By Ryan Randazzo | Arizona Republic
Pinal County Superior Court Judge Stephen McCarville on Tuesday ordered Johnson Utilities officials to give EPCOR USA financial control of the company by 2 p.m. Thursday, and warned that anyone interfering with the new boss would be arrested.
Johnson Utilities has faced a host of service and environmental issues in its Pinal County water and wastewater service area, which led the Arizona Corporation Commission to vote for EPCOR to take the helm of the company to correct the problems.
But Johnson Utilities officials didn’t like the July order from the commission, and would not allow EPCOR to control the finances of the water and wastewater company run by developer George Johnson.
Johnson and its affiliates sued unsuccessfully in multiple courts trying to stop the commission’s order, and McCarville’s ruling affirms the commission’s authority to regulate utilities.