Budgeted revenue to support Southwest Wine program not coming in 2015-16 academic year (how is winery revenue being used?)
It was reported at the August 9, 2016 Governing Board meeting that the Yavapai College Foundation had failed to provide $116,000 in funding to the College as anticipated in the 2015-16 budget. Although no official explanation was offered at the August meeting for the Foundation’s failure to meet the budgeted amount, earlier in the year Vice President Clint Ewell had suggested the Foundation decision to not make the donation was linked to a failure on the part of folks in the Verde Valley to support the program with donations in the 2015-16 academic year. Ewell said at the August meeting the anticipated Foundation contribution found in the 2015-16 budget would be carried into the next year but gave no further explanation.
The failure of the Foundation to make this contribution, which has millions in its reserves, was discovered by Representative Deb McCasland who raised the issue during the Board meeting. (See Unexpended Plant Fund Report, p. 19 of 84 p report, which is contained in the agenda for the August 9, 2016 meeting.)
On another topic related to the Academic Winery, questions remain about the revenue generated from the Academic Winery and how it is being used. According to end-of-year data furnished by the College, the Winery located on the Verde Campus in Clarkdale generated $50,893 in total revenue for the academic year 2016-17. The budget material provided the Governing Board fails to show the expenditures for the Winery during the year. (See Auxiliary Fund, Report of Revenues and Expenditures, pl. 18 of 64, which is contained in the agenda for the August 9 meeting.)