Archive for Politics – Page 14

FILARDO RESIGNS GOVERNING BOARD SEAT

FRUSTRATION AT BOARD ACTION KILLING OFF THE VERDE VALLEY BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE THE LAST STRAW

Al Filardo

Al Filardo

Mr. Al Filardo formally resigned his seat on the Yavapai College District Governing Board November 1, 2016 at the meeting of the Board in Sedona.  Filardo, who completed two years on the Board, found it impossible to work with the three-member majority on the Board led by Pat McCarver. Bob Oliphant, who preceded Filardo, resigned after one year on the Board representing the Verde Valley.

In his resignation speech, Filardo pointed to four key areas of guiding principles that caused his resignation.  They were the Board and College:  (1). Making significant fiscal commitments without the requisite comprehensive strategic planning; (2). Failing to authorize research to inform important, key decisions; (3). Overlooking problems masked by policy governance; and (4). Suspending the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee.

Filardo stated that  “My observation is we are getting caught up in the quarrel and forgetting our mandated cause – we are to serve the educational needs of the citizens of Yavapai County.  How can we know their needs if we silence their voices. Based on my years of experience as a process-improvement and organizational development champion, I’ve witnessed when intelligent people quarrel and lose sight of the real cause, they do incredibly stupid things.  They become politically obnoxious, diplomatically inept, and intellectually bankrupt.”

You may read all of Mr. Filaro’s speech by clicking .al-filardo-speech.

 

AL FILARDO RESIGNS GOVERNING BOARD SEAT

Issues involving treatment of VVBAC the last straw

Al Filardo

Al Filardo

Third District Representative to the College Governing Board, Al Filardo, resigned his seat on the Board yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, October 11, 2016).  Filardo represents a large portion of the Verde Valley.  Filardo indicated that the treatment afforded the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee by the three-member Prescott majority, which suspended the Committee for a year last month,  was a primary reason he could no longer sit on the Board. Filardo will provide an expanded view of his decision at the November 1, 2016 Board meeting in Sedona.

Filardo replaced Bob Oliphant in March, 2015.  Oliphant, who served a year on the Board,  had resigned in protest over the treatment of the Verde Valley by the three-member Prescott area controlling majority on the Board.

CANDIDATE OPPOSING McCASLAND SAYS ABOLISHING VVBAC O.K. WITH HIM

“I support the recent DGB’s action” dissolving the Advisory Committee

The Prescott Valley candidate Walt Nagy, whose goal is to knock off Deb McCasland in the upcoming election, has made it clear that he agrees with the three-member majority on the Governing Board that doing away with the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee was a good idea. McCasland has represented District 2 on the Governing Board effectively for the last two years since trouncing Harold Harrington.

In an interview with the Camp Verde Bugle of October 8, 2016 he flat out said he supported “the recent DBG’s action,” which effectively abolished the current Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee.  The Committee was the voice of the entire Verde Valley to the Governing Board.

As far as Nagy is concerned, matters in the Verde Valley are “beyond adequate.” He has no clue.

If he is elected, it is clear the Verde Valley will lose another strong voice that is attempting to stop the economic oppression being foisted on it by the three-member West-County voting block.

A vote for McCasland is a vote for the Verde Valley and fair and equitable treatment.  Nagy is most likely already in the pocket of the Prescott Valley politicos. There is little doubt he will continue to plunder the tax revenue coming from the Verde Valley to build projects on the West side of the County. There is little doubt he will also go along with continuing to raise the property tax rate on County voters as he seems ready to join the West County voting block and holds their views.

You may read his interview in the Bugle by clicking here.

Where was Wills?

Was she hiding from the Sedona Mayor and Council?

Conspicuous by her absence from the September 27, 2016 Sedona City Council meeting on the “update” on Yavapai Community College was Yavapai President Penelope Wills.  Instead of showing up and answering questions directly from the Mayor and City Council on the record about the future of the College, she sent Vice President Clint Ewell and Ms. Heather Mulcare. Ms. Mulcare is a College staff member and Verde Valley native. The experience for Wills when appearing in Sedona has been to observers as making her  “uncomfortable.”

