Author Archive for R. Oliphant – Page 32

TENNIS ICON CHRIS HOWARD SPEAKS ABOUT HIS TENNIS LIFE AND CAREER AT YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Shares sketch of the speech he would have given to Governing Board on April 11 but was restricted to only one-minute to address Board at Open Call to the Public

Yavapai Community College award to Mr. Chris Howard

Prescott Tennis icon Chris Howard was fired in March by Yavapai Community College.  In an earlier posting, the Blog has covered the perceived reason behind the firing and the flavor of the outpouring of support for him at the April 11, 2023, College District Governing Board Meeting.  However, along with other speakers, he was allowed only a single minute to address the District Governing Board.  

At the request of the Blog, Mr. Howard has graciously shared the sketch of the speech he had prepared to give at that meeting.  It is set out below.  In addition, you may also view a clip of his speech, which was cut off at the April 11 Governing Board meeting by clicking here.

By Mr. Chris Howard

Most of you don’t really know me, to you I’m just the tennis guy who “used to” teach tennis at Yavapai College and been in the area a long time as such.

The “used to” part of that last sentence is sad, because over the 40 plus years I’ve been in the Prescott area I’ve probably had the most interaction with practically every tennis player, junior-adult & senior than anyone else.

Since in Prescott I’ve….

Worked with or for every Y.C. athletic director, every Prescott Parks and Rec Director, most local high school A.D.’s.

Been past President of the Yavapai Tennis Association and was one of 5 creators of the Prescott Area Tennis Association in 1993 and still a board member 30 years later.

Been writing a weekly tennis column in the Prescott Daily Courier for 30 years called, “My Point”. That’s over 1,500 columns about everything you can think about related to tennis.

Graduated from the Prescott Area Leadership Program in 1995 that Dr. Ron Barns started in 1990.

Started teaching at the Y.C. tennis facility in 1982, became an adjunct in 1996, maintained the courts from 1999 until 2014 with George Reynolds and his band of great volunteers. Helped raise the $200,000 the community partnered with the college in the rebuild of the facility, was a part of every planning meeting and have been the manager since that time.

I am a USPTA Elite Master tennis professional, which puts you in the top 10% of pro’s in the country with knowledge and experience.

As a player I still compete on a national level, and last year won a couple national titles and many SW events and for a while was ranked #1 in the nation in the 65 doubles.

Have worked in every type of tennis setting: 5 star resorts, tennis colleges, private clubs, country clubs, colleges, high schools, private courts and subdivisions.

Positions I’ve held range from club owner, Sports Director, Tennis director, multipurpose club manager, tennis professional, tennis camp director, high school and college coach, adjunct, professional tennis services, tournament director, racquet stringer and repair, etc. Been involved maintaining and building clubs and facilities from the ground up.
Managed up to 25 staff members at a time.

I have been on many boards over the years, donated time to our community in many various ways, run for City council, put my name in to fill in for County Supervisor Jack Smith when he stepped down and done my best to put Prescott tennis on the map to all ages and levels for 4 decades.

For me, tennis has been a passion, something I’ve always tried to do with putting my best foot forward, giving a lesson, playing in a tournament, teaching a tennis class, stringing a racquet, running a tournament, managing a tennis facility or building one.

It’s all about relationships, communication, following through with what you say you’ll do, continuity and most of the time a good demeanor and smile.

You try to look at the big picture and create a plan of action that lets the game of tennis grow in a positive manner.

That’s what I tried to do every day I’ve been at Yavapai College with everyone I’ve come in contact with.

We created something special here, even with a small 7 court facility. A place where everyone feels good to come, an easy way to make a reservation, to join a class, lesson or clinic.

Our tennis professionals are certified and covered with 8 million dollars of insurance, and they jell together like most communities would die to have.

The user fees and in house honor/computer system we have in place are more than enough to pay to maintain our tennis facility. Most colleges can’t make that claim.

My downfall has been that I cared maybe too much…

Since 2014 rebuild the college has locked the courts when it snowed until they were safe to play on again, which is a good idea. Unfortunately, they didn’t give the manager a key to be able to get in to clear the shaded areas when the courts could have been playable many times they were not.

Our facilities department needs to take care of the main campus and many times there is no one to come take care of the courts when they should and could very easily be reopened by getting rid of the slush before it refreezes again that night.

This has created a problem with many college classes being canceled, patrons not being able to get back on the courts and tennis professionals losing days of giving lessons.

Naturally that’s against everything I believe should happen when servicing our players and community. Since 2014 I have tried to get this policy changed, but to no avail.

