Payson Roundup

GCC board member ‘flying blind’ on budget details

By Pete Aleshire

February 3, 2012

Everyone on the Gila Community College board seems to agree they don’t have enough information on their own budget to make crucial decisions. But they mostly disagree on what they should do about that. Board member Tom Loeffler triggered an inconclusive discussion of the issue at the board meeting last week when he suggested the board hire its own full- or part-time finance director. “The state audit showed we are less than stellar in our financial report,” he said of a recent review of the board’s financial control systems. “I believe every one of us has experienced some problem in understanding the monthly reports” provided by Eastern Arizona College.

Funding for schools better than last year

Projected state surplus may stave off cuts, but won’t restore losses says superintendent

By Pete Aleshire

February 3, 2012

The brightening state budget picture could this year give the Payson Unified School District a break from financial trauma, but probably won’t allow the district to regain lost ground, Superintendent Casey O’Brien told the school board this week. Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposed budget projects a $672 million surplus, in contrast to the multi-billion-dollar deficits of the past two years. “Arizona is certainly in a lot better position than a lot of states, but I do not think that we will be restored to the levels before the recession,” said O’Brien. The district has closed a school, increased class sizes, nearly stopped buying supplies and new textbooks, and laid off teachers and other staff in the past three years. “My job is to find solutions to get us through these very, very trying times,” said O’Brien, who recently announced he’ll retire at the end of this school year. “Fortunately, our community stepped up and passed an override, otherwise I have no idea where we’d be.”

Lobbying contract spurs GCC board dispute

By Pete Aleshire

February 3, 2012

A lobbying firm’s contract renewal spurred a bitter exchange in an otherwise harmonious meeting of the Gila Community College board last week. Board member Tom Loeffler objected to a $36,000 annual contract for Triadvocates to lobby for the provisional community college district in the Legislature. Loeffler said the Phoenix-based firm has done a poor job in pushing for bills in the Legislature to ensure GCC gets the same treatment as the state’s other community college districts. Loeffler has in the past opposed the Triadvocates contract because the firm also represents Eastern Arizona College, with which GCC contracts for administrative and academic services. “Triadvocates actually worked against us and was aligned with other colleges for workforce development funding,” said Loeffler. “I don’t think they did the job we were paying them for.” However, board member Bob Ashford took vigorous exception to Loeffler’s statement.

Students learn how businesses work

By Michele Nelson

January 31, 2012

Joe Parone casually perches at the edge of a table set up for interviews in the Distributive Education Club of America (DECA) classroom on the campus at Payson High School (PHS). Before him sit a dozen students in the beginning business education class. Later in the day, students will role-play with Parone to create a marketing plan for an expo featuring baby products. The elective offers students real-world opportunities to learn skills and an understanding of the theory behind business. “How does business contribute to society?” he asks the mostly sophomore-level students. “Creates jobs,” said Justice Owens. “Yes. The people I employ spend their money, which helps the town. What else?” asks Parone. The next student mentions taxes. Parone launches into an explanation on how taxes fund schools, roads, and town services. “Are you starting to see the role business plays in society?” he asks. The students nod and murmur in understanding.

Turkey Trot participants walked 1,101 miles in first-ever event

By Alexis Bechman

January 31, 2012

The results are in and the verdict is clear — we have some mighty fit “turkeys” in this town. Julia Randall Elementary School (JRE) students that participated in the inaugural Turkey Trot Nov. 23 walked on average two miles each and 1,101 miles total, according to students at Payson Center for Success (PCS). At Monday’s school board meeting, nine PCS students delivered results from the event. High school students tracked third- through fifth-graders’ laps during the daylong trot, where students ran in 45-minute time blocks. More than 500 elementary students participated, running or walking around Green Valley Park’s upper loop in feathered paper caps. Fifth-graders covered the most miles for the day, making up 35 percent of all miles walked.

The diabetes epidemic – making a change

Christy VanderMolen

January 31, 2012

The Payson Care Center recently sponsored a diabetes lecture presented by its onsite physician Dr. Terry Rousseau. More than 70 people showed up to learn how to manage or reverse diabetes. But that’s not all, even more people called to attend. Because of the overwhelming response a second lecture has been scheduled for 10 a.m., Monday, March 5 at Payson Care Center. Please Christy VanderMolen at (928) 951-2305 for reservations. Diabetes is a debilitating illness that affects more than 23 million people in the United States — especially older adults. But why are we experiencing this epidemic? It really boils down to the eating habits that our nation has adopted. The days of farming and growing our own fresh vegetables and fruits are gone, and the fast foods, boxed and prepared meals have become the norm for many. But are they really a convenience when they lead to diabetes, kidney failure, blindness, heart disease and amputations?

Surprise vote gives GCC a new president

Payson board member’s unanimous election changes dynamics on an often-feuding board

By Pete Aleshire

January 31, 2012

A thunderstruck Larry Stephenson found himself unanimously elected president of the Gila Community College board on Friday, signaling a potentially dramatic shift in the politics of that contentious board. Outgoing President Bob Ashford took Stephenson completely by surprise when he suggested the Payson board member take the gavel at the beginning of the long-delayed January meeting. Northern Gila County board members Stephenson and Tom Loeffler both said they expected Ashford’s election to a sixth term with the predictable support of the two other members with districts dominated by voters from southern Gila County. Ashford offered no explanation for his decision to support Stephenson, although he has reportedly struggled with serious health problems in recent months. “I was thrown for a loop,” confessed Stephenson, who has clashed often, but politely, with Ashford in the past two years. Stephenson and Loeffler have both persistently criticized GCC’s contract with Eastern Arizona College, which provides academic credentials for the provisional community college district and imposes a 25 percent surcharge on everything GCC spends. Flummoxed, Stephenson objected saying the board should go through a formal nominating process before voting on new officers. Ashford agreed.

