Jack Dilenberg, who had announced he was a candidate for the seat,  withdrew from consideration because of illness and only Mr. Payne completed the candidate paperwork process for fling in this District by the July 8, 2024 deadline

Mr. Toby Payne

It appears that Clarkdale’s Mr. Toby Payne, the current occupant of the District #3 seat on the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board, will continue to represent the District for six more years. This is because Mr. Payne is unopposed for the seat, having been the only candidate to complete the necessary paperwork for the District election. The deadline of July 8, 2024, has passed without any other candidate filing.

Note that the deadline to file as a write in candidate for any election that may be cancelled is July 22, however, it is not expected that anyone will file as a write in candidate for this seat.

Mr. Jack Dilenberg from Jerome had originally announced his candidacy for the seat but withdrew due to ill health.

Mr. Payne was sworn in as the District #3 Board representative on March 21, 2023, by outgoing Yavapai County School Superintendent Mr. Tim Carter. He was filling the unexpired two-year term of Mr. Paul Chevalier, who resigned in January 2023.

District 3 consists of Big Park, Bridgeport 1 and 2, Clarkdale, Clemenceau, Coffee Pot, Cottonwood, Fir, Jacks Canyon, Jerome 1 and 2, Mingus, Orchard, Quail Springs, Red Rock 1 and 2, Red Rock East, Red Rock West, Verde Village, Western, and Wild Horse.

 Mr. Payne’s term will run through 2030.

Will hold at least two meetings on Verde Valley Campus and all remaining meetings will be held in the Rock House on the Prescott Campus

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board has voted on a new policy stipulating that it will hold a minimum of two meetings at the Verde Valley Campus and the remaining meetings at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus. The new policy, which was deliberated upon in January and ratified during the March session, signifies that it will no longer consider Sedona, Chino Valley, or Prescott Valley as venues for its meetings.

The rationale behind centralizing meetings at the Prescott Campus appears to be twofold: (1) It is deemed too costly for Prescott staff to travel to multiple locations, involving setup time and staff being away from the Prescott Campus. (2) Attendance at meetings has been notably low, with the last two sessions witnessing no members of the public present during the call to to the public portion of the meeting. 

Although no notice was given on the agenda (or elsewhere), that the February 20 meeting was going to be live-streamed, it was. Moreover, it was  re-posted to YouTube a day later for those who didn’t know about the change. Finally, a copy of the February 13 workshop meeting was posted on the District Governing Board website. Thanks to Ray Sigafoos and the Board for standing up for transparency in government!

Yavapai Community College began live-streaming District Governing Board meetings on the College’s YouTube channel on February 20. This decision was made without any prior notice in the posted February 20 agenda or elsewhere to the public. The positive aspect is that, along with live-streaming, the meeting was posted on YouTube on February 21 for those interested in viewing it.

Moreover, the video of the February 13, 2024 Workshop was made available on the District Governing Board website on February 21, allowing Yavapai County residents access to both meetings—one on YouTube, the other on the District Governing Board website.

Recall the decade-long practice of regularly posting videos of District Governing Board meetings was strongly opposed by Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine. The withholding of regularly posting videos of Board meetings occurred, apparently at her direction, suddenly with the January 2024 meeting. This abrupt decision to block transparency of the Governing Board discussions, which had been followed for a decade or more, triggered major concern among County residents.

Credit is due to District Governing Board member Ray Sigafoos for raising this matter and persuading the Board to vote in favor of making the videos accessible to the public they serve. Kudos to Mr. Sigafoos, who is sometimes considered by some as a kind of grumpy old . . .  (fellow).

Additionally, gratitude is owed to all citizens who voiced their opinions to the College regarding College President Dr. Lisa Rhine’s stance that videos of Governing Board meetings should not be easily accessible to County residents. After all, it is these citizens who contribute over 75% of the unrestricted revenue via property taxes to operate the Community College. Thank you for your concern!

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.

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).

No business transacted

A holiday dinner party was held for the five members of the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board on Wednesday, December 6 at Murphy’s Restaurant in Prescott. No business was transacted during the dinner.  The public was not invited.

Only information provided County residents after Tuesday’s meeting  was a Board motion stating that it “accepts the goals” it set during the secret meeting

Robert Oliphant, Editor

EDITORIAL:  In the shadows of secrecy, the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board met on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, with a significant agenda item—establishing goals for Dr. Rhine in the upcoming academic year. The veil of confidentiality shrouding the meeting would be comical except for its importance to County residents.

Following the closed-door secret executive session, a motion was passed, stating, “We accept the goals that we all set for Dr. Rhine and look forward to a prosperous 2023-2024.” A harmless  statement  concealing a disquieting truth  about what was actually decided..

It is of concern that there was a total absence of any prior discussion about setting goals in the public domain. It is as if the residents of Yavapai County have been left in the dark, their curiosity about the health of the College and the goals set for the College’s chief executive is being met by the Governing Board with a resounding silence. The secrecy that surrounds these objectives denies County taxpayers any insight into the very essence of their Community College’s aspirations for the coming year.

The consequences of this secrecy extend beyond mere curiosity. It fundamentally undermines the principles of transparency and accountability that should be the bedrock of any publicly funded educational institution. Without knowledge of the goals established, residents are rendered impotent in their ability to assess the achievements and progress of Dr. Rhine as the College’s president.

In essence, the result of the Governing Board’s secrecy erases any semblance of public accountability. The very residents who support Yavapai Community College with their hard-earned tax dollars are denied the right to participate in the essential process of evaluating their College’s leadership.

Moreover, the lack of transparency has a domino effect. It renders residents incapable of determining whether the Governing Board itself is effectively executing its duty of setting goals and providing effective direction for the College. The College, which is funded to the tune of over a hundred million dollars a year by taxpayers, deserves an open and participatory governance process that safeguards the public interest.

Hiding these goals behind closed doors not only robs residents of their rightful involvement but also obscures the path Yavapai Community College is intending to take over the coming year. What were these goals, and how do they reflect the aspirations of the diverse communities in the County? These questions remain unanswered, lingering in the shadows, casting a pall over the institution’s integrity.

It is imperative that the Community College  uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and public engagement. The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board must recognize its responsibility to the residents it serves, for it is they who entrust it with their resources and their aspirations.

Second consecutive year McCasland has been recognized nationally; Monahan described as a “dedicated educator and former law enforcement officer with a passion for empowering others”

In a press release issued by Yavapai Community College on September 15 it was announced that District Governing Board Chair Deb McCasland and Professor Jerald Monahan were regional winners and national finalists for the Association of Community College Trustees awards. Last year, McCasland received the American Association of Community Colleges’ Trustee of the Year award.

The American Association of Community College Trustees is a nonprofit business involved with advocacy efforts aimed at federal government. It also provides Yavapai Community College for a charge its educational services, including annual conventions and seminars, instructional publications, and other board services.  The College has hired it in a number of capacities over the years.

You may read the press release from Yavapai Community College written by JJ McCormack that contains additional information about the recognition by clicking here.