The last try was an email/letter to have a meeting with my new dean and also with the Head of our Facilities Department. Once again they declined to have a meeting to talk and hopefully come to a better solution, which seems so simple. Let the manager help deal with it.

The “Closed Campus” aspect doesn’t work for the tennis manager. That person needs to see if the courts have a possibility of being open the next day. They need to let the college classes know, the patrons who have court time booked and the tennis professionals who have lessons.

Being made to feel like a criminal after years of good service can’t be right – not having a conversation to get on the same page, letting ideas flow and going with what makes the most sense.

I believe everyone here today can agree with that.

I am appealing to President Rhine to hopefully open the door to allow this proud but humble tennis servant to once again be of help at least teaching at Yavapai College, if not regain the position held previously which I always did to the best of my ability.

TENNIS COMMUNITY SHOWS OUTPOURING OF LOVE AND RESPECT FOR PRESCOTT TENNIS ICON CHRIS HOWARD WHILE EXPRESSING ANGER, SHOCK AND DISGUST FOR DECISION TO FIRE 68-YEAR OLD WHO WAS EMPLOYED LAST NINE YEARS AS YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S TENNIS COURT MANAGER

Yavapai Community College Governing Board allowed nine residents supporting Howard to address it for only one minute each; two speakers in wheelchairs, others weeping, and still others urging reconsideration and possible reconciliation

Around 75 visibly upset citizens and members of the Prescott tennis community packed the Yavapai Community College’s District Governing Board meeting wall-to-wall at its  April 11 meeting. They were all there to support Mr. Chris Howard, who managed its tennis complex nine years but was fired by the College in March.

Some expressed disdain and shock at the perceived heartlessness of the College’s  decision to fire 68 year-old Chris Howard. Some wept. Still others  asked the College for reconsideration and reconciliation. Two citizen speakers were in wheelchairs.

Mr. Andrew Bogdonov (Photo attributable to Mr. Chris Howard.)

Howard is considered an icon in the Prescott tennis community. He has long list of accomplishments and contributions to tennis that cover at least 40 years. 

Howard is one of several tennis coaches employed by the College to teach tennis. He managed the College’s tennis facility for the past nine years, up to the day he was fired. Prior to 2014, when the new tennis complex was built, he was a leading volunteer who kept the old, run down tennis courts going for the Community College. As an employee in charge of the new tennis complex,  Howard received an outstanding performance award and plaque from the College for his dedication and commitment to the institution and tennis.

Mr. Howard was dismissed from his job as the Community College Tennis manager, adjunct and independent contractor because he allegedly broke  the  policy regarding snow days, which the College calls a “Closed Campus” day. No one is allowed on campus on a snow closed campus day other than authorized personnel. He was not on the list of authorized employees.

Howard says that he was at the tennis courts on a closed snow day to determine whether the courts would be playable the next day.  He had done this hundreds of times before. If he thought the courts could be opened the next day after inspecting them, he would then contact the facilities department and try and persuade them to finish getting the shaded areas of the courts cleaned off so classes could be held the next day.

Because of what most would agree were his efforts to care for the tennis complex and its students, he was fired.  In addition, he received a “no trespass” ticket, which apparently bars him from the Community College tennis courts for a full year.

Neither the Community College leadership nor any members of the Community College Governing Board will provide citizens with an explanation about firing the 68 year old employee. Requests for information from the Community College’s Public Relations department were likewise stonewalled with a statement that the College does not comment on employment related matters.

Many believe the real reason behind his firing was retaliation going back eleven months because of  his opposition to potentially turning a portion of the Community College’s tennis complex into pickleball courts.  According to Mr. Howard, about eleven months ago the college dean had a meeting with him and explained it had been decided the two upper courts on the tennis complex would be changed into pickleball courts. Moreover, Mr. Howard was told that the decision was a “done deal.” 

Howard explained to the Dean that he disagreed with the pickleball idea and passed the information on to the Prescott Area Tennis Association (PATA). PATA  asked for a meeting with the College where its members would be allowed to discuss what was perceived as a poor decision and suggest alternatives to the plan. The PATA meeting request  was denied.

