Church holds two services each Sunday at facility; Vote goes 4-1 to reopen with Chevalier dissenting
The Yavapai Community College Governing Board voted 4-1 to allow regular Sunday church services to be again held by the Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in its 1,100 seat Performing Arts Center. The Church had been holding services on a regular Sunday basis until insurance liability issues caused the Community College to withdraw permission to use the facility. The College did not report on what it was charging the Church to use the facility every Sunday morning.
The voting came as the number of Covid-19 cases appears to be on the increase in Arizona. Community College President Lisa Rhine was given authority to reopen and to close the facility if health care guidelines in her judgment were not being followed or if other factors signaled to her that the facility should be shuttered for church use. She was given total discretion to act.
Board member Ray Sigafoos voted in favor of reopening saying in part that the Church was having a “hard time finding places to meet” and that a Church Board member had told him that the “maximum number of people who would be involved would be around 100 to 125.” 
Board member Mitch Padilla said he did not have any difficulty with reopening church services “as long as social distancing is adhered to and that there is a complete understanding that if it is not adhered to, that Dr. Rhine can pull the carpet” on it.
Chair Deb McCasland observed that “people are getting Covid-19 in fewer numbers and recovery rates are improving.” She said that nationally in every age category “the recovery rate is over 99% ” for those who had contracted Covid-19. She also said that health measures, protocols and medicines have greatly increased. “We know how to treat [Covid-19] now to be successful. So I think we need to give this latitude to our president,” she said.
Paul Chevalier, who dissented from decision to allow the church to reopen, said in part that allowing any indoor activity on the Verde Campus at this time is a “risky activity.” He said the “virus scientists continually tell the public not to hold large gatherings, especially not indoors. You should follow their advice. They are the experts, we are not.” He described various reported cases of Covid-19 infecting church goers in many parts of the country. In several of those gatherings, it was reported that people who participated in them had died from Covid-19. He remarked that in 18 counties in the United States that there were 19 outbreaks of Covid-19 due to church service so far this month.
You may view below an edited video prepared by the Blog that focuses on the Board discussion of allowing the Cornerstone church to reopen. You may view a video of the entire meeting at the Community College District Governing Board website.