Construction on the new elevator at the Performing Arts Center on the Prescott campus is well underway. The cost of this elevator is estimated to be around $750,000.
Photo of location of elevator shaft from Governing Board Agenda, January 13, 2015.
Although the bulk of the construction for Buildings 1 and 3 on the Prescott campus is scheduled from March 6 through July 31, 2015, minor construction occurred during the month of December. According to the College, this consisted of construction to accommodate the move of the CTIS office suite to Building 1, new Registrar’s Office, and Dean of Student Services office along with Building 3 room 119 as the Allied Health administrative office suite.
Phase 1 of the 2014-2024 Master Plan for construction at CTEC at the Prescott airport is underway for the new locations of the Automotive, Transmission, Motorcycle, Upholstery and Industrial Plant programs. The College reports that This phase of construction is scheduled to run through May 4, 2015. The second and third phases of construction will begin in March and May respectively, and conclude July 31, 2015.
Photo from Board Agenda of January 13, 2015 showing CTEC construction.
The Yavapai College administration will propose adding Hotel and Restaurant Management courses to its curriculum at the January 13 Board meeting. In support of the proposed courses, Dr. Stuart Blacklaw wrote: “The Hotel and Restaurant Management Certificate program, with a mix of business and life skills, will prepare individuals for management careers in hotels and commercial food service. The program will require little to no capital infrastructure – utilizing existing classrooms and facilities – while supporting local economy, business and industry.”
Dean James Perey wrote in support of the program that “During the 2013-2014 I made three visits to culinary/hospitality programs/institutes throughout the united states. Based on my findings a program in hotel and restaurant management requires little to no capital infrastructure and can utilize existing classrooms and facilities. In addition it can support the local economy, business, and industry.”
The College did not indicate it would hire any additional faculty. In its application, it noted it had consulted with an advisory committee consisting of Steve Segner (president of Sedona Lodging Council and owner operator of El Portal), Jennifer Wesselhoff (CEO, Sedona Chamber of Commerce), Brian Rader (restaurant manager Cliff Castle Casino), and Nate Schriber (director of feed and beverage Cliff Castle Casino).
The application was sketchy on where the program would be housed and provided few details of how it would be developed. The complete application may be found in the January 13, 2015 Agenda online by clicking here.
The Community College administration will propose approval of a Culinary Arts Fundamentals Certificate at next Tuesday’s meeting (January 13, 1 p.m., the Rock House) on the Prescott Campus.
In a statement urging the Governing Board to adopt the proposal, Vice President Stuart Blacklaw wrote: “The Certificate in Culinary Arts Fundamentals is designed to equip students with basic skills in culinary arts including: culinary concepts and terminology, kitchen safety and sanitation, use of equipment, nutritional guidelines, measurements, food costing, and culinary theory and practice. To make a culinary arts program feasible, Yavapai College can lease a teaching kitchen with 6 separate units at Camp Verde High School. Currently there are over 200 students enrolled in secondary culinary programs in Yavapai County, however there is not yet a pathway to postsecondary certificates or credentials.”
According to Verde Executive Dean James Perey, the “program provides instruction in culinary concepts and terminology, kitchen safety and sanitation, equipment usage, basic nutritional guidelines, standard and metric measurements, food costing, and theory and practice in the production of culinary products. Courses emphasize fundamental cooking techniques and preparation methods for hot foods, breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, dressings, breads and pastries.”
The College intends to lease space from Camp Verde High School for $5,000 a year to house the program. It also intends to pay faculty in the program about $2,800 for teaching a four credit course.
The recommendation comes from Dean Perey who wrote in the application to the Governing Board that “During the 2013-2014 I made three visits to culinary programs/institutes throughout the United States. Based on my findings it is not feasible to build new construction for a culinary arts program due to cost.”
The recommendation, which was not unexpected by those who carefully watch College activities, will no doubt disappoint many in Sedona who were under the impression the College might seriously consider the Sedona Center for a culinary arts program.
In describing the program in the January Agenda, the College states that once the program is set up, an advisory committee will meet up to twice a year. The full agenda for the January 13 meeting where the proposal was made may be found by clicking here.
Residents surrounding the Verde campus should know that the campus weight room has weight machines, free weights, cardio equipment, and a weight room staff who are friendly and ready to help you with your New Year’s Resolution workouts.
A resident may purchase an individual pass at the Verde campus Business Office in Building I. A resident may also purchase a $50 Spring 2015 Semester Pass for Jan 12, 2015 to May 4, 2015. A monthly pass can be purchased for Spring 2015 for $15.
The weight room is open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and evenings Monday-Thursday, 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
For additional information, please email Teresa.Schwickerath@yc.edu or call 634-6575.
