Were those dollars wasted  as College decides only months later and one semester of classes  to build a $10 million commercial lab to teach brewery technology? Many questions remain unanswered

It was less than a year ago that the Community College completed major expensive renovation of facilities in Building “G” on the Verde Campus to support Brewery Technology classes.  Those classes opened for the first time August 16, 2021.

At the time, the College indicated it had set up an industry-standard pilot-brewery similar to those used by breweries to make small batches of beer for experimentation.  Michael Pierce, the director of enology and viticulture at the College’s Southwest Wine Center, was quoted as saying the new beer facility will not  be doing a “tap” because  the focus is on training students who are employable.

As created, students taking the Brewery Technology classes have a small pilot-brewery, a series of fermenters, a brew station, and some smaller brew kettles to make beer on their own. The Community College indicated it did not intend to grow hops or other crops on its vacant 80 acres of land on the Verde Valley Campus.  Rather, it intended to purchase hops from sources in  the town of Camp Verde.

Questions about the decision to invest $10 million are many. A few of them include the following:  Why wasn’t the public and the Governing Board given better information and details about the project before it was announced in May as a part of the $90 million dollar budget?  Is there a need based on data for training large numbers of students in making beer?  Will students who obtain certificates in Beer making be able to obtain well-paying jobs comparable to those who complete hi-tech CTE classes?  Why invest in a large commercial brewing facility when there is a need to train students in hi-tech career and technical education jobs that may pay up to $75,000 with a two year degree?  Is this an effort to generate additional College revenue to be used for operations/scholarships while teaching some students?   Over the long-run, without student housing, will it attract outside students to supplement the always needed minimum of 12 students per class?  Will the construction cost be supplemented by the College Foundation as was the Southwest Wine Center?  Is there a business plan?  If so where is it? 

Photo Source:  Yavapai College Facilities Management News dated September and November 2021 (November photos were taken by Mike Walsh and provided to the College for publication in the Facilities Management News.) https://www.yc.edu/v6/facilities/docs/newsletters/2021-09-facilities-management-newsletter.pdf and November 2021. https://www.yc.edu/v6/facilities/docs/newsletters/2021-11-facilities-management-newsletter.pdf

Administration says expenditure will fund a 14,000 square foot commercial lab facility focusing on Brewing and Distilling beer; communication on project to public and Board EXTREMELY poor at best; Third District Rep strongly prefers funds be used for a second CTE facility to train Valley residents and students for hi-tech, well-paying jobs but is ignored

Nothing is clear in the 2022-2023 Community College capital budget, approved by the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board 4-1, when it comes to expending almost $10 million on building a beer brewing commercial lab facility in the Verde Valley.  Despite the almost total lack of information, the budget containing this expenditure was approved with one dissent at the May 17 District Governing Board meeting.

All that is definitely known is that the facility will be located somewhere in the Verde Valley.  (See Budget Exhibit 12 below showing expenditure as approved.) (See also video clips of presentation and discussion by clicking here.)

The only information during the Board meeting regarding this facility and its purpose came when Third District Representative Paul Chevalier tried to obtain some details from College Vice President Clint Ewell.  Ewell said, in part, in response to Mr. Chevalier’s questions that “our preliminary estimates are about 14,000 square feet to build a commercial lab facility to teach brewing and distilling.”  (See video clip by clicking here.) He indicated that the College will most likely then be selling beer in addition to wine.  “That’s why we’re going with the larger commercial (site or size),” said Ewell.

The focus in the budget on a major beer facility came as a surprise to Board members who in March 2022 were presented with a draft capital budget.  In that budget the College focus clearly appeared to be on expanding the current Verde Valley Skills Center by an expenditure of almost $10 million over a three-year period.

There had been some reference to expanding the current beer and distillery program at the March Board meeting in the consultants written and oral reports to the public. But no one thought that the mere suggestion to expand this program would evolve into a major $10 million project. Or, that it would be presented to the District Governing Board without data showing a serious need, future potential high paying job openings after training, a development outline plus an open discussion by the Board about the pros and cons of such a facility.

Chevalier argued at Tuesday’s meeting that the Community College should focus on providing hi-tech Career and Technical Education training rather than expending millions on programs about how to make beer.  He said that he didn’t believe that using ten million to teach persons brewing skills could favorably compare with teaching them hi-tech jobs with certificates and degrees where starting salaries were reported at $75,000 or more.

He suggested that a small portion of the $10 million be used to develop a joint program with a local brewery with the remainder going into developing hi-tech jobs.  He observed that in his discussions with the public in his district, he had not heard an outcry for teaching how to brew beer. Rather, his constituents wanted hi-tech career and technical education certificates and degrees.

Chevalier also said he agreed with the remainder of the budget submitted to the Board. However, he would not approve it with the millions aimed at building a brewing training facility in the Verde Valley.  If it was removed, he would vote “yes.”  Otherwise, his vote was “no.” 

The remaining four Governing Board members appeared reluctant to ask any questions about the project or consider removing the expenditure from the 2022-2023 budget.  Representative Ray Sigafoos seemed to lament he had not heard the pros and cons of the project while representative Mitch Padilla said that he was not opposed to the program starting.  Chair Deb McCasland said she thought it was “shortsighted” to hold up approval of the budget because of opposition to the brewery expenditure.

Video clips of the comments by Governing Board members can be viewed by clicking here.  You may view the entire District Governing B0ard meeting when it is posted with the minutes on the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board website.