Archive for Ten year plan – Page 2

Prescott Valley predicts College expansion in next five years

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, May 28th, 2015

Newspaper story says College medical complex coming in next five years 

The Prescott Valley Tribune ran a story written by Les Bowen on May 7, 2015 extolling the economic development in Prescott Valley.  In that story, Mr. Bowen wrote that the Yavapai Regional Medical Center’s east campus and the Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital  are attracting doctors and smaller health care-related businesses to Prescott Valley.

expansionHe also wrote that “In the next five years, town leaders are looking at the opportunities that will come with the planned expansion of Yavapai College facilities in Prescott Valley, in partnership with Northern Arizona University, offering bachelor and graduate programs and expanded courses of study in nursing and health care-related fields.”

This will come as a shock to many who have been hearing from the College Administration that the Prescott Valley campus idea has been pushed back for many years.  The administrators and some on the District Governing Board are fond of saying that the Prescott campus expansion in the ten-year-development-plan is just a concept–not a plan.  Well, seems like the folks in Prescott Valley think it is a plan. 

Categories : Prescott Valley Campus, Ten year plan

Sedona Center formally removed from auction block

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, May 21st, 2015

McCasland effort brings about formal decision on not selling the Sedona Center

It has taken more than a year, but the College District Governing Board finally agreed to formally take the Yavapai Community College Sedona Center off the auction block as a part of the ten-year-development plan. That action was taken at the Governing Board meeting on Tuesday when it was removed from the ten-year-plan by a 5-0 vote.

The measure was formally brought before the Board for a decision because of the efforts of Board Representative Deb McCasland. Since she was elected to the Board, McCasland has consistently pushed to have the development plan reviewed including the selling of the Sedona Center.

CongratulationsThe formal Board decision was made possible only because of the tireless efforts of outraged Sedona citizens and others, who protested the action repeatedly to the Board over the past year, the Sedona City Council, the former and present Sedona Mayors, and the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee.

Congratulations to everyone for saving post-secondary education for the Sedona area of the County!

 

Categories : Advisory Committees, Sedona Campus, Ten year plan

Wills’ Administration given political cover by Governing Board Chair

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015

Governing Board Chair political misconstrues request to stop Ten-Year-Plan going forward West side of County

For over a year, dozens of citizens in the Verde Valley have appeared before the College District Governing Board and pleaded that it stop the Ten-Year $100 million dollar plus Construction Development Plan until the East and West sides of the County have a fair opportunity to review it and develop a joint strategic plan for the future.  So, far, those pleas have fallen on deaf ears. 

In March, the Verde Valley Advisory Committee, which is made-up of representatives appointed by local and county governments from throughout the Valley, appeared in person and specifically recommended that “the Board not approve the capital budget prior to completion of a strategic plan that would include both the east and west sides of the County.” Citizens pleaded with the Board at that meeting to listen to the Committee.

politics as ususalThe Advisory Committee then submitted a written report to the District Governing Board restating its recommendation. The recommendation came before the Board April 14.

Governing Board Chair Pat McCarver quickly found a political way of completely misconstruing the recommendation so it could be ignored. She stated that “the one we can’t really address, we can’t delay approval of the budget until the strategic plan is completed because the strategic plan going forward is scheduled to be completed in September.” The other members of the Board must have thought she was correct as they did not challenge her statement.

McCarver, of course, was totally incorrect. The Advisory Committee only asked that a small portion of the $84 million dollar budget involving capital construction be taken out of the budget until there was a plan that had been submitted and approved by the entire County. Removal of that portion of expenditures would not have prevented the College from submitting its budget in June.  McCarver, who supports the Administration by rubber stamping any request it makes, misconstrued the recommendation to give the Administration political cover and to insure the money to fund the huge building spree on the West side of the County is not halted.

So, despite demand after demand after demand to halt the wild spending spree on the Prescott Campus, it seems impossible for citizens to do anything about it. You may view McCarver’s political handling of the recommendation by clicking here.

Categories : Advisory Committees, Ten year plan

Huge disparity: College to spend almost five times as much on West side of County

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, March 19th, 2015

Community College may spend $195.3 million on West County development; $41.5 million on East County development

RUTH WICKS 2Long-time Verde Valley educator Ruth Wicks pointed out to the College Governing Board at its last meeting in March that it will spend about $195.3 million dollars on the West side of the County in capital development from the year 2000 to 2024 if the controversal Ten-year-Plan is followed.  By comparison, it will spend only $41.5 million on the East side of the County.   

Ms. Wicks called for the Governing Board to establish an Administrative Community College on the East side of the County similar to those created in Maricopa County.   You may see the complete presentation by Ms. Wicks by clickng here.

