Published candidate interviews appeared in the Verde Independent July 24

The four legislative candidates running for office in Legislative District 6 that encompasses most of the Verde Valley were interviewed by the Verde Independent on July 24, 2018.  They were asked to express their opinions about the most important issues facing the Verde Valley and what they sponsor to deal with these concerns.

Only candidate Bob Thorpe did not mention education in the Verde Valley as an issue in response to the question.

Candidate Felicia French said the following in part:

“Education is an issue everywhere I go and it continues to be a primary concern for me.”

“As someone who has taught at a community college, I understand the absolute value of providing a varied, affordable and quality education for all of our students – no student and no community should be left wanting when it comes to education.”

“We need to make sure institutions of higher learning, such as the Verde Valley campus of Yavapai College, receive proper funding so they can offer the courses that benefit those students in the community.”

“Whether those courses are teaching practical trades like welding or offering degrees in liberal arts that are essential to expanding our understanding of each other, we need to make sure these courses are available to everyone in the Verde Valley for an affordable price because a quality education makes a stronger, happier and more affluent community possible.” 

You may read her entire interview in the Verde independent by clicking here.

Candidate Stuart McDaniel said the following in part:

 “Of course, issues such as quality education, jobs and infrastructure are high on the list of issues I hear about when interacting with people in the Verde Valley and the entire district.”

“Arizona currently spends 55.6 percent of its budget on education.”

“I do believe in further investing in technical education through our Joint Technical Education Districts and partnering with our High Schools and Community Colleges to ensure those that who are interested can learn a trade in the type of jobs are needed for our economy to continue to thrive.”

You may read his entire interview in the Verde independent by clicking here.

Candidate Walt Blackman said the following in part (that indirectly reflects on the needs of the Community College on the east side of the County):

“I believe it is the regional instability in the area. The legislature should conduct a partnership program with Verde Valley and invest studies with community leaders in finding a way to stabilize the Regional issues.”

You may read his entire interview in the Verde independent by clicking here.”

Candidate Bob Thorpe said nothing regarding education in the Verde Valley.

You may read his entire interview in the Verde independent by clicking here. 

Former mayor a strong supporter of Yavapai Community College

The Blog has learned that former Sedona Mayor Rob Adams has indicated he will endorse Paul Chevalier for the District #3 Yavapai Community College seat to be filled in November.  Mr. Chevalier announced about four weeks ago he was running for the seat and has been receiving wide-spread support from community leaders throughout the Verde Valley and Sedona. The indication of endorsement was warmly welcomed by Chevalier.

Rob Adams

Adams, a strong proponent of the College, worked extremely hard and effectively to save the Sedona Center from being closed and sold by the College in 2015-16.  He was also instrumental in triggering an investigation that revealed the Sedona Taxing District is paying more than $6 million dollars annually to the College in property tax support (and receiving little in return for the investment).

Mr. Adams served three years on the Sedona City Council and six years as that community’s mayor. He decided not to run for office in 2016.  He has a long list of diverse community accomplishments as a public servant.  For example, he was instrumental in encouraging the establishment of a year-round culinary institute in Sedona through partnerships with Yavapai College, business organizations, and other interested parties.  The culinary institute is a part of the 2013 Sedona Community Plan.  In 2005, he was a founding board member of MATForce to combat crystal methamphetamine use and manufacture in Yavapai County. As mayor, in 2010 he co-founded the Greater Sedona Substance Abuse Committee (GSSAC) to bring MatForce programming into Sedona.  Since leaving that office Adams has made decreasing substance abuse a personal mission.

Updates seem to be getting shorter and shorter; no Facility Management update since February 2018

If you’ve watched the Yavapai Community College Governing Board meetings for a period of time, you are aware that the Facilities Management team has traditionally done an excellent job of keeping the public informed of the progress on various construction projects within the District.  The team provided the information as a part of President Wills report to the Governing Board at each meeting.

The Facilities Management Team report contained updates on all significant construction projects and photos of many of those projects.  However, since February of this year, Willes no longer has included this report in her monthly update.

The result, of course, is to keep information about the development of various projects from the eyes of the citizens of the County.  Hopefully, a new president will be actually transparent and reinstate reports such as the Facilities Management Team report along with many others.  The Blog believes it is time that the citizens of the County be allowed to see how their millions of dollars in tax revenue is being used.

