Confusion reigns as Building “L” possible uses shift over past 17 years from major CTE facility, to agriculture, to nursing, to once again possible CTE and then most recently back to nursing/allied health
The College has been confused for the past 17 years over how to use Building “L” on the Verde Campus. That confusion appears to continue.
While confusion reigns, taxpayer money continues to be spent on various renovations. The following is a historical summary you will only find on this Blog. It details the confusing history of Building “L” on the Verde Campus and an indication of how much revenue taxpayers have paid into it.
[2004] Recall that Building “L” was constructed and opened in 2004 because of $1.3 million from the 2000 voter approved bond and a $1.2 million federal Commerce Department workforce development center. It was to offer a wide range of Career and Technical education training needed in Northern Arizona. Because of government involvement, the College is restricted for another seven or more years on how it may us it.
The vision of the CTE Center that was sold to voters in order to approve the million dollar expenditure on it in the 2000 bond changed dramatically when the Board decided to build the major CTE College facility at the Prescott airport in 2007. Most of the ambitious plans for Building “L” and Career and Technical Education facilities and training were scrapped on the Verde Campus Center (low enrollment was an excuse used by the administration) and gobbled up by the new College facility at the Prescott airport.
[2007-08] In 2007 and 2008 the College expanded the nursing facilities in Building “L” by spending about $1.4 million on renovation during a two-year fiscal time period (using College expenditure reports).
[2013 Master Plan] Quoting the College, its Master Plan announced in December 2013 said the nursing plan was leaving and labs for agricultural classes were going to be installed. Here is what it said: “Building L currently houses the Nursing program. As the program migrates to the Prescott Valley campus, the master plan recommends renovating this building for use by the agriculture programs relocating from the Chino center. As laboratories already exist in Building L, the addition of the agricultural classes will virtually recreate the Chino Valley Center’s main building.” Page 67 of 2014 Master Plan. https://masterplan.yc.edu/files/2014/01/Final-Report-RPT-2014-0218-WEB_UPDATED.pdf
Quoting the College: “Following construction of the new center (sic), the existing Prescott Valley programs and the Nursing and Allied Health programs from Prescott and Verde Valley would migrate to the new location. This, in turn, would free up space on the Prescott campus or NARTA/AJS to move to the second floor of Building 2 and for agriculture to move from Chino to Verde Valley.” Page 89 of 2014 Master Plan. https://masterplan.yc.edu/files/2014/01/Final-Report-RPT-2014-0218-WEB_UPDATED.pdf
[March 2, 2017] On March 2, 2017 the Board received an updated Master Plan report from Vice President Clint Ewell stating that Building “L” would undergo another renovation for Career and Technical Education facilities somewhat similar to some of those at the Prescott airport. That report read:
Quoting the College: “Verde Valley: Building L has now been scheduled for a major renovation to enhance its ability to offer Career Technical Education (CTE) programming. We plan to do this work in FY19, giving VACTE a year to conduct their planning and to provide input to YC. Verde Valley Campus will continue to offer Nursing, as well as other CTE programming such as Viticulture, Enology, and Film & Media Arts. This represents an increase of roughly $3.8M.” https://www.yc.edu/v5content/district-governing-board/sub/2017/03/agenda_full.pdf