Before holding a forum to nominate a new superintendent, the Sedona Oak Creek School Board of Trustees will vote to proceed with consideration of plans to rent Big Park Community School in Oak Creek Village to Yavapai County. there is a possibility.

*Originally, the board planned to move to the next step of the county proposal and vote on the lease proposal for the Sedona Academy of the Arts at the BPCS on Friday, June 23, but both actions were scheduled for Tuesday, July 11, morning. postponed to 4:00. :00 pm The announcement was made after the printing of this issue.

The lease and purchase agreements may be finalized at an upcoming board meeting, and SOCSD board chairman Randy Hawley said he hopes to do so in the coming months.

county letter of intent

The proposal for the county to lease the school was the brainchild of District 3 Superintendent Donna Michaels.

“We had six or seven conversations with her,” Hawley said. “She’s had her presentations before, and she talked to us about her concerns and she told us what she wanted to see.”

Hawley said he wants to rent the building because even if it is vacant, maintenance costs will be high. The tenancy agreement is currently being drafted, and Hawley expects it to be submitted to the school board within a few weeks.

County letters of intent are not binding, and the letter itself serves only as a starting point for negotiations.

Outgoing Superintendent Dennis Dearden said SOCSD has not drafted its own letter of intent, but will do so if the board votes to continue the lease.

The letter of intent proposes leases of up to 19 years at a rental rate of $1.25 per square foot. The rent paid will be applied to the final cost of the purchase under the lease purchase agreement. Dearden said the property needs an appraisal.

The Yavapai County letter suggested that they would pay for any initial repairs necessary to occupy the land. Subsequent repair costs will be deducted from the rent.

“I have a problem with the roof” [on the property]said Holly. “Some of our ceilings are leaking and some of our classrooms are leaking. [because] Very expensive.So part of the deal is that the county will pay for… [will] Repair all leaks. ”

The county letter also discusses the possibility of using the C building on campus as affordable housing for county employees.

SOCSD planned to convert the building into condominiums for teachers and staff. But district patrons Basil Maher and Mimi Maher of Oak Creek Village have instead purchased a 14-bedroom apartment complex on Jordan Road to serve as affordable housing for teachers. used.

“I don’t know what kind of organization it is, but [Michaels] We want to be in there,” Hawley said. “I need some language” [the agreement] Any of the current leasing organizations [there], as long as they want to stay, we will respect them. We are not going to rent to organizations that compete with what is already there… Ultimately, we are still the owners of the building and have the final say on what goes into it . “

Two organizations currently occupy the site: the Tucson-based Christian Faith Fellowship satellite campus and the Sedona Public Library in the village. Church pastor Dave Dahlberg said on June 19 that he had not heard from Yavapai County or SOCSD representatives about the proposed lease and parishioners wondering how it would affect them. He said he was very confused.

SPL officials met with county librarian Corey Christian in January, who said the county was looking at potential uses for the land for telemedicine and co-working spaces. . Christians asked SPL staff if he wanted to continue working with the VOC, and the staff replied that he was committed to staying with the VOC.

This was followed in February by a meeting with SPL Director Judy Poe and Michaels, in which Michaels said he wanted to add “additional library services” to the facility.

With no communication between the library and Superintendent Michaels since February, it was not clear to SPL officials what she meant.

“I don’t know what the impact will be on the village Sedona Public Library,” Poe said.

“Me and Corey Christians, director of the Yavapai County Free Library District, want to expand our technology-related offerings,” Michaels said. “There are books in the library, and services like telemedicine,” Michaels said of the space’s potential uses. said he believes there will be a partnership with

Libraries are not mentioned in the letter of intent.

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office has expressed interest in installing a substation on the property, and Michaels also noted that the campus is a potential venue for technical search and rescue demonstrations by the YCSO. bottom.

YCSO spokeswoman Christine Green said, “We absolutely need a substation in that area.” “We haven’t eaten in a while. [permanent] To be always present, not just a temporary patrol. “

The YCSO will have to wait for lease approvals and roof repairs to be completed before moving from its current location in Castle Rock on State Route 179 to the Big Park campus.

“We don’t have a specific date for when we can move in,” Green said.

There is no indication that the SPL will be adversely affected by the county lease, but Board of Education officials have not been able to communicate details of the proposed land change because the county has refrained from discussing the plan.

“As long as they want to, we will honor their lease,” Hawley said. “We’re not kicking anyone out, we’re not changing contracts. We don’t know what’s going on there, so I can’t speak specifically.”

The Big Park Regional Coordination Council announced Monday that Michaels will present and answer general questions during a Zoom meeting on Thursday, June 22 at noon.

The nonprofit said it “guarantees that all current leaseholders can continue.”

The meeting announcement follows another statement made by the BPRCC several days ago that Michaels’ presentation to SOCSD was the first time members were informed about the proposed lease. .

BPRCC Chairman John Wichart did not respond to multiple requests for an interview.

“I don’t understand how they can’t know,” Hawley said. “I spoke with several members of Big Park. I mean there are some people who are upset thinking about it.”

Ms. Michaels also hesitated to respond to the BPRCC’s statement and, along with other VOC residents, spoke with former BPRCC president Camille Cox (who no longer holds a role at the nonprofit) on the issue. said we had a conversation.

Hawley said communication with county residents about the deal was not inadequate, and it is the same process SOCSD has used in previous land negotiations, as was the case with the Arizona School for the Deaf and the Library. said, and said: The problem is unsubstantiated rumors about the closure of the VOC library.

“It’s only at this stage, or this moment in the development of a potential relationship, that I can participate in the whole community,” Michaels said. “We don’t want our readers to think that the deal is done.

new superintendent

The board announced that two finalists, Payson School District Curriculum and Assessment Director Katrina Sacco and Queen Creek School District Eastmark High School Principal Tom Swaninger, met with Sedona residents at the multipurpose facility. He expects to nominate the district’s next superintendent. Friday, June 23, 5-6pm at West Sedona School

“Two of the finalists will be in attendance and giving presentations,” Hawley said. “I will hand out cards, so everyone [can] write down the question [for the finalists]. The board then goes into the executive meeting, has a discussion, and hopes to be able to come back and select one of her finalists when voting at a public meeting. [that night]”