New President of Board Linda Thor selected in 4-3 vote

The Maricopa Community College Governing Board coup to oust existing Board president Laurin Hendrix while he still had six months left on his term was successful. According to Arizona Republic reporter Anne Ryman, the 4-3 vote to replace Hendrix  occurred at an unusual special meeting held January 15. He was replaced on the Board by Linda Thor.

Just before the meeting began, Hendrix resigned so that the Board could elect new officers, if they chose. According to reporter Anne Ryman’s story, Hendrix expressed regret over what has been a tough year, including a threat and unknown vandals leaving swastikas in the yard of his Gilbert home.  He also said that “not a single person spoke up,” to condemn the behavior, he said during Tuesday’s meeting.

Thor thanked Hendrix for his work, acknowledging that “it’s been a very difficult year and you’ve put in countless hours.”

You may read the entire story by Anne Ryman in the Arizona Republic by clicking here. 

Joins Second District Representative Deb McCasland as strong voice for the east side of the County

Paul Chavlier

Paul Chavlier will be sworn in as the new member representing the Third District on the Yavapai Community College Governing Board at the Governing Board meeting January 15.  The Third District encompasses 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.

Chavlier, who was opposed by sitting Board member Dr. Connie Harris, won the seat in November by receiving almost 55% of the vote. He will join Deb McCasland as a strong voice for the citizens living in the Verde Valley. 

West County Voting Bloc has controlled agenda for at least last eight years by making sure chair is from that side of County; issues regarding east side of County have been blocked from serious discussion

The Yavapai Community College Governing Board will select a new president at its January 15 meeting.  For the past eight years, it has maintained control over the agenda by selecting a member of the Board who represents the west side of the County at is chair.  Who is in the chair is important because he or she sets the agenda for each meeting and controls the ebb and flow of each meeting.

Because of agenda control, issues such as the location of centralized CTEC facility on the east side of the County, a request from the Chino Valley Council to meet regarding a potential raceway, a Board meeting with the Yavapai-Apache Nation, or a serious discussion about the future development of the east side Verde Campus and Sedona Center have been kept from the Board. 

There is hope that neither west-side hardliners Ray Sigafoos nor Pat McCarver will continue as Chair. It is also hoped that the roadblocks for discussion of important issues that current Chair Sigafoos has blocked in the past will be removed after January 1.

Special meeting set for electing a new Governing Board president, even though current President has six months left on his term

According to press reports, four members of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board have called a special meeting to elect new officers for 2019. The election is being called even though the Board’s current president has six months left in his term as its leader.

Board member Linda Thor said “a new board ought to be able to elect its own officers.”  

Voters on November  6 elected three new members of the governing board that oversees the state’s largest community college district. In an email to The Arizona Republic, Hendrix wrote, “I was elected to a two-year term that has not ended.”  He noted that the ideology of the board majority shifted in the recent election, going from a board with shared conservative views less inclined to support labor unions, to one with a more liberal stance.

For detailed information about this story, please click here and go to Azcentral.com. 

One month of service in January will result in payment to Wills of about $20,000

Some have questioned whether it is worth spending $20,000 to hold over current president Penelope Wills for one month (January) while awaiting the new Community College President to arrive.  The cost to the College for the one month of service by Wills is about $20,000.

The argument that it was not necessary to give her a one-month interim appointment is that one of the vice presidents could have easily filled in for the 31 day period in January 2019. Therefore, a savings of $20,000 to the College, assuming the VP would not charge that amount for the 31 days.

The contrary view is that Wills will add a sort of continuity to the change-over.  Obviously, most of those on the Governing Board felt that possibly saving $20,000 was not of significance as they approved the interim appointment. Someone once said, “A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned.”  Should the phrase have applied here?

Penelope Wills to stay on until then as Interim President

According to information released by the Community College, newly hired Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine will officially begin her duties February 1.  Until that date, Penelope Wills will act as Interim President.  The Community College Governing Board approved the arrangement earlier this month.