PATA members, apparently frustrated at the roadblock thrown up to simply have their views effectively heard in person by the College,  initiated an email campaign where they expressed their opinions about the pickleball decision while  suggesting several alternatives. The emails arrived on the desk of the College President with copies going to the District Governing Board members.  It is suspected that the strong outpouring of opposition from the Prescott tennis community ruffled the feathers of the College’s executives who were apparently less than open-minded about a member of the staff, Chris Howard, disagreeing with them over  adding pickleball and then informing PATA of the decision.  (It appears that the College prefers to operate without ever informing citizens about decisions like this until after the fact because it fears citizen input and open discussion.) The College then, according to Mr. Howard, began watching him closely, which eventually led to the firing.

In what some view as an effort to minimize the citizen impact at the April 11 Governing Board meeting, only nine of Mr. Howard’s supporters were allowed to speak and each was restricted to addressing the Board for one minute.

Among speakers supporting Mr. Howard were:  Eric Mitchell, the CEO of the United States Tennis Association, Southwest section. Fay Matsumoto, a former 35 year employee of the College. Dr. Paul Sadick, former Head of Surgery for the Veterans Administration and Embry Riddle Professor.  Ms. Elaine Wolff, Ms. Pam Lee, Mr. Bob Florine, plus wheelchair players Ms. Nannette Johnson and Mr. Andrew Bogdanov. Mr. Howard was also given one minute to address the Board and was cut off before he finished his speech.  (Video clip of speeches can be found by clicking here.  Note College audio is at times poor.)

Tennis enthusiast Andrew Bogdanov, who is the 38th ranked quad wheelchair player in the world and will be representing the United States in May in Portugal, spoke lovingly of his relationship with Howard.  He said that Mr. Howard “gave me the opportunity to be active, healthy, and competitive” and had a “tremendous impact” on his life.   He attributed his current success to Howard. “He doesn’t just teach tennis, he changes lives,” said Bogdanov.  “He teaches for all of us in chairs,” he said.

Bogdanov also explained that there are no other accessible options to play tennis in the Prescott area.  “If you take away Chris being able to teach, you’re taking away our ability to play tennis in wheelchairs here,” he said.

He went on to say that he was not there to “beg” the Board and College to give Mr. Howard his job back.  He asked that Mr. Howard be at least allowed to use the court so “he can teach tennis as an independent contractor instructor.”

You may view the video of the efforts to address the Governing Board by the nine speakers by clicking here. (The Community College’s audio, unfortunately, is poor.)

VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, APRIL 22 FROM 9 TO 11 A.M.

Free and open to the public

 🙂 Yavapai Community College has announced an open house recruiting and familiarization day will be held on Saturday, April 22 at Yavapai Community College’s Verde Valley Campus (601 Black Hills Drive, Clarkdale) from 9 to 11 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The press release containing the announcement from the College reads as follows:

Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the campus and learn what it’s like to be a Yavapai College Roughrider. Meet the people who will help you learn more about the programs that YC has to offer. Participants may secure assistance in completing an application to Yavapai College, and can learn more about scholarships, financial aid, and how to pay for college.

Visit www.yc.edu/openhouse for more information.

“We’re excited to be able to provide members of the community the opportunity to see for themselves the wide variety of academic offerings and top-flight facilities at YC,” said Dr. Diane Ryan, Yavapai College Vice President of Academic Affairs.

The campus features well-equipped classrooms, computer labs, a modern library, a new student union, an art gallery and arts center, learning center, fitness center, veterans’ program, the iconic Mabery Pavilion and other community gathering places, a robust data center, and state-of-the-art labs.

The Verde Valley Campus is home to a state-of-the-art 10,000 sq. ft. Skilled Trades Center. This facility is used to train students in career and technical education programs. These programs include Residential Trades/Construction, Residential Electrical, Residential HVAC and Residential Plumbing.

Yavapai College operates six campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, a baccalaureate degree, student and community services, and cultural events and activities.

To learn more about YC, visit www.yc.edu.

COLLEGE REPORTS IT HAS BUILT UP “CARRY FORWARD” CASH RESERVES OF $32.3 MILLION

Attributes large reserve to “sound fiscal management;” may need to explain at May tax rate hearing if some of the reserve funds can be used to reduce tax rate increase being proposed to add to  County taxpayers’ primary taxes

Yavapai Community College reported at the April 2023 District Governing Board meeting that it now has cash reserves of $32.3 million.  These reserves have been accumulated, according to the Community College, through  “sound fiscal management.”

There may be questions put to the College and Governing Board about these reserves at the May public hearing where it is anticipated the College will ask for a 5% County primary tax rate increase. 

The College maintains cash reserves in accordance with a policy set by the District Governing Board. Currently, the Board requirements have set plant fund reserves at eight percent while the remaining funds are set at 17 percent.  As the data from the Community College’s graphs (see below) presented to the Governing Board at the Board meeting April 11 show, the current $32.3 million is well above the minimum reserves required by Governing Board policy.

