Last minute replacements appear to be Dr. Marylou Mercado and Provost Dr. Doug Berry; unclear how they will respond to Mayor’s questions or whether they will explain the response from Hernandez
Mayor Scott Jablow
Yavapai Community College appeared miffed, agitated, and offended by the audacity of being asked in a premeeting email to respond to specific questions regarding its operations at the upcoming October 9 Sedona City Council meeting. The questions, sent by Sedona Mayor Scott Jablow, seemed to strike a nerve. According to the College, its frustration and refusal to answer harken back to a previous encounter in September 2021, when a similar line of questioning allegedly provoked a strong reaction.
In an effort to assist Sedona/Verde Valley Dean Dr. Del Genio and Communications Director Richard Hernandez in preparing for their presentation, Mayor Jablow sent Hernandez a list of ten potential questions he might raise during the October 9 meeting. (See questions below.) Hernandez’s response, which came swiftly and could easily be interpreted as angry, frustrated, or even petulant, left little room for doubt. (See response below.)
In his correspondence, Hernandez bluntly informed the mayor that neither he nor Dr. Del Genio would attend the upcoming Council session. He made it clear that he was “not interested” in a repeat of the College’s last appearance before the Council in September 2021. Hernandez claimed that the Council’s behavior and questioning during that 2021 meeting were inappropriate for a public forum. He even suggested a private meeting involving only the mayor, the council, and select staff, raising concerns about whether this proposal was an attempt to bypass public scrutiny.
The College has yet to clarify whether Dr. Del Genio shares Hernandez’s position. All inquiries by the Blog for further information have been directed to the public relations department, which has a long-standing reputation for withholding information.
As of the latest update, Yavapai Community College has assigned Dr. Marylou Mercado, Vice President of Workforce Development & Health Sciences, and Dr. Doug Berry, the Provost, to represent the College at the October 9 Council meeting. Whether they will avoid answering the mayor’s questions remains to be seen.
Below is a copy of the note sent to the Sedona Mayor by the Mr Hernandez on behalf of the Community College rejecting the offer to appear because of the questions:
Below is a copy of the questions Mayor Jablow sent as a courtesy to the College prior to the meeting suggesting they might be raised at the session:
