R. Oliphant :: Page 15 :: Eye on Yavapai College

Eye on Yavapai College

Yavapai Community College in Northern Arizona

Author Archive for R. Oliphant – Page 15

THIRTY-NINE MILLION DOLLAR HEALTH SCIENCES BUILDING PLANS MOVING AHEAD

By R. Oliphant

Sunday, February 18th, 2024

Project in full design stage; College may avoid County taxpayer scrutiny and approval by using Revenue bond scheme for portion of construction

Yavapai Community College is moving forward with its plans to construct a Health Sciences Building at its Prescott Valley Center. Estimates place the total cost of such a facility, including a potential third-floor auditorium of sorts, at around $39 million.

The Community College executives and District Board members have available to them a scheme to fund portions of the building without relying on taxpayer funds or grants. This scheme involves creating what are called “revenue bonds” to finance a portion of the project. Since revenue bonds are not directly repaid with tax dollars, the Community College can legally do this. The scheme has been used in other Yavapai Community College projects such as the renovation of the Prescott Campus residence halls.

To repay the revenue bonds over an extended period, the Community College must take funds only from tuition and other income producing sources, excluding property taxes. However, to replenish the funds drawn from these sources, it may, and most likely will, necessitate an increase in the County property tax rate, a decision requiring only three votes from the five-member District Governing Board. The public cannot block the tax rate increase once a majority on the Board approves it.

As a consequence, taxpayers may end up ultimately indirectly repaying the Community College for the cash used to pay for the revenue bonds via the increased tax rate. Overall, this strategy serves to mitigate potential significant challenges from the community for a project of this scale. It is another tool in the obfuscation toolbox of the College and the Governing Board that often keeps valuable information well hidden from public view and prevents serious public scrutiny from ever occurring.

Note: The following information as shown below was obtained from the Yavapai Community College Facilities Management newsletter of December, 2023.

Categories : Construction, Health Science Building, Prescott Valley Campus

NO LIVE-STREAMING OF VIDEO OF EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BUDGET WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 13; COMMUNITY COLLEGE ENJOYING AN ALMOST TOTAL INFORMATION BLACKOUT SINCE BEGINNING OF JANUARY

By R. Oliphant

Friday, February 16th, 2024

President Rhine shows who is “boss” of College Governing Board by dragging her feet following January 16 meeting where Board voted 4-1 to begin live streaming all of its meetings as soon as possible

Editor: Robert E. Oliphant

Editorial: The Yavapai Community College Governing Board claims as its single employee, Dr. Lisa Rhine, the institution’s President. However, it has become increasingly suspect that Dr. Rhine is less than enthusiastic about adhering to Board decisions, especially when those may conflict with her personal views or those of the College executives.

In a concerning turn of events, Dr. Rhine has emerged as a formidable opponent for making video recordings of Governing Board meetings readily and easily accessible to the public. For example, following the January 16 meeting, she used her personal email to lobby Board members against making the video of that meeting readily available to the public. Her lobbying resulted in a dramatic change in the decade-long practice of openness practiced by the Governing Board. In the past, the Board posted a videotape of Board meetings to its website two or three days after they occurred. That practice was stopped in January by Dr. Rhine!

The Community College President’s decision to alter public access to the videotape of Board proceedings suggests a deep-seated fear of accountability. Videos may, for example, provoke serious public scrutiny into the allocation throughout the County of the College’s substantial budget, which now exceeds more than a hundred million dollars.

Dr. Rhine may also be especially keen to avoid taxpayer inquiries into the expenditure of public funds on a county-wide scale in areas such as land purchase and new or renovated facility construction. Blocking easy access to the videotape of Board meetings and not posting draft minutes on the Board’s website helps serve this objective.

This aversion to transparency was exemplified by the institution of a new policy regarding any Board meetings. There will no longer be a post on the Governing Board’s website of a draft of the Board’s written minutes or a videotape of the proceeding shortly after the meeting.

The procedure instituted by Dr. Rhine to prevent the public from gaining information that once was readily available to the public is clumsy: She created a lengthy process of obtaining information about a meeting only by first making a formal written Public Document request in accordance with state law. A resident must complete the request on the College’s form and then send it to the correct College address. After that it will be sent to an unknown person for review and possible action.

The determination President Rhine has about keeping information from the public is also exemplified by her foot-dragging on implementing the Governing Board’s decision to live-stream all Board meetings. Recall the Board voted at its January 16 meeting to have all meetings streamed. However, there was no live-streaming of the February 13 workshop.

It is noteworthy that the February 13 workshop session was one of the most important yearly Board meetings for County taxpayers. The reason is that priorities, assumptions, and other matters related to the College’s hundred million dollar budget are discussed in great detail at this session.

President Rhine’s attack on transparency has, at best, forced County residents into a convoluted maze of bureaucratic procedures to access basic information about their Community College and how and where their property taxes are being spent. This undermines the principles of open governance and places an undue burden on residents seeking simple insight into public affairs.

Why should residents face such obstacles when attempting to obtain information from a public education institution when it is so easily and readily available? This conduct establishes a troubling precedent, particularly for students, unless they wish to emulate authoritarian leadership styles. For taxpayers within Yavapai County, it leaves them in ignorance regarding the inner workings of their community College and how and where their money is being spent.

Categories : Editorials/Essays

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD TO HOLD A “STUDY SESSION” AND BUSINESS MEETING AT THE ROCK HOUSE ON THE PRESCOTT CAMPUS ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2024

By R. Oliphant

Thursday, February 15th, 2024

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. and run until 4:00 p.m. There is normally an open call to the public at this meeting. The possibility exists that the meeting will be live streamed for County residents to view; check agenda when posted.

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board will hold what is described as a “Study Session” and “Business Meeting” at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. and run until 4:00 p.m.

Under Arizona law, a citizen has a right to attend, listen, tape record, or videotape all of these meetings. The public may not disrupt, but may speak during the Call to the Public at the beginning of this meeting if the call is on the agenda. See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001.

You may access the agenda for this meeting at the District Governing Board’s website when it is eventually posted. (It is normally sent to the Governing Board by Friday prior to a meeting but is usually withheld from public posting on the Governing Board’s website until the day before the meeting.)

There is a possibility that the meeting will be live streamed. Check the agenda when it is posted.

The agenda must be posted at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Categories : Meeting Notice

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD MEETS IN SECRET EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS PURCHASING MORE PROPERTY IN PRESCOTT

By R. Oliphant

Wednesday, February 14th, 2024

Following the meeting, the College issues no statement regarding the purpose of the potential purchase or any other details

The Yavapai Community College convened yet another of its frequent secret (legal) executive meetings on Tuesday, February 13, to deliberate on acquiring additional property in Prescott. However, customary of such proceedings, the Community College has once again chosen to withhold any specifics regarding the purchase post-meeting.

County taxpayers will possibly be informed about the purchase only upon its finalization. The deliberate delay in disclosure is likely aimed at preempting any inquiries about the utilization of taxpayer funds—an aspect that neither the Governing Board nor the Community College executives seem eager to address preemptively.

Categories : Property purchase

PRESIDENT RHINE CONTINUES TO WITHHOLD POSTING OR PROVIDING PUBLIC COPY OF JANUARY 16 DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD MEETING

By R. Oliphant

Thursday, February 8th, 2024

President has been quietly polling or persuading Board to withhold videotape

The videotape from the January 16, 2024 meeting of the Yavapai Community College Governing Board is still closely guarded. The Blog has made two requests for the tape but has not yet been successful in obtaining it. The most recent request is currently under review by someone whose identity remains undisclosed.

In the time since that January meeting, Dr. Lisa Rhine, the president of the Community College, has been in communication with Governing Board members regarding the videotape. It’s unclear whether her efforts are aimed at influencing the Board’s decision or simply gauging their stance on whether to release the videotape. Dr. Rhine’s strategy involves conducting private one-on-one telephone conferences with Board members, effectively ensuring that the matter is not brought into the public domain for open discussion. This approach cleverly skirts around the ideals of transparency and accountability.