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOVERNING BOARD HOLDS SECRET EXECUTIVE MEETING TO DISCUSS PURCHASING ADDITIONAL LAND IN PRESCOTT; FOLLOWS DECISION TO APPARENTLY PURCHASE LAND IN PRESCOTT VALLEY IN FEBRUARY

Public being kept  totally in the dark about location, purpose or amount of taxpayer funds being used to purchase these properties

Yavapai Community College has gone into the land purchasing business in a big way during  the last few weeks.  Recall that on February 24, 2023, the College District Governing Board held a two-hour closed door executive meeting focusing on purchasing land in Prescott Valley and leasing land in the Verde Valley.  Following the session, the Board issued a  vague statement in the form of a motion, unanimously approved, directly the staff to move as directed in the closed door session. The public was left in total darkness about what was happening.

Now, a little over a month later, the College is again looking to purchase more land, this time in Prescott.  Like the February meeting, the public received no information about the Prescott purchase at this April meeting. It was again left in the dark.

 So far, the Prescott-based executions have kept quiet about the amount of taxpayer money to purchase the Prescott Valley property,  where it is located, or its precise purchase.   It also has yet to learn what property the Community College is leasing in the Verde Valley, the amount of taxpayer money being used to pay for the lease, or the purpose. Likewise, the public has no information about the Prescott land purchase either.

It would appear that all of the new land will mostly be paid for by County taxpayers from their primary property taxes. 

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROPOSED BUDGET SHOWS EXPENDITURES UP BY $20 MILLION IN TWO YEARS

College data reveals expenditures in 2021-22 were $82.854 million while 2023-24 proposed budget expenditures are at $102.728 million. Salaries and benefits (up 9.4%), capital projects and equipment (up 102.2%) account for $13 million of the proposed increase over last year’s budget

Yavapai Community College rolled out its final budget proposal at the April 11, 2023, Governing Board meeting.  It showed a $13 million increase over last year’s budget and a $20 million increase over the budget it adopted two years ago. 

Most of the proposed increase in the present budget was to cover  a 9.4 percent increase in employee salaries and benefits plus a 102.2 percent increase in capital expenditures over 2022-23. 

The chart below, which was presented to the Governing Board at the April meeting, provides additional information regarding the proposed expenditures for the 2023-24 budget year. 

A public hearing will be held Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. on the Prescott Campus in its Community Room (19-147) where the public may address the Governing Board regarding the expenditures.  It is anticipated that the College will  request a 5% County Property tax  increase in order to pay for these expenditures.  The public may also address the tax increase at the May 16 hearing.

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOVERNING BOARD CHAIR McCASLAND NAMED NATIONAL TRUSTEE OF THE YEAR BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The award recognizes her “significant contributions,” “demonstrated exceptional leadership” while presiding “over significant achievements” as Governing Board Chair

Yavapai Community College District Governing Board Chair Deb McCasland was named national trustee of the year April 4, 2023, by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) at its annual meeting in Denver, Colorado. Ms. McCasland is a Yavapai Community College almna  who has served on the District Governing Board for eight years, the last three as Chair. 

District Governing Board Chair Deb McCasland

She was nominated for the AACC Trustee of the Year award by Dr. David B. Borofsky, Director of the Arizona Association of Community College Trustees. The award celebrates a trustee who has made significant contributions to the college, demonstrated exceptional leadership, and presided over significant achievements that benefit the college, district, state, system, or foundation.

In his nomination letter, Borofsky lauded McCasland’s “amazing growth” as a leader, her tireless community engagement and statewide advocacy efforts, and her unmatched passion for student success. “She is THE trustee who is focused on student success,” Borofsky wrote.

“Chair McCasland avidly supports [Yavapai Community College,] its students, and our communities. She is a true leader, and her passion and dedication towards student success never waivers,” said Dr. Lisa Rhine, President of the College. “There is nobody more deserving of this award than Deb.”

In 1976, McCasland began her 34-year career at the College as the Yavapai Community College Student Activities Director. Among her many achievements before joining the Community College Governing Board were founding and developing the Community Events program and the Performing Arts Charitable Endowment. In 2010, she was chosen as an Outstanding Yavapai College alumnus. She retired from Yavapai Community College in 2011 as Director of Major Gifts  for the Community College Foundation. She has been elected three times to represent District Two on the Yavapai College District Governing Board.