Surprise move gives GCC a new president

By Pete Aleshire

January 30, 2012

A stunned Gila Community College board member found himself unanimously elected president of the college board Friday, signaling a potentially dramatic shift in the politics of that contentious board.

Lighting up their brains

Science class helps gifted JRE students devise experiments, prepare for science fair

By Michele Nelson

January 24, 2012

Frank, a chubby, black hamster, scurries through the maze as owner Ellie Hubbard, a fourth-grader at Julia Randall Elementary (JRE), times his dash through the tunnels made of clear plastic cups linked together with Scotch tape. “He did that in 10.7 seconds,” she says. Then Ellie tears apart the maze of tubes to reconfigure them. She has Frank do it all over again. This time, it takes him 26.1 seconds. She writes the results in a notebook. “I’m trying to learn about learning patterns,” she said. Ellie will present the results of her observations at the JRE school-wide science fair on Feb. 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the gym. In this weekly program, she and 22 other students spend an hour with Carme Locke, a former Payson teacher who came out of retirement to administer the pullout science program. The particular science class is aimed at children identified with special needs in the gifted and talented education program (GATE).

School board discusses superintendent hiring

By Pete Aleshire

January 24, 2012

The Payson Unified District School Board decided Saturday to set up a screening committee to help sort through applications to replace retiring superintendent Casey O’Brien. The board spent nearly three hours talking about the nationwide search with Karen Beckvar, director of leadership for the Arizona School Boards Association, conducting the search. The board settled on a timetable that will close applications on March 12 and screen the applicants by March 20. Board members and people serving on the five-person screening committee will then rank the applications. The board will consider those rankings in winnowing the field down to a group of probably two to five finalists. Those finalists will appear at an open community forum on March 30, followed by interviews with the board on March 31. After a sometimes-stormy tenure dominated by budget woes, O’Brien recently notified the board he’ll retire in June and probably move to southern Arizona to live on pensions from the state and the Navy, where he served as a fighter pilot.

Three juveniles, 11 to 13 years old, arrested for marijuana at RCMS

By Alexis Bechman

January 20, 2012

While synthetic marijuana or spice is a growing problem in schools, officials are still seeing students with the original green, leafy substance. Several months ago, officers arrested three middle school students for possession of the drug and paraphernalia after one reportedly traded a small baggy of marijuana for a baseball cap. The boys ranged in age from 11 to 13 years old. According to a report by Payson Police Officer Michael Hansen, Rim Country Middle School officials learned one of the boys had a bag of marijuana after another student reported the teen had showed it off in class.

Consultants hired to help with superintendent search

By Michele Nelson

January 20, 2012

Moving quickly in the search for a new superintendent, the Payson Unified School District board hired a consulting firm at a special meeting Tuesday. The Arizona School Board Association (ASBA) will run the replacement search after Superintendent Casey O’Brien announced last week he would retire in June. Karen Beckdar, with the ASBA, will spearhead the search. The school board hopes to have candidates identified by April 15 and one hired soon after. “The ASBA offers a whole package for a price of $4,500,” said Barbara Underwood, school board chair. Not every board member approved the decision, however, board member Kim Pound voted against the ASBA.

Alliance OKs land buy for ASU campus

Plans for university advance amid questions about open meeting law procedures

By Pete Aleshire

January 20, 2012

The Rim Country Educational Alliance Thursday approved the $650,000 purchase of some 22 acres from Payson and Gila County to build the first phase of a university campus in Payson. In addition, the Alliance board approved an agreement with the Forest Service to take over road ownership and control trespassing on 230 acres of additional land the Alliance is buying south of Highway 260. Moreover, the board adopted a nearly $1 million budget for 2012, listing its income as a “loan,” without specifying the source. The meeting in a Payson Police Department conference room proceeded smoothly and with little discussion, except for a flurry of questions about whether the board, set up to build a campus and related businesses, will post agendas of future meetings. The only people in the audience, John Wakelin and Tom Loeffler, raised questions about whether the board appointed by the Payson and Star Valley councils had followed the state’s open meeting law.

Julia Randall evacuated after bomb

By Alexis Bechman

January 20, 2012

For the second time in less than a month, the Payson Police Department has received e-mails threatening to blow up the PPD building. On Thursday, the threats included Julia Randall Elementary School as well, causing police to evacuate the school. There were few people in the school at the time, and officers found no bomb in either location. Payson Police Chief Don Engler said they have located who they believe is sending the threatening e-mails in Texas. The department is working with Texas authorities to have the man arrested. Until then, they are not releasing his name, Engler said.

Search for new PUSD superintendent begins

10:38 a.m., January 19, 2012 Updated 11:51 a.m.

Moving quickly on the search for a new superintendent, the Payson Unified School Board hired a consulting firm at a special meeting Tuesday. Karen Beckdar, of the Arizona School Boards Association, will help the board define what it and the community wants to see in a new superintendent then advertise for the position and present candidates for consideration. The school board hopes to have results for candidates before the end of the school year.

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