Categories : Videotape

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD TO HOLD “BUDGET WORKSHOP” AT ROCK HOUSE ON THE PRESCOTT CAMPUS ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2024

By R. Oliphant

Thursday, February 8th, 2024

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. in the morning and run until 4:00 p.m. There is no open call to the public normally placed on workshop agendas. The possibility exists that the meeting will be live streamed for County residents to view

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board will hold what is described as a “Budget Workshop” at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. and run until 4:00 p.m.

The District Governing Board normally does not include an Open Call to the Public in the agenda.

Under Arizona law, a citizen has a right to attend, listen, tape record, or videotape all of these meetings. The public may not disrupt, but may speak during the Call to the Public at the beginning of this meeting if the call is on the agenda. See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001.

You may access the agenda for this meeting at the District Governing Board’s website when it is eventually posted.

There is a possibility that the meeting will be live streamed. Check the agenda when it is posted.

The agenda must be posted at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Categories : Meeting Notice

ANOTHER TOP HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER EXCEPTIONAL EXECUTIVE FLEES YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION AFTER ONLY SEVEN MONTHS

By R. Oliphant

Thursday, February 1st, 2024

Hired July 10, 2023 – Leaves seven months later with College offering no explanation; Follows resignations of Dr. Diane Ryan in July 2023 and Dr. Tina Red in July 2022

In a terse announcement to the press on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, Yavapai Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine stated, “I am writing to inform you that Dr. Kimberly Moore is no longer employed at Yavapai College.” The only explanation offered by Dr. Rhine for the sudden departure was, “I understand that the past few months of operations in these areas have been challenging.” She did not further address the issue.

Moore was hired to head the newly created Division of Workforce and Innovation and act as its Chief Workforce Innovation Officer.

Moore becomes the third exceptionally talented administrator to leave the College’s administration in the last two years. Recall that the outstanding Dean of the Verde Campus, Dr. Tina Redd, resigned in June 2022, citing stress, excessive workload, false accusations, suspicion, and other factors as her reasons for resigning. Redd’s resignation was followed by the abrupt, surprise departure of another outstanding executive, Dr. Diane Ryan, in June 2023.

You may recall that Yavapai Community College announced in a June 13, 2023 press release the creation of a new Division of Workforce and Innovation. To head this new division, it hired Dr. Moore as its Chief Workforce Innovation Officer, starting on July 10, 2023.

Dr. Moore has an exemplary record. She served as Vice President for Workforce Innovation at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, Florida. Before joining Tallahassee, Dr. Moore worked as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Workforce Plus, a local Tallahassee economic and workforce development board supporting businesses and job seekers alike. She became the first woman, minority, and youngest person in Florida to hold this key position.

Dr. Moore was recognized locally, statewide, and nationally for her service and commitment to excellence, with accolades including Tallahassee’s Top 26 Women in Business (2007), the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Leadership Pacesetter Award (2009), the Dr. Reginald Rolle Memorial Economic Development Champion of the Year Award (2010), Florida Diversity Council’s 2014 Florida’s Most Powerful and Influential Woman Award, Tallahassee Woman Magazine’s 2016 ‘Women Who Mean Business’ Innovator of the Year Award, induction into the Tallahassee Community College’s Hall of Fame in 2017, the 2019 Economic Innovator of the Year Award, the Florida State University – Omicron Delta Kappa (Honoris Causa) in 2020, the 2021 Idahlynn Karre Exemplary Leadership Award, the 2021 TCC Eagle Award, and the 2022 Trailblazer Award.

Categories : ADMINISTRATION, Admnistrative turnover

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD IS DEMONSTRATING A TROUBLING DISREGARD FOR THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY

By R. Oliphant

Thursday, February 1st, 2024

Erosion of openness and accountability is a dangerous precedent for a public (tax supported $100 million dollar) educational institution

Editor: Robert Oliphant

OPINION. The phrase “democracy dies in darkness” is a powerful reminder of the vital role transparency plays in maintaining a healthy democratic system. In the context of the Yavapai Community College’s District Governing Board, this saying takes on a particularly poignant meaning. By shrouding their actions in secrecy and limiting public access to information, the Board is not just deviating from its previous commitment to transparency but is also demonstrating a troubling disregard for the principles of democracy.

