Opposition from Verde Valley had no effect; Phase 1a completed in less than 2 years
The Wills’ administration is celebrating the record-setting construction of phase 1a of the ten-year Master Plan. Some say Wills’ has been pushing forward at a feverish pace fearing that the shift of a single vote on the Governing Board would bring a halt to the spending. After all, it was only in December, 2013 that Wills’ obtained Governing Board approval for her ten-year $119-million-dollar development plan with 95% or more of the expenditures staying on the West side of the County.
Opposition to rushing construction that came from the Verde Valley Governing Board representatives had no effect on Prescott. Wills’ raced ahead with the projects despite a request from Verde Valley representatives on the Governing Board for a strategic plan justifying the millions of dollars of expenditures. She was consistently supported by the three-member West County voting block on the Governing Board.
Wills’ also announced that the College was immediately moving into phase 2 of the ten-year plan.
The total expenditures for all the construction on both campuses remains a secret. At the Career and Technology Education Center celebration, it was announced that the College spent $5.2 million for construction on that campus. However, no figures have been released for the work on the Prescott campus and it is doubtful they will ever be revealed.
Here is how Verde Valley taxpayer property tax money was spent in record time on construction projects on the West side of the Mountain.
- CTEC: New restroom near the Auto Body shop.
- CTEC: New Air Brush lab.
- CTEC: New Bluing lab
- CTEC: Additional faculty offices
- CTEC: Entrance to CTEC was remodeled.
- CTEC: Key card access and security cameras installed.
- CTEC: Enlarged the student computer commons.
- CTEC: Two new two computer labs.
- CTEC: Replaced aging overhead lights with energy efficient LED lights.
- CTEC: New skylights.
- CTEC: Diesel Lab.
- CTEC: Automotive Lab.
- CTEC: Student Lounge.
- CTEC: Motorcycle and ATV Lab.
Prescott Campus:
In addition to the $5.2 million investment in CTEC, Phase 1a of the ten-year-plan (now 14 year plan) found the College spending millions of additional dollars on major renovation and construction of three buildings and the Student Performing Arts Theatre on the Prescott Campus. It also rebuilt its access road and improved the lawn/seating areas around buildings 1, 2 and 3. Here are a few of the details of the completed work:
- Building 1: Construction: University Transfer Center, first floor, new cashier’s station
- Building 1: Construction: First floor new reception area.
- Building 1: Construction: New graphics and finishes for the reception area.
- Building 1: Construction: New Testing Center.
- Building 1: Construction: Expanded Learning Center.
- Building 1: New furniture.
- Building 2: Construction: New roof.
- Building 2: Site preparation (grounds improvement).
- Building 3: Site preparation (grounds improvement). Intersection of Buildings 1, 2 & 3 improved.
- Building 3: Construction of Multipurpose room.
- Building 3: Construction of Student Activity Center offices and reception.
- Building 3: Construction of Student game center.
- Building 3: Construction of Student Club room.
- Building 3: Construction of Outdoor seating area.
- Building 3: Construction of Outdoor shade structure.
- Building 3: HVAC modifications along with the installation of fire sprinklers.
- Building 3: New restrooms
- Building 3: New carpet.
- Building 3: Furniture for the Learning Center, Veteran’s Lounge and ABE Classroom.
- Building 3: Technology for the new Multi-purpose room.
- Building 3: Renovation of classrooms 224, 225 and 226.
- Performing Arts Theatre: Construct First Floor Elevator landing.
- Performing Arts Theatre: Construct Second floor landing and balcony.
- Performing Arts Theatre: Installation of elevator.
The $5 million dollar request is in part the culmination of a specific effort on the Prescott campus to develop music courses while ignoring music development in the Verde Valley. For example, by the fall of 2014 the Community College listed 87 separate courses of music instruction and 16 areas of music concentration that students might consider. However, of the 87 courses, 85 are taught only on the Prescott campus; two music courses existed at the Sedona Center for Arts and Technology campus. None appear online.
As a part of the the ten-year plan, Supai Hall, which is located on the Prescott campus, is to be demolished. After that, the first phase of the 10-year plan to be completed in its first three years calls for expending $6.75 million for a new residence hall on the Prescott campus.
