A year ago, any semblance of a partnership between the Town of Camp Verde and Yavapai College was nearly nonexistent, Camp Verde Economic Development Director Steve Ayers said.
“There has been wringing of hands in the past,” he said during a Camp Verde special work session on Friday, Feb. 9. “That has changed. The working relationship has gone from zero to 60.”
The town and Yavapai College representatives discussed ideas for future projects and partnerships during the meeting.
“We want to provide what we can, just like the rest of the Verde Valley,” said Richard Hernandez, director of the Yavapai College Regional Economic Development Center.
Ayers said that Yavapai College already offers services such as webinars and seminars out of Prescott that can be utilized by local businesses.
“I for one am delighted with that service,” Camp Verde Mayor Charlie German said. “I hear a lot of small businesses fail because they aren’t getting adequate support. This really stabilizes them.”
However, Councilwoman Robin Whatley said she is looking for more investment in Camp Verde.
“Online, I see job fairs happening in the Verde Valley, but there’s a community missing — Camp Verde,” she said. “Why are we not on the list? Even with something as small as a job fair, we are ignored.”
Ayers admitted that it was his fault and at the time the job fairs were scheduled, he thought they could be combined.
“I’m accepting blame on this,” he said. “When I think of jobs, I think they should be a regional thing … Wealth is built regionally.”
Ayers added that people are used to traveling for jobs anyway. Whatley said she still feels that there is an overarching perception that Camp Verde does not matter.“We are tired of getting in our cars to go somewhere else,” she said.
Students in Camp Verde can still benefit from the college, as online students make up a significant portion of its student body, according to Executive Dean for the Verde Valley Campus James Perey. Whatley said that while she thinks investment in online classes is fine, she wonders why Camp Verde can’t have a campus.
“I see investment in brick and mortar in Sedona … in Clarkdale,” she said. “I want to see some dollar investment in Camp Verde.”According to Perey, the college’s main goal is to serve the Verde Valley as a whole, not by municipality
Yavapai College Community Education Coordinator Linda Buchanan said as a resident of Camp Verde, she doesn’t want the college to be foolish with its resources and disagreed that a brick and mortar campus is the best option.
“We have to look at programs where there is demand and invest in looking at partnerships,” she said. Camp Verde Economic Development Specialist Sebra Choe said she’d like to see more internship components in partnership with the college.
“We are serious and committed to our communities,” she said, “Citizens in Camp Verde are practical … We are pioneers.”
Choe later added that Camp Verde doesn’t necessarily need a physical campus to have educational value. “What we have is acres of lab space,” she said. “I would love the world of academia to look at it and cut their teeth into it.”
Kelcie Grega can be reached at 634-8551 or email kgrega@larsonnewspapers.com
