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
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:
The decision to close down the Student Café on the Verde Valley Campus was made by Yavapai Community College’s Prescott based Executive Leadership Team (ELT). The Yavapai Community College Sedona/Verde Valley Campus Dean is not formally included among this group of decision makers. 
In a recent press release, Yavapai Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine reported on the Community College’s Virtual Reality pilot program. She explained that the College “piloted VR through a structured and experimental approach, involving multiple departments and classes, including 3D design, computer science, art history, CNC, construction, culinary, healthcare, HVAC, manufacturing and others. During the pilot year, more than 600 students participated in the VR programs, and 150 faculty members and 47 staff members were involved, along with 282 community members.”
The report was later featured in a press release from the Community College dated January 10, 2024. According to Lightcast’s report, it found that Yavapai College added a total of $203.7 million in income to the County economy during that time. That figure includes the Community College’s multiple roles as major employer – with payroll and operational expenditures – and local investor ($1.3 million in construction investments), as well as the impact of Yavapai’s Community College students spending locally ($10.2 million) and Yavapai Community College’s-trained personnel in the workforce ($149.2 million). The combined value is equal to approximately 2.2% of Yavapai County’s gross regional product (GRP).
Yavapai Community College’s District Governing Board was hastily called into a one-hour secret executive meeting on Thursday, December 14 to discuss and consult “with College Representatives Regarding Potential Lease and/or Purchase of Real Property, or Properties, in Prescott.” 
recently appointed executive leaders. He takes over the position previously held by Dr. Diane Ryan, who resigned in June. Notably, Dr. Ryan was designated as a “Vice President” within the College’s administrative structure, despite her responsibilities seeming quite similar to those now assumed by Doug Berry. The reason for this title change remains unclear.