VP Clint Ewell, of course, is not the last word on anything in the College. But he’s a likable guy.

hiding-from-sedona-2

This is not the first time Wills’ has skipped Sedona.

Two years ago Wills presented her annual update to most of the cities and towns in Yavapai County.  However, she omitted showing up in Sedona and didn’t bother to send a representative.  She was later chastised for this oversight by a member of the Sedona City Council at a Governing Board meeting.  A year ago she showed up in Sedona and had to apologize (without explanation) for “missing” Sedona with her update a year earlier. 

The one way to stay off the record, is to stay away from meetings where you are going to be asked hard questions.  One suspects that Wills did not want to be on the record in Sedona September 27.

SEDONA CITIZENS WANT INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

“We are being cheated out of the facilities and programming we deserve and are paying for”

joel-staadecker-2-sedona-city-council-2

Mr. Staadecker

Joel Staadecker, a 16 year Sedona resident, urged the Sedona Mayor and Council at the September 27, 2016 meeting to join him and others to persuade the Governor and State Legislature to create an independent taxing district for an independent Verde Valley community college.   We “must get out from under the crushing oppression of the Yavapai College governance system, leadership and management that resides and works on the West side of  Mingus Mountain for the benefit of the Prescott region communities,” he said.

 He went on to say that the citizens need a community college in the Verde Valley because “we are being cheated out of the facilities and programming we deserve and are paying for in our property tax dollars.”

He pointed out that two days after the Verde Valley Forum, attended by about 100 participants, recommended that an unbiased, independent study be conducted to examine the establishment of an independently governed community college in the Verde Valley, the Prescott dominated Governing Board effectively abolished the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee. That Committee made a similar recommendation on the day before it was abolished. The three members from the Prescott region that voted to eliminate it apparently knew in advance from newspaper reports that the Committee would be making the recommendation. 

Mr. Staadecker’s short speech to the Sedona Council can be viewed by clicking here.   http://www.screencast.com/t/jeDjhbcP5kO

Legislature and Governor being contacted by Verde Residents

Carol German letter typical of request for help

Verde Valley residents are contacting the Governor and State Legislators over the treatment being afforded them by the Yavapai College Administration and the West County majority on the District Governing Board. 

The letter that follows is typical of the letters being sent.  The Blog encourages it readers to contact the Governor’s Office and your Legislators to urge them to consider a separate Community College taxing district contiguous with the Verde Valley for a separate Community College.  The following is Ms. German’s letter.

CAROL GERMAN

Carol German

YAVAPAI COLLEGE DISENFRANCHISES THE VERDE VALLEY

Yavapai College has done it again.  With a 3 to 2 vote at a Board Retreat they abolished the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee.  This action was a direct slap in the face to the entire Verde Valley.  You had elected officials who worked very hard to select candidates for the YC Governing Board Advisory Committee.  It was also a slap in the face to a Governing Board member who worked diligently to construct an Advisory Committee structure that was acceptable to the Governing Board and well as the communities in the Verde Valley.  And, think of the time and effort that the County Superintendent of Schools spent in vetting the candidates that had been selected by each community’s elected officials.

The Committee itself worked very hard to determine the needs of the Verde Valley and to make recommendations to the YC Governing Board.  These recommendations were, for the most part, ignored.  It was as if the College felt threatened that millions of tax dollars paid by Verde Valley residents would be used in the Verde Valley instead of on the West side of  the County.  Right now our tax dollars will be used to build a 9 million dollar soccer complex in Prescott and also to build a multi-million dollar lecture hall in Prescott.  This is in addition to the millions that have been spent to build and remodel buildings in Prescott and Prescott Valley.  The College Governing Board should consider investing that money in Career and Technical Education Programs in the Verde Valley. 

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WILLS’ WARNS ABOUT OPPOSITION TO HER PROGRAMS

FOR FOLKS “ON THE BUS,” DO YOU WANT TO STAY ON OR TAKE A RIDE?”