Categories : Administrative College, Complaints, Ten year plan

“Profound insult” on Verde Valley taxpayers

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, March 12th, 2015

Ten-Year-Plan insulted Verde Valley taxpayers; it should be “halted”

Sedona resident Mr. Joel Staadecker told the Community College Governing Board at its March 3 meeting that approval in December, 2013 of the Ten-Year-Plan conveyed a profound insult on Verde Valley taxpayers. The insult was to develop a plan that called for spending 97% of the funds in West Yavapai County. After all, he said, around 40% of the property taxes supporting the College come from the Verde Valley while over 90% of the expenditure was going to occur in Prescott and Prescott Valley.

INSULTEDHe also asked the Board whether the new Sedona Center Parking lot and the Verde Valley Governing Board Advisory Committee are intended to merely placate Verde Valley residents until the “storm blows over.” Then, the Board can proceed with the Ten-Year-Plan unimpeded.

Mr. Staddecker said that the College is proceeding with the Ten-Year-Plan without any significant change. To him, it appears the College efforts are designed to placate the current uproar until the storm blows over.

He also asked the Board to either halt or scrap the Ten-Year-Plan given the opposition coming from the Verde Valley.

Mr. Staadecker’s address to the Governing Board can be seen and heard by clicking here.

Categories : Complaints, Ten year plan

Campus Master Plan to spend $111 million dollars; less than 10% to the Verde Valley

By R. Oliphant
Monday, February 16th, 2015

Campus Master Plan moves ahead; College already identified $67 million dollars to finance it

The Community College Master Plan, approved in 2013 by the old Governing Board, is moving right along. College administrators laid out a request that the Governing Board approve the final expenditures for phase I at the February 3 meeting. (By clicking here, you can go to the Board Agenda and examine in detail the request.)

The Plan currently calls for 44 projects in three phases, spread over 10 years. They include 11 renovation projects, seven new construction, seven open space, six purchases/sales of property, six sign projects, three expansions and two parking projects. 

The Plan’s total cost has jumped from $103.5 million dollars to $111 million dollars. (At one point in 2014 it appeared to be at $119 million.)  Less than ten percent of the Plan is aimed at development in the Verde Valley; about 100 million dollars plus is ear-marked for further capital development on the West side of the County.

The College says it has already found $67 million dollars in taxpayer money and student tuition to finance the Plan. However, there remains a $46 million dollar shortfall.  According to the College, there are three options to produce revenue to cover the $46 million shortfall. They include slowing down, reducing the scope or the Plan or increasing revenues through partnerships, grants, private gifts, property taxes and bonds.

Vice President Clint Ewell will present a proposal for raising revenue for the 2016-7 budget at the Governing Board’s March 3 meeting. He will present a draft of the full budget on April 14. The Governing Board will review and vote on the final 2016-17 budget May 19. An additional story discussing the Master Plan can be found in the Verde Independent written by Arlene Hittle and dated February 7 by clicking here.

A chart, created by the College,  shows the original anticipated expenditures for the first phase of the Plan. It follows  immediately below.

MASTER PLAN PHASE I GOOD COPY

 

 

Categories : Budget, Ten year plan

Comprehensive review of campus projects and plans since 1994

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, December 31st, 2014

Complete collection of Master plans, visions, projects, undertaken since 1994 now available in one pdf file

FUTURE PLANThe Blog has gathered together in one pdf file a history of College Master plans and documents created by others related to the College. The material goes from 1994 to 2013. and others since 1994.  There is an emphasis on the plans and visions for the future of the Verde Valley.    You can access the actual plans, visions and projects as they were actually written and presented by clicking here. MASTER_PLANS_VISIONS_PROJECTS_1994 TO 2014.  

Categories : Editorials/Essays, History, Ten year plan, Underserving the Verde Valley

Ten-year plan must go

By R. Oliphant
Monday, November 24th, 2014

McCasland asks Governing Board to do away with ten-year master plan

Ms. Deb McCasland, one of the two newly elected Governing Board members, told the Governing Board at its November meeting that during her campaign  the people she met had serious concerns about how the College was using its funds. She said that this was especially true about services that should exist in the Verde Valley and do not.McCasland 1 She also said that the resounding victories of herself and Steve Irwin should send a message to the College that “our taxpayers do not like what is happening right now.”

She “strongly encouraged” the Board to set aside the Master Plan and stop its implementation.  She urged the Board to let the committees that have been formed in the Verde Valley provide input about the direction community college education should take there.  

Categories : Politics, Ten year plan
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