Two-thirds of funding sources have backed away from project; State budgetary problems receive most of blame; College to complete design stage with hope it will assist in raising future funding for the project
The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board approved the concept of a Health Sciences Center at its November 2022 meeting. The facility would be constructed at the Community College’s Prescott Valley campus. Following the November meeting, over the next few months the College began to unveil its plans for the Center. Eventually, it announced that construction on the facility would begin in August 2024. Apparently, that will not happen. It appears that about two-thirds of expected funding for the project has disappeared.
Timeline now has to be changed:
According to the presentation made by Community College Vice President Clint Ewell at the February 20, 2024 Community College District Board meeting, construction plans must be placed on hold as expected state and federal funding did not materialize. Absent quickly finding new funding sources, the start time for constructing the project will be delayed until at least 2027.
It is noteworthy that at various times since the Center was approved in concept, the College made somewhat vague public suggestions that it would obtain financial assistance from the state and federal governments to construct the Center. At the Tuesday, February 20, 2024 District Governing Board meeting, Vice President of Community Relations & Student Development Rodney Jenkins appeared to lay most of the blame for the construction setback on the state of Arizona’s budgetary shortfall. He said that while the Community College had support for the project from local legislators, the current state of Arizona’s budget caused the Governor to claw back funding for projects like the Health Science Center.
Mr. Jenkins seemed to dangle a remote possibility that the state might yet come to the rescue of the project, although prospects appeared dim.
Absent a major change in obtaining funds for the project, it appears that the project will be delayed to 2027 when the District Governing Board approves the final budget for 2024-25 at its May meeting. But stayed tuned. Things seem to change overnight at the Community College.
It is noteworthy to recall that back in 2010-11 the Community College was working on a tentative plan with Northern Arizona University that appears to mirror the current Health Science Center project. That effort eventually collapsed because of lack of funding.