Long time Rio Verde resident, Michael Miola, has been appointed by Senate President Warren Petersen to the Standpipe District Board of Directors, which will oversee the temporary Standpipe District established by SB 1432 to provide water to Rio Verde Foothills residents.
For the last 18 years, Miola has owned Silver Spurs Equine, with ranches in both Arizona and Oklahoma. Silver Spurs is the largest private owner and breeder of the American Quarter Horse in the world. He also serves as the director of the Rio Verde Horseman Association and has been a resident of the Rio Verde Foothills since 2013.
Miola also founded and was the CEO of a company that eventually became NorthStar Financial Services Group, an international conglomerate that owned an asset management company, a mutual fund and hedge fund service company, an institutional brokerage firm, a trust company, a financial printing company, and other small subsidiaries. NorthStar was sold in 2015 to a venture capital group.
“Michael Miola will be a tremendous asset to this board,” said Senator John Kavanagh, who was a driving force behind getting SB 1432 signed. “He is more than qualified to serve in this role and displayed genuine intentions for protecting Foothills residents, including its ranchers and their livestock, while they’re relying on this
temporary solution for their water supply. Having lived in the community for a decade, I’m confident he knows the needs of its residents and will represent them well.”
Miola will join four additional members who will govern the Standpipe District. Speaker of the House Ben Toma appointed Thomas Braun. Governor Katie Hobbs appointed Meredith DeAngelis. The Arizona Department of Real Estate appointed Kent Thomas, and the Arizona Department of Water Resources appointed Chris Josefowski.
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In June, Governor Katie Hobbs signed a bill that provides water to households in the Rio Verde foothills area.
The bill went through several iterations since it was first introduced by Rep. Alex Kolodin and Sen. John Kavanagh back in January of this year.
The bill, SB 1432, directs the City of Scottsdale to work with a newly established standpipe district for a period of up to three years to treat and transport water to homes within this community. Before that three-year period ends, EPCOR will obtain the legal authorization to permanently serve these residents.