In her update to the Yavapai College board at a June 9 meeting, college President Penny Wills couldn’t help but blame Larson Newspapers for the potential loss of the $4.5 million DK Ranch land donation in the Verde Valley.
Wills noted that the college has submitted a “very solid proposal” but that the donation was still under review until August. Yet Wills said, “Unfortunately, though, a newspaper in the Sedona area went ahead and submitted what I consider a very inappropriate cartoon and an editorial, that really I think will probably hurt our chances.”
To clarify Wills’ statement, we did not “submit” anything to Steele Foundation nor the land broker. Rather, we have published several political cartoons and editorials in our three newspapers criticizing Wills and Yavapai College’s decisions, which apparently our loyal readers have submitted, indicating they agree with our opinions on the college’s failure to listen to its constituents.
I would have hoped that if Wills wanted to show the impact of the Sedona Red Rock News — and our sister newspapers, The Camp Verde Journal and the Cottonwood Journal Extra — on our community, she would at least have mentioned our newspaper by name.
Since she apparently spends so little time on this side of Mingus Mountain and even less so thinking about the value of Verde Valley taxpayers, I’m not surprised she doesn’t know the names of any Verde Valley publications, though we’re flattered she knows our impact in the community.
I also wish Wills had mentioned which of my editorials was “inappropriate,” because I’ve written seven criticizing the college in just the last five months.
Wills continued that “The cartoon was sent to the DK Ranch property broker, who notified us that, and I quote, ‘The media coverage is not helping your position.’”
For Wills and the Yavapai College board, that should be a red flag, a flashing neon sign or a Bat Signal in the night sky. Media coverage merely reflects public opinion.
There have been dozens of letters to the editor from you, our loyal readers, condemning the college’s behavior and its 10-Year Plan. I have not seen one letter advocating the college collect our $12 million per year while only returning a fraction of that in capital improvements over the next decade. Nor have any suggested dumping our tax money on a new college campus in the vacant Prescott Valley area is a good idea. None have applauded the college for slashing Verde Valley education programs like the climax of a samurai film.
The public feels Yavapai College undervalues Verde Valley taxpayers, thus, we report on that opinion. We also report on the Verde Valley advisory committee, which the college created specifically to listen to our residents’ opinions, but whose recommendations Wills and the board willfully ignore time and time again.
Rob Pudim’s “very inappropriate cartoon” the Wills mentioned appears to your right, dear readers. You can see how its dastardly use of ink, its harsh curves and playful use of just 15 words in Comic Sans font could undermine a multi-million-dollar land deal.
Perhaps the CIA should employ him to take down dictators one drawing at a time.
Wills concluded, “The broker also noted that the paper appears to be mocking this potential donation.”
Our newspaper is not mocking the donors nor the donation. In fact, we welcome it. However, it is offered for free by the charity on the contingency that it not be “flipped” for resale, which means Wills can’t win it, then immediately sell it and take the revenue back to Prescott. If there is anyone who is resisting the deal, it would be Wills and Yavapai College, because the land obligates them to do something to benefit the Verde Valley.
But now Wills has her scapegoat: A cartoon and an editorial. Now if the deal falls through, it’s not due to the Yavapai College board’s utter failure to listen to constituents and value our students, taxpayers and communities nor because of the unfair use of tax dollars nor because of Wills’ refusal to address the Verde Valley’s outrage over the imbalance in the 10-Year Plan.
Nope, it’s due to a cartoon.
Christopher Fox Graham
Managing Editor
