The La Paz County Board of Supervisors on July 21 approved the Desert Sky Domestic Water Improvement District annual budget and the district levy for fiscal year 2025–26 and authorized the treasurer to wire reimbursement funds to Southwestern Utility Management, according to the meeting transcript.

Steve Wien, attorney for the Desert Sky district, told the board that the district’s planned transfer of operations to Winden (described in the transcript as “Winden”) has been delayed by compliance items flagged by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Wien said ADEQ required engineering and approvals for storage tanks and called for construction approvals before the department will allow a transfer. Wien described difficulties locating older project files in ADQ’s newly implemented myDEQ online system and said the board should extend the district budget for one more year while those items are resolved. He told the board that rates and fees would remain the same and that the tax rate was “coming down a small amount.”

On taxation and property concerns, Wien said one commercial parcel in the district was taxed in a way that could not be remedied under the statutory method available for the district; he said Winden had indicated it would work to ease the tax burden on the restaurant property after transfer.

Public comment and staff notes: Anna Camacho, the county assessor, asked how residents could opt out of the district; Wien said a partition process exists and offered to discuss the procedure outside the public hearing. Supervisors raised staff‑capacity concerns, noting county staff had taken on additional workload by handling district matters and urging the transfer be completed as planned so county staff time is not further strained.

Board action: after the public hearing the board approved the Desert Sky budget for FY 2025–26, adopted resolution DS2025 (transcript reads as “DS 20 20 five‑one”) to levy and collect the district tax, and authorized the treasurer's office to wire reimbursement funds to Southwestern Utility Management for unpaid monthly invoices. The transcript records the motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote with no opposition recorded.

Limitations and follow‑up: the attorney said additional funding requests for capital or corrective work might follow, and ADEQ approvals must be cleared before a clean transfer to Winden. The transcript does not include engineering reports, ADEQ approvals, or the written partition procedure; those details will require follow‑up with district counsel, ADEQ and county staff.