Jack Dilenberg, who had announced he was a candidate for the seat, withdrew from consideration because of illness and only Mr. Payne completed the candidate paperwork process for filing in this District by the July 8, 2024 deadline
Mr. Toby Payne
It appears that Clarkdale’s Mr. Toby Payne, the current occupant of the District #3 seat on the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board, will continue to represent the District for six more years. This is because Mr. Payne is unopposed for the seat, having been the only candidate to complete the necessary paperwork for the District election. The deadline of July 8, 2024, has passed without any other candidate filing.
Note that the deadline to file as a write in candidate for any election that may be cancelled is July 22, however, it is not expected that anyone will file as a write in candidate for this seat.
Mr. Jack Dilenberg from Jerome had originally announced his candidacy for the seat but withdrew due to ill health.
Mr. Payne was sworn in as the District #3 Board representative on March 21, 2023, by outgoing Yavapai County School Superintendent Mr. Tim Carter. He was filling the unexpired two-year term of Mr. Paul Chevalier, who resigned in January 2023.
District 3 consists of Big Park, Bridgeport 1 and 2, Clarkdale, Clemenceau, Coffee Pot, Cottonwood, Fir, Jacks Canyon, Jerome 1 and 2, Mingus, Orchard, Quail Springs, Red Rock 1 and 2, Red Rock East, Red Rock West, Verde Village, Western, and Wild Horse.
Mr. Payne’s term will run through 2030.
Yavapai Community College will receive a portion of the $4.5 million allocated by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs earlier this year to support the College Workforce Scholarship program. The funds will be shared among nine other community colleges.
Despite decades of requests, the Prescott-based Community College administrators have consistently ignored the need for proper Verde Valley Campus signage, a significant problem that persists to this day. Notably, the Governing Board allocated half a million dollars for a sign to CTEC near the Prescott airport in the last budget year, highlighting the disparity in attention and resources between the east and west sides of Mingus mountain.
Unlike the massive financial investments made by the College on the Prescott side of Mingus over the past decades—such as the professional tennis complex, the heated Olympic-sized wading and swimming pool, student residence renovation, the practice soccer field, the recent multi-million dollar purchase of a 42-acre camp with over 60 buildings, and the multimillion-dollar auditorium—this proposal would not require significant financial resources. However, it would mark a meaningful beginning in revitalizing the campus and strengthening ties with the surrounding communities and their residents.
In a recent press release, Yavapai Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine reported on the Community College’s Virtual Reality pilot program. She explained that the College “piloted VR through a structured and experimental approach, involving multiple departments and classes, including 3D design, computer science, art history, CNC, construction, culinary, healthcare, HVAC, manufacturing and others. During the pilot year, more than 600 students participated in the VR programs, and 150 faculty members and 47 staff members were involved, along with 282 community members.”
The Yavapai Community College Student Government Association (SGA) opened a free professional clothing shop in April for students on the Prescott Campus. According to the College’s press release, President Dr. Lisa Rhine was the catalyst for the business-clothing shop, “planting the seed” in mentoring meetings with SGA leaders who noted the difficulty some students face affording professional attire for job interviews and other occasions.
On Wednesday afternoon, July 10, Yavapai Community College will hold an open house at its Prescott Valley Center for learning about healthcare careers. The Center is located at 3800 North Glassford Hill Road, Prescott Valley. The Open House will run for two hours from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
On June 15, 2024, Manzanita Outreach and Yavapai Community College partnered in a Healthy cooking class created by Faculty Director of Culinary Arts, Chef Carl Miller, and Chef Eric Seif. The purpose of the one-day class was to learn to cook four dishes, all of which utilized fresh items provided in the Manzanita Outreach food assistance boxes it delivers throughout the County.
The five-member Yavapai Community College Governing Board appears to be on a three month break. Its last publicly scheduled meeting for 2024 was the workshop held on the Prescott Campus May 28, 2024. Although the meeting schedule for the remainder of the year has yet to be posted, it appears that the first business meeting of the Board will not be held until sometime in September.
Yavapai Community College has been diligently developing its Performing Arts program on the Prescott Campus over the past few years. To further that development, it will hold “The Elevated Actor” Summer Actor Intensive training program from Monday, June 24, to Friday, June 28, at the Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center.
Yavapai Community College has reported that high school students taking classes in one of its early enrollment programs account for over 30 percent of its total enrollment. According to the College, in 2023-2024 the total number of high school students taking Dual Enrollment, Concurrent Enrollment, and CTED classes was 2,141 (fall) and 2,124 (spring). This represents over 30% of the College’s total enrollment.