Attorney and CAWCD board member Heather Macre talks about the basics of the Central Arizona Project system in a YouTube video posted July 1, 2021.
Alisa Moore
The PebbleCreek Democratic Club is getting revved up for fall! We have suspended club meetings for the summer because of so many members’ extensive travel plans, given the lockdown of 2020. In the interim, other activities have continued, including game nights, men’s breakfasts, women’s meetings, and collections for the Agua Fria Food and Clothing Bank. We have plans galore for the fall and look forward to seeing everyone in person after such a long social hiatus.
The club’s first in-person meeting since March 2020 is Wednesday, Sept. 1 at the Tuscany Falls Ballroom. The social hour with a cash bar starts at 6 p.m. and the meeting at 7 p.m. Our speaker will be attorney Heather Macre, who has represented Maricopa County on the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board of Directors since 2012. A partner at the law firm of Aiken Schenk, she volunteers her free time raising money for children in the community through Suns Charities 88.
How does her representation impact the Arizona water issues that are of growing concern to both residents and businesses here? The Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD) operates a system of canals that run from the Colorado River throughout Arizona, supplying water to municipalities, agribusiness, and industry. In fact, the CAWCD supplies a large percentage of Arizona’s drinking water.
Without the work of the CAWCD and the service of the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canals, Arizona as we know it, and Maricopa County in particular, would not exist. Development in Arizona was hampered until the state entered into the 1944 Colorado River Compact, and, even then, Arizona had to fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to secure its allotment of water from the Colorado River. Once this water supply was secured, Arizona was able to flourish and grow, creating the oasis in the desert we call home. Without proper access to water, Arizona might have remained a dusty afterthought. Extreme weather and growth threaten that balance.
In addition to the terrific club meeting, we have upcoming social events organized by Frankie Veltri and her awesome committee. No one does them better! On Oct. 15, we will formally welcome everyone back with a patriotic Welcome Back Luncheon, which of course starts with a social event, followed by the plated meal.
On Oct. 30, the club is hosting the Holidays on Parade dinner and dance. Dancing, with music provided by a local disc jockey, will follow a lovely meal. We’ll be celebrating all the holidays we missed in one big party, starting with New Year’s Eve. Each table gets its own holiday. Attendees can come dressed in their favorite holiday garb. Announcement flyers will go out closer to the event.
Also in October, we will begin collecting paperback books, magazines, and other materials for the Maricopa County jails. Keep an eye on our website, pcdemclub.org, for all the details and more information. Everyone is welcome!