Commentary
The historic view followed by public education institutions that voters must approve a major capital project via a General Obligation bond is no longer the Yavapai Community College philosophy. Because of its power to raise property taxes by a three member vote of the District Governing Board and increase tuition at will, the Community College is now able to build major capital projects without asking for voter approval. This is a huge change in philosophy and means that the Community College is now being run much like a private company. The only difference is that it has a constant stream of revenue coming from County property taxes and student tuition. Voters have lost almost total control over capital projects.
The old view is expressed in the Community College 1999 Master Plan. In that plan, the College wrote:
“As a public community college district, the primary mechanism for renovation and construction projects is the issuance of general obligation bonds approved by the voters of Yavapai County. However, the College’s goal is to maximize the use of other funding sources to support key elements of the Facilities Plan.”
The old philosophy is found throughout that plan. For example, funding for a new soccer field, a renovated baseball field, and new tennis courts was all to come from donated funds–not from taxpayers.
Under the new approach, the College has managed to carve out a budget from annual property taxes and tuition so that it can build without voter approval any capital project it fancies. (Once it was thought by some that using taxpayer money at a publicly funded institution for capital development was unethical.) For example, without voter approval, it announced a $119 million dollar development project that it intends to finance over ten years from 2014-2024. It never asked for voter approval.
As Dr. Wills stated at the February 2014 Board meeting where the ten-year plan was discussed: “We are not going out for a General Obligation bond” for any [of the ten-year development plan.]
Vice President Clint Ewell explained at the February, 2014 meeting where the money for the ten-year plan was coming. He said:
“Revenues are coming from property tax and savings that we have accumulated over the past few years. . . . On average we are reinvesting about $8 million dollars a year although it ranges as low as $6 million and as high as $12 million in a given year.” (February 2014 Governing Board.)
The implications of this major policy change and operation of the Community College, which began about seven years ago, is troubling. The College no longer needs to seek input from residents of the County before millions of dollars are invested in major development. It can invest in any project that it fancies knowing that voters would never approve it. Residents of Yavapai County are no longer in control of their County Community College. It has been turned over to bureaucrats who have had no serious opposition from the Governing Board in spending millions of dollars on plant development–rather than faculty salaries, more faculty, and better overall education. Hopefully, with two new members on the Governing Board, automatic rubber stamping of capital projects will end.
Analysis
History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life, and brings us tidings of antiquity.
Marcus Tullius Cicero
There is a long history of political domination of the West side of the County over the East side. Domination began in 1966-67 when there was a fierce contest between the citizens in the Verde Valley and those in Prescott over where the first Community College would be located. The Gulf States and Industries Corporation offered $1.5 million dollars in financing for student dormitories and a student center, an outright gift of $100,000 for building purposes, and 165 acres of what was described as “prime land in the Clarkdale area” of the Verde Valley.
A site review conducted by Northern Arizona University recommended Clarkdale as the most desirable location for the first Yavapai Community College. Despite the site review and the offer by the Gulf States and Industries Corporation, the Verde Valley failed in its effort to establish the first community college there. Rather, Prescott was selected by the State Junior College Board as the location for the Community College.
Voters on May 23, 1967 approved 3011 to 2904 (107 margin) a $2.5 million dollar bond for the creation of Yavapai College. It is said that almost everyone in the Verde Valley voted against the proposal because of their anger over the decision by the State Junior College Board to not locate the college in the Verde Valley.
In 1975 another dispute arose between the Verde Valley and Prescott over the Community College. The dispute was twofold: When would initial construction of the Verde campus begin? Could the Verde campus be administratively separated from the control of Prescott? The buildings were eventually constructed on the Verde campus but the idea of a separate administrative college modeled after those in Maricopa County was rejected. Read More→
Photo from Governing Board agenda of February, 2014.
It was announced at the December Governing Board meeting that construction has begun on an elevator for the Performing Arts Center. Budget estimates for this project put the total cost at around $750,000 (see February 2014 proposed capital budget in February, 2014 Governing Board agenda). Over the last four years, the Community College has allocated an estimated $5 million dollars in upgrades to the Performing Arts Center on the Prescott campus. The facility is used almost entirely by Prescott and Prescott Valley residents. Most of the cost of the upgrades is being paid by Yavapai County taxpayers.
On November 10th the Verde campus dedicated a Memorial Tree in honor of Yavapai College graduate First Lieutenant Jonam Russell. Lieutenant Russell, age 25, died in the line of duty in Afghanistan in July 2013. He is from Cornville. Lieutenant Russell was killed long with two others by an improvised explosive device.
Although the tree on the Verde campus is dedicated in Lieutenant Russell’s memory, the College states that it will serve as a landmark to honor the service and sacrifice of all our military students, who we value so dearly.