Wall 7 completed & wall 8 formed

Here is wall 8 formed up. There is 1 more wall to go, but they have to finish everything on the inside so they can remove the equipment, before closing the loop.

Taken 2007-12-30

Wall 7 Formed up

Here we have wall 7 forms going up. The pipe network being placed here is what they use to pump concrete to the bottom of the wall form.

Taken 2007-12-25

Wall 6 Formed up

Here we have one of the first pictures that shows how much of the skyline that will be obliterated.


Wall 6 is formed up and waiting to be poured.

Taken 2007-12-20

Wall 5 completed

Wall 5 has been formed and poured. Also note the interior concrete columns being built. These will be roof supports.

Taken 2007-12-19

Wall 4

Wall 4 is completed.

Taken 2007-12-15

View contrast

Here we have a before and during picture, which shows the difference in views. Since only the back wall is completed, we don't get a full picture of what it will look like, as the near side wall will appear to be much higher when completed.

Wall 3 cont'd

We have wall 3 completed and the forms going up for wall 4.

Taken 2007-12-14

Wall 3

The wall 3 forms are completely in place. The curbs for a number of the roof pillars are in place, and they are starting to install the forms for the roof pillars.

Taken 2007-12-13

Wall 2

Wall 2 has been completed, and the forms for wall 3 are starting to be placed.

Taken 2007-12-12

We have Wall

Wall 1 is completed. Wall 2 forms are being erected.

Taken 2007-12-11

Desert Advocate Article

A summary of last week's Town Council meeting.

Wall 1 cont'd

Another day for construction of the first wall form

Taken 2007-12-6

Sonoran News article

A new article published today documents the $5.5million loan application that was authorized by the Cave Creek Town Council, intended for capital improvements.

Council also voted unanimously to approve a resolution authorizing the application for a new Water Infrastructure Finance Authority Loan (WIFA) in the amount of $5.5 million, which Marlow stated is to increase the water system’s capacity and redundancy.

Although the $5.5 million was budgeted, Abujbarah said the town would be coming back to council for an additional $5 million.

Jay Spector, former executive director of WIFA, now with the Wall Street investment banking firm RBC Capital Markets, has remained involved with putting together the town’s financing packages.

He explained to council the authorization is different than that which was previously approved and obtained in 2006, but the loan would be structured the same.

Although they will not know the interest rates until the Wednesday before closing, Spector said it would be discounted 15 percent and said it could be around the same rate as their existing loans.

Spector stated some adjustments were made from CH2MHill’s previous calculations, based on the town terminating its contract with Arizona American and said, “There’s more than enough revenue to pay for both loans.” Council voted unanimously in favor of authorizing the application for the loan, with some council members stating, “because it is only approving the application,” while they all stressed they would have liked to have seen the revenue reports and asked for copies before the loan comes back to council for approval.

During public comment Charles Spitzer said, “The public authorized $50 million.” Citing it was now $72 million for a town of less than 5,000, Spitzer asked, “When will it stop? When will the town have some fiscal responsibility?” Councilwoman Grace Meeth commented, “We knew the system was decrepit when we bought it.” Francia pointed out that WIFA does not allow any “wiggle room” as conventional financing might and said, “Either you have the revenue or you don’t.”

AZ Scottsdale Republic article

A new article appeared yesterday about the decision by Cave Creek to not renew the contract with American Water for management of the CC and Desert Hills water companies.

Wall 1 cont'd

Wall 1 forms continue to go up. A structure is being built on the floor. I suspect it is the internal rebar structure that goes into a wall section.

Taken 2007-12-4

Links

Here are some additional links to Cave Creek Town Council minutes.

This one describes the initial meeting where more than 20 people spoke out against the tank at the Call To Public Link

This one describes the special session held for the express purpose for the Water Utility to present to Town Council and the public on the status of various projects. There was a question/answer session done where the public could ask questions directly to the Water Utility officials.

What's odd about the previous two links is that, until citizans complained to Town Hall, the voted upon session limits were not available on the web. Within 2 hours of pointing this out, they were posted.

This one describes the agreement with a developer and the Desert Hills Water Company for joint well and storage for a single development. It is feared that this is the model that will be used to extend Cave Creek Water supply to Gold Mountain Development on Continental Mountain.

Wall 1 cont'd

More forms for wall 1 have gone up.

Taken 2007-12-3

Wall 1 forms going in

Work has started on erecting the form for the first wall section.

Taken 2007-11-30

Starting work on interior columns

There are apparently interior columns. The steelwork and base frames for them are starting to be built.

Taken 2007-11-29

Starting on walls

The floor is completely unveiled and they are starting to put in the wall bottom seal and build the forms for the walls.

Taken 2007-11-28

Finished floor

They removed the floor bracing yesterday, and are cleaning up from the floor production. Some of the materials for building the wall forms are being delivered.

Taken 2007-11-27

Completed floor

The floor is complete. There are a bunch of 8' diameter depressions in the floor. I have no idea what these are for; perhaps there will be support columns for the ceiling.

Taken 2007-11-21

Cement floor pour

The cement was delivered this morning at around 2:30am. It looked like UFO's were landing in my backyard, with bright lights seemingly aimed directly into my bedroom window. The cement trucks backup beepers were going, along with an engine running the concrete pumper truck. Here's a picture taken at 6am at about 2/3rds done with the pour.

Taken 2007-11-21

Rebar completed

The rebar has been completed for the floor, and the cables for the postensioning of the slab are installed. We're just waiting for the concrete to arrive tomorrow morning.