The AACC is a non-profit advocacy organization for the nation’s community colleges. It represents nearly 1,200 institutions and more than 11 million students. The Awards of Excellence reflect and advance the association’s priorities and spotlight “promising practices” among member colleges.

To learn more about YC, visit  http://ww.yc.edu.

Source:  Yavapai Community College press release of April 4, 2023, which you may view here: https://www.yc.edu/v6/news/2023/04/deborah.html

WHY HAVE THE LAST FOUR SEDONA/VERDE VALLEY DISTRICT THREE REPRESENTATIVES VOTED AGAINST A TAX RATE INCREASE FOR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE?

Reasons vary but they include: (1) Concerns with transparency and financial accountability to  Third District residents because budget is presented in unfamiliar form unlike that used by cities and towns on the east side of Mingus Mountain; (2) Half century of inequitable focus and expenditure of millions of Third District taxpayer dollars on developing Prescott Campus to the detriment of Third District residents; (3) Refusal to seriously consider creating Administrative College for Third District thus maintaining iron-fisted control with Prescott based executives; (4) Refusal to develop music and performing arts programs for east side residents; (5) Inequitable development of sports and cultural programs in the Third District that to the extreme benefit essentially only residents of Prescott and Prescott Valley; (6) Refusal to reform the Governing Board to provide its members (and public) with regular detailed information about District-wide operations and development.

OPINION. Since June 2013, when Third District Representative Robert Oliphant voted “no” on increasing the Yavapai County primary property tax rate, the three representatives who followed him have all also voted “no” when it came to increasing the property tax rate to support the Community College.  What are some of the reasons that explain this consistent opposition to increasing Sedona/Verde Valley  tax rates?  The following is a list of a few of those reasons:

  1. Repeatedly, Third District representatives have asked for greater financial transparency including a demand that the Community College provide an annual accounting to the Third District about the exact amount of revenue it provides the Community College through the District’s contribution via state and federal revenue, County primary taxes, secondary property taxes,  and new construction taxes.  It has only vaguely and very reluctantly provided some partial information.  In addition, the District Representatives have asked the College to provide an estimate of the tuition and government grants it receives because of the enrolled students in Sedona and the Verde Valley.  It has received no information about that. And then, an understandable detailed financial explanation of what revenue received was reinvested in the Third District.
  2. The College has been asked in the name of transparency to adopt a budget format that is similar to that used by almost all cities and towns in the County, which is highly transparent. It refuses to do so, and its budget remains less than transparent to the average citizen in the Third District.
  3. For a half century, the Community College has been developing a robust music education program on the Prescott Campus. It has done little to nothing to develop music programs on the Verde Campus or the Sedona Center.  Similarly, it has spent the significant resources to create and develop a performing arts program on the Prescott Campus but nowhere else.  Somewhere around 500 or more students attend the Performing Arts classes on the Prescott Campus annually; there are none on the Verde Campus or at the Sedona Center.  This has occurred despite the continual efforts of the Third District Representatives asking the College to address these issues.
  4. Third District Representatives have evinced concerns about the centralization of all major decision-making in Prescott based executives. The College has made it clear it will never allow the Verde Valley/Sedona District to have a major voice in operating the east side facilities; the total veto power over major decisions for Sedona and the Verde Campus are tightly retained in the hands of the executives headquarters on the Prescott campus. And supported by a majority of Governing Board members all of whom are from the west side of the County.
  5. Third District representatives efforts to improve community college development on the east side of the County have been thwarted by the west-county voting bloc on the Governing Board despite the fact that for more than a half century the Community College has used Third District revenue to develop programs and projects that are almost exclusively aimed at residents of Prescott and Prescott Valley.  Facilities exclusive to the west side of the County include: (1) Building a professional tennis court complex for Prescott residents—the College has no tennis team. (2) Building and maintaining an indoor swimming pool and wading/rehab facility for Prescott residents, especially the elderly – the College has no swim team.  (3) Since 1988, using Third District primary and secondary property taxes to build, support, and renovate at a cost of millions of dollars the Performing Arts Center, which is realistically a facility attracting and accessible only to persons on the West side of the County. (4) Spending millions of Third District taxpayer money over the years in developing a sports program with eight teams and  athletic fields, gymnasium, and all accoutrements with teams realistically only playing games and matches on the west side of the County.
  6. Third District Representatives have learned that the District now produces at least $2 million a year in tax revenue that is not spent in the District by the College, which they deem unfair. In the past, the Third District as provided many more millions of dollars anually that went into developing the Prescott Campus and other facilities on the west side of the County.
  7. After more than a half century, Third District Representatives were finally able to persuade Prescott-based executives to construct a Career and Technical Education Center on the Verde Campus. However, a small 10,000 square foot facility was constructed that hardly compares with the 110,000 square foot facility on the west side of the County.  Worse, development on the Verde Campus CTE facility is hampered because of the absence of a full-time Dean at the Verde Campus who would spend all of his or her time working with local businesses in the District on a daily basis recruiting students and leaning about local CTE needs.  Again, the development of CTE is hampered by the absolute control exerted by Prescott-based executives whose focus is on the west side of the County.
  8. Third District representatives have been concerned with the loss of full-time faculty on the Verde Campus and at the Sedona Center. Many were cut in 2010 and 2011 and were never replaced. However, the sports programs such as basketball that were cut back in 2010 and 2011 have been recently reinstated and expanded, i.e., men’s basketball, women’s basketball, women’s soccer.
  9. Third District Representatives have been concerned with the refusal of the Prescott-based executives to consider building student residence halls on the Verde Campus or elsewhere to initiate serious development on the east side of the County and as a practical matter make the east county facilities destination centers to assist in growing student enrollment. Student residence halls, which pay for themselves, can also help alleviate the need for students in the Verde Valley and Sedona to seek expensive private housing if they intend to attend the Community College on the east side of the mountain.
  10. Third District Reps have expressed concern with the mechanics of how the public hearings involving tax rate increases, which are required by law, are held. For example: (1) The public hearings are only held on the Prescott Campus. There could at least be zoom facilities created at various sites around the County so all County residents would have reasonable easy access to the hearing. (2) Prior to the May hearing in Prescott regarding increasing the tax rate, there are no presentations by College officials to the residents on the east side of the County about the need for the tax rate increase and no open forums in the Third District where the residents’ views can be expressed. (3) Rejection of the committee system entirely by the Governing Board.