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Sigafoos appoints McCarver as Search Committee Chair whose apparent biases against the East County are a matter of record

The  West County Voting-Bloc has immediately moved to take control of the selection of the next Community College president.  It took the first step when West-County Board Chair Ray Sigafoos appointed West-County Board representative Pat McCarver as the Search Committee Chair following Tuesday’s Governing Board meeting.  McCarver  chaired the committee that selected Penelope Wills who began in August 2011.  The appointment places enormous selection control in the hands of the West County Voting-Bloc, which is exactly what the west side of Yavapai County intends.

Recall that McCarver has not been a friend to the 70,000 residents living on the East side of the County. She has said, among other things, that when it comes to the Community College, the West and East sides of the County will never be equal. She has voted consistently to approve anything coming from the Administration and has never joined the East County representatives in their opposition to a host of matters coming before the Governing Board. She also ganged up with her West-County colleagues to dismantle the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee in an almost secret meeting held in September 2016.  It is a biased appointment.

The Community College will shortly have a website where it hopes to share information and provide updates regarding the search process.

Issued Thursday, May 3

The following statement announcing her resignation was issued by Yavapai Community College President Penelope Wills to the faculty today (Thursday).

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Wills to remain with College only until December 2018 

The Blog has confirmed with Governing Board representative Deb McCasland that Penelope Wills has informed the Yavapai Community College Governing Board members that she is stepping down as president of Yavapai Community College effective December 2018.  The Governing Board was informed via email yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) of Wills decision.  A formal announcement is expected.

The exact reasons for Will departure are unknown.  It is known that only a few hours before the announcement that Wills was in a discussion with a Governing Board member about rumors of drug use among Community College athletes and the claimed existence of a videotape allegedly showing drug use.  This may be a coincidence or it may have played some role in her decision. At this time, the Blog can only speculate.

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Statement by Connie Harris at March Board meeting saying forum meeting participants were speaking in a “safe” and “anonymous” environment not explained; that statement plus Board calendars making no mention of the two meetings support McCasland (where is the truth?)

Yavapai Community College Board chair, Ray Sigafoos, told the Board members at the April meeting that information from “another venue” that the two community forums scheduled for April 12 and 13 (canceled) were private affairs was not correct.  He had no doubt read about this issue on the Blog.

Representative Deb McCasland explained to Sigafoos that she was told by President Penelope Wills that the two meetings were not open to the public.  Wills said McCasland was wrong.  According to Wills, her office had said that the public could observe but not participate.  McCasland challenged that statement saying she was specifically told that there was no room for the public at the meetings. (see video below)

A significant piece of evidence indicating that McCasland was telling the truth is the statement made by representative Connie Harris  a month earlier during the March 2018 Board meeting (see video below).  During that brief discussion, Harris indicated relief that the forum participants would be speaking in a “safe” and “anonymous” setting.  Such a statement can only be understood if the two forums were in fact private.

In addition, a check of the Governing board calendars for March 2018 do not indicate that the Board was attending any of the two meetings.  (Those calendars are set forth below.)

Recall that the invitation only forums were limited to various mayors and others handpicked by the College.  The purpose of the meetings was to discuss the future of the Community College in Yavapai County.  The Chair of the Governing Board indicated it was necessary to cancel the meetings because of anticipated sparse attendance.

Claims lack of attendance required canceling and rescheduling for future date

Yavapai Community College canceled the invitation only private political gatherings of mayors and other political figures scheduled for April 12 in Prescott and April 13 at the Verde Valley Campus in Clarkdale.  The purpose of the meetings was to discuss the future of the Community College in Yavapai County.  The Chair of the Governing Board indicated it was necessary to cancel the meetings because of expected sparse attendance.

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April 13 invitation only forum at the Community Room, Verde Valley Campus, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. intended to hide views of politicos from public so College can later spin its views on the gathering

Commentary

Yavapai Community College has remained committed to baring the press and public from observing a gathering of local political figures about the future of the College that will be held April 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the Verde Valley Campus. It has gone so far as to put together a secret list of invitees it will share with no one. It includes mayors and other elected officials from the East County. 

The College, which will control the agenda and the information supplied to the politicos, is frightened that observers and the press may challenge the accuracy and/or truthfulness of the  information it hands out during the meeting after it is closed out.  Therefore, the gathering must be protected from public and press scrutiny.

Third District Governing Board member, Connie Harris, thinks keeping the meeting hidden from the public and the press is a good idea. She said during a Board meeting that such a forum provides a place for “safe with anonymous feedback.”

Running these types of meetings reveals just how little President Wills actually believes in her claim that the College must be transparent.