Camp Verde Town Council Member Cris McPhail
Town liaison to Community College Cris McPhail tells Governing Board that Camp Verde’s people are hungry for higher education and that the Town can offer land, buildings, students and had a possible $1 million dollar Community College donor
The Town of Camp Verde’s liaison to Yavapai Community College, Town Councilmember Cris McPahil, urged the Governing Board and administration to “not be left behind” in developing the Camp Verde area. “Camp Verde is on the cusp of growth and innovation,” she said. She noted the absence of any Community College facilities in the town of Camp Verde and observed that the College market for students in the Prescott area has been saturated.
She urged the Community College to view Camp Verde as the College’s next client base. She said that with a typical income in Camp Verde of around $45,000, students cannot afford to drive to the Prescott Campus or to Northern Arizona University, which is located in Flagstaff. Moreover, it takes at least an hour to drive to either location.
She said that “our people are hungry for education” and Camp Verde is “low hanging fruit” for the Community College. The town “can offer whatever” the College needs, “to make it happen,” she said. “We have land, buildings, and students. We had a donor who was willing to put in $1 million dollars,” she also said.
In her view, Camp Verde’s location was ideal for a number of reasons including its vineyards, “agriculture and an equestrian arena for your student athletes.” Moreover, Camp Verde is “on the cusp of growth and innovation.”
Finally, she told the Governing Board that “[i]t is the town goal to have a brick and mortar higher education facility within five to ten years.” Currently, there is a collaborative program with the ASU planning department and it is developing a business internship program with NAU. “Don’t be left behind,” said Ms. McPhail.
The Blog notes that there was a small Community College leased facility in the town of Camp Verde until about 2010. At that time, without any public outcry from Camp Verde residents, the College withdrew from its Camp Verde leased facility. In an interview with the Blog about the reason for the closing, the Blog recalls the reason given was lack of student enrollment.
The Blog also notes that the Community College has partnered with Camp Verde High School in a small culinary program. However, Sedona became the center for the Community College’s culinary training program in the County.
You may listen to Ms. McPhail’s speech to the Governing Board made at the March 9 Governing Board meeting below.