Is the College using County survey to mask administrators’ political support of existing Board members and provide the members with a platform to reach voters?
Community College employees are not supposed to use the College or its resources to influence the outcome of a political election. However, some folks in the County are beginning to ask whether the College is using a recent survey as a smokescreen to obtain voter support for the only two current Board candidates fighting for their seats. One example they point to is a radio program on September 30 on KYCA in Prescott.
That radio program was hosted by Yavapai Community College President Penelope Wills. During the second segment, which lasted about 15 minutes, her guests were Mr. Harold Harrington and Mr. Dale Fitzner and the topic the County-wide survey.
Some thought the selection of these two by Wills’ and the survey topic was an obscuration of the real purpose, which they suspected may have been to help them win their election.
Mr. Harrington is in a tough race for the second district College Governing Board seat against Ms. Deb McCasland. Mr. Fitzner is in a race with Mr. Steve Irwin who is seeking Fitzner’s seat on the Board as the Fifth District representative.
During the program Wills’ gushed over the existing Board that includes Harrington and Fitzner. Among statements made by Wills during the program were these: “We have a fantastic District Governing Board.” “I couldn’t ask for a better board.” “[W]hat a good job they are doing.” Could you ask for a better endorsement as a politician running for election to the Board than received fromWills’ during the program? Click here to hear the full radio program.
Arizona has a law, AZ 15-1408, which appears to prohibit community college employees from influencing the outcome of an election. Click here to look at the Arizona statute.
No one has suggested that Wills’ violated the Arizona statute by having only Harrington and Fitzner as her guests on the radio program. However, was it appropriate for her as College president who is to remain completely neutral in the political race to invite them when three other non-controversial Board members were available? What do you think?