Letter to editor suggests renaming Community College to “King George College”

Cottonwood resident Beatrice Keeber suggests that the Community College be renamed “King George College.”  She says that it would be a more fitting name and asks: “Is it time for Verde Valley to rise up as did the colonists in 1775? Is there another way for this entire valley to be heard in Prescott?” 

Her letter to the editor in the Verde Independent where she made this suggestion may be read in its entirety by clicking here.

Dale Fitzner and Herald Harrington recognized at regular monthly meeting

Dale Fitzner and Herald Harrington, both of whom were soundly voted out of office by County residents in November, were honored by the College Administration and three remaining Board members at the Tuesday, December 9 regular Board meeting on the Prescott Campus.

Harrington and Fitzner will have trees planted in their names on the grounds of the Prescott Valley Library (for Fitzner) and the Yavapai Community College Verde Valley Campus (for Harrington). Professor Vikki Bentz, president of the Yavapai Community College faculty senate, presented certificates of appreciation on behalf of the faculty to Fitzner and Harrington.

Is College involved in a Political ploy or does it have a peculiar obsession with summer survey?

As Election Day for Yavapai Community College Governing Board candidates nears, critical eyebrows are being raised in some quarters about the actions of the Community College. Critics ask: “Is the College using the feeble results of a summer survey to disguise a political campaign designed to return College Administrator favorites, Herold Harrington and Dale Fitzner, to the Governing Board? If that is not the College’s purpose, does its behavior in the last two months suggest it has become peculiarly obsessed with the survey?

Arizona law, AZ 15-1408, prevents a College from spending or using resources of any kind to influence the outcome of an election. However, a College is allowed to report “on official actions of the governing board.” That exception, say critics, was seized upon by the College to disguise its campaign for candidates Harrington and Fitzner.

The critics point to the following series of events occurring in the last two months to support their view.

1. On September 30, President Penelope Wills hosted a radio show on KYCA in Prescott. Only candidates Harrington and Fitzner appeared during a 15 minute segment devoted to the summer survey. Sounding like the leader of a political party endorsing two of its members, Wills gushed and cooed about the Governing Board during the survey segment of the program. She said: “We have a fantastic District Governing Board.” “I couldn’t ask for a better board.” “[W]hat a good job they are doing.” Could political candidates ask for a better endorsement from the president of the College and finer media exposure? Critics believe Harrington and Fitzner were put on the radio program to advance their political campaigns in the face of real opposition. Read More→

YCC Community Outreach Coordinator circulates nominating petitions for Governing Board candidate Harrington

Official records have disclosed that newly appointed Yavapai Community College Outreach Coordinator, Linda Buchanan, was hard at work on August 4, 2014 obtaining signatures on nonpartisan nominating petitions for Second District Governing Board candidate Harold Harrington. Those close to the Community College believe that the top administrators fear a change-over on the Governing Board and are doing whatever they can within the law to help out. Harrington had publicly said he would not run as a candidate for the Governing Board if another candidate filed.  However, he quickly changed his political tune when Ms. Deb McCasland filed for his seat on the Governing Board.

Arizona has a law, AZ 15-1408, which appears to prohibit community college employees from influencing the outcome of an election or using community college resources to do so.

No one has suggested that Buchanan violated the Arizona statute by obtaining signatures for Harrington on August 4. In fact, Arizona law allows a Community College employee to do whatever he or she wants to on his or her own time.  However, do you think it was appropriate for a high level Community College employee in a fiercely fought nonpartisan political campaign to become involved by collecting the signatures for Harrington? Do you think that such behavior would affect the future relationship of Buchanan with McCasland if McCasland is elected to the Governing Board?  

You may view the petitions by clicking on the following link. Binder1.

American Heritage Academy Founder and President slings a little political mud during Governing Board meeting

The Founder and President of the Cottonwood based American Heritage Academy, Steve Anderson,  injected a bit of political mud into the Yavapai Community College Governing Board meeting on October 15.  Anderson, a strong supporter of Harold Harrington for the Governing Board position that is up for a vote in November, said he “vehemently” disagreed with the effort to create an Administrative College on the East side of the County.

He also said that he was “disappointed” with people from the “East” that “don’t have the guts” to remain on the Governing Board, an allusion no doubt to Bob Oliphant. He also said he was frustrated with “ex employees who come in and gripe and groan but don’t have to a lot to add, “ a poorly  disguised allusion to Ms. Deb McCasland, Harrington’s opponent.

He went on to say he hoped the Board doesn’t “spend millions of dollars” creating a new campus on the Verde side. He was obviously unaware of the recent study by the College showing the low cost of establishing an Administrative College on the East side of the County. 

He also credited his uncle, the late Senator Boyd Tenney, as looking at County “resources” and “taxes” and deciding Prescott was where the main campus should be located.  Tenney has the library on the Prescott campus named in his honor.

Anderson and the Harrington family no doubt have a close relationship.  One of Harrington’s daughter’s  recently graduated from American Heritage Academy  and received a scholarship from Yavapai Community College.

The short speech to the Board by Mr. Anderson can be seen by clicking here.