APPEARS THAT COMMUNITY COLLEGE WILL ASK GOVERNING BOARD TO APPROVE A 5% TAX RATE INCREASE FOR NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET

Inflation, additional sports programs, significant increase in employee salaries, no increase in four years, will be argued as driving forces that need  increase in primary tax money from County residents

Yavapai Community College indicated at the March 2023 District Governing Board meeting that it will be seeking a 5% primary property tax rate increase in May of 2023.  It will most likely argue that it needs more operating revenue, and the only available source appears at present to be Yavapai County residents’ primary property taxes. 

The anticipated arguments that the Prescott-based executives will make to the Governing Board are along these lines:  First, the College will note to the Governing Board that it has not asked for a primary tax rate increase for four years.  Typically, it will argue, it asks for an increase every three years. Second, it will argue that each year, when the College does not increase the property tax as allowed by law, the amount not used  is carried forward.  Thus, at present the College could ask  for an 18 percent increase, which the College will tell the Board it would never use. Thus, citizens implicitly should be grateful the increase is only 5%. Finally, it will emphasize that inflation is a main cause of the need for more funds.

It will not consider any major budget cuts, such as reducing or eliminating a sports program.   

State law provides the Governing Board with exclusive power to increase the County primary tax rate. The increase needs only a majority of the five member Governing Board to vote in favor of it.  While citizens will be given an opportunity to express their opinion about the tax rate increase at the May public meeting, there is no history of citizen opposition affecting whatever increase the College has requested.

COLLEGE EXPECTED TO DISCLOSE HOW IT WILL SPEND $3.4 MILLION ON WORKFORCE HOUSING AT APRIL GOVERNING BOARD MEETING

April disclosure, if it occurs,  follows February 24, 2023,  Board Executive meeting where Community College staff received secret direction regarding “affordable housing” and  potential purchase of real property in Yavapai County near Prescott Valley, and negotiations for potential lease of real property in Yavapai County near Verde Valley

Yavapai Community College has included in its draft capital improvement budget, unwrapped at the March 2023 Governing Board meeting, an expenditure of $3.4 million for “Workforce Housing.” At that meeting the Community College’s  Prescott-based executives were unable or unwilling to disclose precisely how the money would be used. 

The executives indicated at the March meeting that how the funds would be used would be disclosed at the April meeting, where a final Capital budget  would be produced.  To date, neither the public nor the Blog have any further information about this expenditure.

Please click here to take you to the Blog story about the Executive meeting in February 2023 where the statement by the Board was made regarding the directions to the staff about the property lease and purchase was made.