At the District Governing Board meeting August 9, 2016 President Penelope Wills sent  a stern message to faculty and others about not going along with her “bus,” over the next several months. She said that the “blocks” are in place, which most listening to her interpreted as her programs were in place.

She then told the Governing Board that at Monday’s convocation the call will be to say, “excuse me, all these blocks are in place, we’re all moving in this direction, there’s a few parts of that arrow that are dragging us back, and . . . it’s time to tell folks that are on the bus, `do you want to stand, or do you want to take  a ride?’  And that message will be delivered. To say, hey, we need the urgency of time and the urgency to transform this institution into the most vibrant institution. Not only for the present but the future is now. The blocks are all here. The ingredients are all here.”listen up

Wills’ did not elaborate on precisely what she was talking about or identify the “arrows” she said were apparently holding back progress.  However, it appeared she was sending some kind of warning for those who might oppose her programs. 

You may view her speaking to the District Governing Board (about 2 minute clip) on this issue at the August meeting by clicking here

Deb McCasland announces she will seek second term

Integrity, honesty and a voice for the Verde Valley

Deb McCasland has announced that she will seek a second term as the Second District representative on the Community College District Governing Board.  She defeated Harold Harrington two years ago in a landslide and has fought for the Verde Valley since her election.

DEB MCCASLAND 5

Deb McCasland

McCasland is a breath of fresh air on a Governing Board that has three members, all of whom live on the West side of the County, who refuse to provide students and residents on the East side of the County with equal access to the same learning opportunities that exist on the West side of the County.  She is committed to working on breaking down that discriminatory barrier and cracking the Prescott dominated voting block.

An excellent, extensive interview with Ms. McCasland by Bill Helm in the April 10 Verde Independent can be read by clicking here.

VP Ewell confirms Liss is new VP

Ewell says appointment confirmed during talk before Sedona City Council 

Vice President of Finance, Clint Ewell, announced at the  Sedona City Council   late afternoon March 22 meeting that Dr. Ron Liss had confirmed he would take the post of Vice President of Instruction and Student Development at Yavapai College.  He will begin in June, 2016.

Ron Liss VP

Ron Liss confirmed as new VP

 As of March 23, there still had been no formal announcement coming from the College. However, the rumors received by the Blog regarding this appointment turned out to be correct as confirmed by Dr. Ewell at the Sedona meeting.

Dr. James Perey, the Executive Dean of the Verde Campus and Sedona Center, was out of town when the announcement was made.

You may view the Ewell statement at the Sedona City Council meeting by clicking here.

You may view Dr. Liss’s credentials by clicking here.

Rumors say Perey didn’t get VP appointment

Selection came down to James Perey and Ron Liss; rumors say Perey is out

 (Click here to link to the College web page showing the two finalists for this position and listing their backgrounds.)

Rumors regarding the final selection for the Vice President of Instruction and Development are rampant on the Verde Campus.  Most are saying that Dean James Perey, who has served as executive Dean of the Verde Valley Campus in Clarkdale and the Sedona Center  since 2012, did not make the grade.  

Ron Liss VP

Are rumors correct that Ron Liss is next VP?

An announcement was expected today (Wednesday, March 22) but so far none is forthcoming.  We should know shortly whether the rumors were correct.

The selection committee for the Vice President’s position was made up of the following:

Search Committee

  • Dr. Clint Ewell: Chair – VP of Finance & Administrative Services
  • Monica Belknap: Liaison – Human Resources Director
  • Nikki Bagley, Viticulture Faculty, Verde Valley Campus
  • Dr. Selina Bliss, Nursing Faculty, Prescott Campus
  • Patrick Burns, District Director of ITS
  • Joy D’Angelo, Business Administration Faculty
  • James Elphik, YCSA President
  • Dennis Garvey, Dean of Lifelong Learning
  • Dave Gorman, Mathematics Faculty, Faculty Senate President
  • Heather Mulcaire, Student Development, Verde Valley Campus
  • Tania Sheldahl, Dean of Student Development
  • Marnee Zazueta, Agriculture Faculty, Chino Valley Center
  • Jennifer Perkins, Student