being appointed jointly by Ducey and the Arizona State Legislature. The members are responsible for providing loans and grants to water providers and entities for importing water into Arizona, conservation, efficiency, reuse, and new technologies. WIFA will also use the funds to acquire, store, and sell imported water and engage in private-public partnerships.

Aside from Ducey’s four appointees, two other members have already been appointed to the board by State Senate President Karen Fann (R-Prescott) and Minority Leader Rebecca Ross (D-South Phoenix).

Fann’s choice, Dr. Theodore Cooke, is the general manager of the Central Arizona Project (CAP). CAP delivers water from Lake Havasu to Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties. Cooke will retire from his position to join the board in November.

“We closely examined every applicant and determined Dr. Cooke’s wealth of knowledge and incredible industry insight make him a highly qualified person for this position,” Fann said.

As for Ross, her choice was attorney Susan Montgomery, prater with Montgomery and Interpreter, PLC. Montgomery has experience representing tribal governments in the Gila River and Little Colorado River Water Rights Adjunctions currently pending in Arizona.

“Her many years of experience dealing with the technical aspects of water policy, quality, and infrastructure development have shaped her ability to direct the use of taxpayer dollars with the utmost sense of responsibility,” Ross said.

At this point, three more positions remain open on the board. The State House Speaker Rusty Bowers (R-Maricopa) and Minority Leader Reginald Bolding Jr. (D-Laveen) are responsible for the next two. Ducey will pick the final member from a list of nominees from the House and Senate.

As reported by The Arizona Sun Times, Ducey signed Senate Bill (SB) 1740 into law, which supplied WIFA with over a billion dollars to use on Arizona’s water future. This new board stems from this law, which went into effect on September 24.

Moreover, Arizona will be losing one-fifth of its water supply from the Colorado River, as ordered by the Bureau of Reclamation in response to the worsening drought.

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Neil Jones is a reporter for The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Neil on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Doug Ducey” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.

 

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