Taken 2007-11-20

Floor concrete pouring schedule

Well, it looks like we're going to get some concrete delivered bright and early. Well, maybe not so bright.

From: Mike Rigney [mailto:mrigney@cavecreek.org]
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 10:26 AM
Subject: Early morning work on Rockaway Hills water tank

In order to schedule the cement deliveries and allow the concrete to cure properly, MGC must pour the floor for the Rockaway Hills water tank during the very early hours of Wednesday, November 21^st. The trucks will begin arriving at approximately 2:30 am and they should complete the pour around 8:00 am. We wanted to let you know as soon as we knew for sure that everything had been scheduled. If you know of other people in the neighborhood that we should let know, please feel free to pass on the information or give me a call with their contact information and I’ll give them a call or email them this notice.

<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<

Mike Rigney, Asst. Utilities Manager

Town of Cave Creek

37622 N. Cave Creek Road

Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Phone: 480-437-3580

email: mrigney@cavecreek.org

Rebar installation

Tying the rebar together and elevating it off the floor.

Taken 2007-11-16

Rebar installation

Next layer of rebar going in.

Taken 2007-11-15

Rebar installation

First delivery and layout of floor rebar.

Taken 2007-11-14

2007-08-30 AZ Republic Editorial

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/northeastvalleyopinions/articles/0830sr-edit0831-on.html

Rebar started

The rebar that is at the bottom outside edge of the pad is complete. This is the part of the floor that is thicker than the middle of the floor, and will support the weight of the walls.

Taken 2007/11/13

Delivery of rebar

Another sheet of plastic has been laid down, and the first shipment of rebar is delivered.

Taken 2007-11-12

Finished floor prep

The floor prep is complete. There are markings on the floor for various things, which aren't immediately obvious.

Except for a very small section, the forms for the floor are complete. They should be ready to start placing concrete next week.

Taken 2007-11-08

Prepping the floor

They are still prepping the floor, although almost all of the forms are in. The middle of the floor, up to about 6 feet from the outside edge, will have a raised (with dirt) floor. The edge doesn't have this so that it will be thicker to support the outside wall of the tank, but the inside of the floor will be a good deal thinner. the thickness of the finished floor can be shown by the height of the standpipes. these will be just above the finished floor level.

Taken 2007-11-06

Stand pipes

Here are a couple of the pipes that will be under the floor for filling and draining the tank. There appear to be two 16" and one 8" pipe.

Taken 2007-11-04

Prepping the floor

Here they have worked some more on the exterior floor forms, along with starting to build up the pad with dirt to cover the membrane.

Taken 2007-11-04

2007-11-07 Scottsdale Arizona Republic editorial

CC manager's policy-making violates city code

Nov. 6, 2007 05:45 PM

Scottsdale Republic

Thank you for your Nov. 3 editorial, "Cave Creek official sees problem," recognizing that Cave Creek officials did goof in the handling of the new water tank. Town Manager Usama Abujbarah did a poor job of communicating with neighbors.

The town manager did an excellent job communicating with the Sienna Corporation of Gold Mountain Estates, which needs this 2 million gallon tank to quench the thirst of its planned development of 400 acres on Continental Mountain. Although Continental Mountain is outside Cave Creeks city limits and the Cave Creek Water Co.'s service areas, officials talk about solving this problem by annexing the land.

Cave Creek code states policy-making by the town manager is prohibited. It furthers states the manager shall not exercise any policy-making or legislative functions nor attempt to commit or bind the Town Council to any action, plan or program requiring the official action of the Town Council.

Yet, the manager made all new decisions regarding the location and size of the water tank even though council and citizen actions that created the water master plan stated otherwise.

Are the citizens and council members making policy for Cave Creek or is the town manager?

- Herb Natker, Cave Creek

Scottsdale Republic Editorial

The Scottsdale edition of the Arizona Republic gets it. Unfortunately, the Town Manager of Cave Creek doesn't, and so far, the Town Council doesn't.

Read their editorial here.

Starting to backfill

The floor is starting to be backfilled, and the edge forms are being put in place. They have pounded 2x8 lumber into the ground, and are placing sheets of plywood against them in order to form the outside edge of the tank floor.

Taken 2007-11-04

French drain installed

A ditch was dug near the perimeter of the tank floor, a porous pipe was added to the trench, and it was backfilled and covered. This will drain any undertank water that may accumulate under the floor.

Taken 2007-10-31

Newspaper articles

Here are some links to articles about the Cave Creek water system changes:

http://thedesertadvocate.com/archives/ar090507/090507/news/2.htm
http://thedesertadvocate.com/archives/ar091207/091207/news/1.htm
http://thedesertadvocate.com/archives/ar091907/091907/news/3.htm
http://thedesertadvocate.com/archives/ar092607/092607/news/5.htm

Letters to the editor on this topic:

http://thedesertadvocate.com/archives/ar090507/090507/comm/letters.htm
http://thedesertadvocate.com/archives/ar091207/091207/comm/letters.htm
http://thedesertadvocate.com/archives/ar091207/091207/comm/letters2.htm
http://thedesertadvocate.com/archives/ar091207/091207/comm/letters3.htm

There have been numerous articles, editorials, and letters to the editor written on this topic that appeared in the Arizona Scottsdale Republic newspaper. Unfortunately, they have migrated to their archives, and one must pay to see them.

Echo Canyon Water Tank

Here's the first picture i have of the site, and was taken approximately 10/26/2007. The hole is completely dug out, with the digging machine in the hole itself. The hole is dug deeper than it will eventually be, because it has to be backfilled to ensure that their are no hollows that could collapse during further construction.