Democracy thrives on informed citizenry, where decisions are made in the light of public scrutiny and with the involvement of those affected by these decisions. When a governing body like the Yavapai Community College’s District Governing Board starts to limit access to information, such as meeting minutes or video recordings, it impedes the community’s ability to stay informed and hold their leaders accountable. This lack of transparency can lead to a lack of trust in the institution, as residents may start to suspect that decisions are being made without their best interests in mind or in a manner that is not reflective of their collective will.

Furthermore, the Board’s actions could be seen as setting a dangerous precedent. If a public educational institution, which ideally should stand as a beacon of knowledge and enlightenment, starts to operate as an autocracy, it encourages similar practices in other public bodies. This erosion of openness and accountability can have a cascading effect, weakening the very foundations of democratic governance.

In Yavapai County, where the residents rely on their elected officials and public institutions to act in their best interest, the Board’s shift away from transparency is particularly alarming. It not only affects the immediate functioning of the College but also reflects on the broader health of democratic practices in the region. The residents of Yavapai County are thus being shown, perhaps unwillingly, the truth of the statement that “democracy dies in darkness,” as they witness the diminishing transparency of Yavapai Community College. This situation serves as a stark reminder of the constant vigilance required to safeguard democratic values and processes against the encroaching shadows of secrecy and unaccountability.

Categories : GOVERNING BOARD

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOVERNING BOARD PULLS SHROUD OVER DRAFT BOARD MINUTES AND VIDEO TAPE OF MEETINGS

By R. Oliphant

Thursday, February 1st, 2024

After decades, Board puts an end to the enlightened view that Board activities should be fully transparent to the County taxpayers

After decades of openness, the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board has made a sudden shift in its approach to transparency. The Board now requires anyone seeking draft minutes of a meeting to follow the formal process outlined by Arizona’s Public Records Act. This marks a significant departure from the Board’s decades-long policy of readily providing such information by promptly posting it on its website. Furthermore, the Board has discontinued the practice of making videotapes of meetings available within three business days, if ever. This change appears to stem from concerns that the videotapes were fostering excessive accountability and transparency, elements the Board now is eager to avoid.

This retreat from openness may be driven by fears over what residents of Yavapai County might discover about the Board’s actions. For instance, during the January 16, 2024, meeting, there was allegedly an incident involving some Board members making remarks about a Prescott woman, which triggered a kerfuffle of sorts with the Board attorney over the remarks.

The College has informed the Blog that it will not post a draft of the minutes from the January 16th Governing Board meeting without a formal Public Records request. This move seems designed to make accessing the draft minutes as difficult and obscure as possible. Moreover, the College is also neglecting the Blog’s request for an unedited copy of the video recording of the January 16 meeting, despite a formal public records request being made for it.

Below is the letter from the College telling the Blog it must make a formal statutory request using the College’s form if it wants to see a draft of the minutes (while ignoring the request for the videotape made by the Blog).

Categories : GOVERNING BOARD

FREE ONLINE BOOK (LINK PROVIDED) OFFERS A BASIS FOR PROVOCATIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE FROM ITS BEGINNING IN 1966 TO 2016

By R. Oliphant

Saturday, January 27th, 2024

Historical, challenging, and political, “Wake up Verde Valley, You’ve Just Been Ripped Off” is a must for those interested in Yavapai County in general and the Yavapai Community College in particular

The book is free, political, and historical. It argues that for a half century there was economic educational discrimination practiced by the West Side of Yavapai County against the East side when creating and then developing Yavapai County Community College programs and facilities. There are those who no doubt will disagree. The book is now free and ready for you to download in pdf format. You should form your own opinion.

Please click on the link below and the complete 300 plus book will open. It can be read on-line or copied to your computer by right-clicking on the PDF file and then downloaded. (Please email the author any suggestions for corrections and if possible include links to any authority you may have found on the internet that support your suggestions.) Note, while the book is free, it is copyrighted.

WAKE UP VERDE VALLEY, YOU’VE JUST BEEN RIPPED OFF

Categories : WAKE UP VERDE VALLEY BOOK ED 1