Dr. Rhine will become the institution’s 10th president. Rhine was the unanimous choice of the Community College District Governing Board. She brings more than 30 years of higher-education experience in academic affairs and student development, most recently as provost of Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Virginia.

Despite “certain illnesses,”  asking others to run in the District for the seat, and loaning his campaign at least $5,000, he won the November election by 6,443 votes to his challenger, Wayne Meddaugh’s 5,652; unfounded rumors may have helped push victory to Sigafoos

Wayne Meddaugh

Ray Sigafoos

Ray Sigafoos retained his District #1 seat on the Yavapai Community College Governing Board by getting about 53 percent of the vote (with 13 of 14 precincts reporting) at the Tuesday, November 6 election. 

Sigafoos had indicated before he announced he was going to run for the Board  that he had certain undisclosed illnesses. It was thought his health might prevent him from running. He was first appointed to the Board in 2005 and ran unopposed at two prior elections for the seat.

Sigafoos had also asked others to run for the District #1 seat but his request was rejected.  He then filed.

The stakes were high for the District #1 seat  because it was clear that Wayne Meddaugh would welcome and cooperate with the Verde Valley representatives.  Sigafoos was seen as someone who would protect the west side of the County from giving the east side an equitable opportunity at developing a strong community college presence. In doing so, he would be less than cooperative.

Sigafoos may have been helped by unfounded rumors circulating in Prescott that if Meddaugh and Paul Chevalier won the election, the Verde Valley would take the Community College away from Prescott.  And that big donors would refuse to follow through on anticipated donations.

Meddaugh ran a conservative campaign and could not match the thousands of dollars that Sigafoos put into the effort.

Governing Board watchers speculate that Sigafoos ran to block Meddaugh and will probably resign long before his new six-year term is up.

Seeks to advocate for the Verde Valley and the entire County; well aware of inequities between Prescott and the Verde Valley

Paul Chevalier won the six-year term for the third district Governing Board seat on the Yavapai  Community College Governing Board at Tuesday’s election.  Chevalier won with 54.8 percent of the vote.  That amounted to 5,787 votes in his favor.  His opponent received 4,744 votes.

Chevalier has pledged to advocate on behalf of the Verde Valley and the entire County.  He brings experience and is fully informed about  the tax and educational inequity between the Verde Valley and the Prescott side of Mingus Mountain.  He joins first district representative Deb McCasland on the Board. McCasland has been fighting almost alone for the Verde Valley since former third district representative Al Filardo resigned in protest over the suspension of the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee in 2016. His replacement, who was appointed after his resignation, did little to advocate for the needs of the Valley.

Says as a conservative he would have approved reduction of Bond obligation using funds from sale of Prescott Valley property and opposed the latest tax rate increase

Wayne Meddaugh

District #1 Yavapai Community College Governing Board candidate Wayne Meddaugh spoke to the Board at its October meeting.  Meddaugh stated that as a conservative he would have voted against the tax rate increase in May 2017.  He said he did not find that the increase was needed.

He also applauded Deb McCasland for her voting record.  He said he agreed with her and the Board that the money from the sale of the Prescott Valley property was best used to reduce bond indebtedness. His speech too the Governing Board follows below.

Explains reasons for doing so

Governing Board Candidate Paul Chevalier addressed the Yavapai Community College Governing Board at its September 11 meeting. He asked the Board to wait until after the November election to make the final selection for the new College President and allow the “new Board” to make the selection.  This would mean that the final selection would be made in January if any new members are elected to the Board at the November election.

Candidate Connie Harris has made it clear she wants to make the appointment of a new president, even if she is not elected in November. 

Chevalier argued that if two new Board members are selected by voters at the November election, they should be a part of the Board that makes a final decision on the new College president.  He said that would be fair, that it would be the “essence of our democracy.” 

Chevalier also argued that if the current challengers win, the public is saying they want a “change” in how the College is operating.  That would probably mean a “change” in some of the duties of the new president.  So it may be a totally different, or partially different, college president than the current Governing Board would select.

Mrs. Chevalier’s address to the Governing Board appears on the video below.