The Navajo County Community College Governing Board approved the acceptance of over $1.8 million from the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity’s Rural Health Grant. “We were awarded this for two years to the tune for each year of approximately $1.8 million,” explained college President Dr. Von Lawson.
The information provided regarding the grant stated that it will fund things such as short-term student housing in Winslow provides easy access to healthcare partners in multiple locations. It will fund the nursing academy, utilizing a structured, early-entry cohort model that creates intentional partnerships to strengthen the nursing pipeline, establishing an evaluation process to effectively introduce new programs and expand existing programs through investment in facilities, staff and technology including leasing and co-locating with Summit Healthcare. There is no match requirement for the grant.
The rest of the 3.5-hour meeting consisted mainly of conversations pertaining to the internal workings of the college’s academic program development processes, financials, Enterprise Resource Planning system implementation and IT updates.
During call for public comment, Ed Wilson stated his thanks for the dialogue and presentation on the college’s expenditure limit that was presented during the previous meeting, following Wilson’s concerns on the topic. Wilson added he still had concerns on spending and staffing choices within the college. “I support taking a request to Navajo County voters to increase the expenditure limit base, but you must strategically control spending regardless.”
Board Member Rosie Sekayumptewa was absent from the meeting.
In new business, the board:
* Reviewed and accepted NPC’s Friends & Family financial audit for 2025-26, which was clean in all material respects.
* Reviewed and accepted Northeast Arizona Training Center (NATC) financial audit for 2025-26, which was clean in all material respects.
* Approved the purchase of seven fleet vehicles not to exceed $280,000. The purchase consists of three Hyundai Sonata’s, two work trucks and two used shuttles. Chair Everett Robinson and Board Members Kristine Laughter and Porter Black voted in favor, and Board Member Derrick Leslie voted against due to the item not yet being reviewed by Chief Financial Officer Maderia Ellison prior to coming to the board.
* Approved a contract with SPS+ Architects in the amount of $172,550 to design the metal building in Kayenta. The scope of the building includes one open classroom area, a laundry room, restrooms and an open Career and Technical Education program space that can accommodate future auto and welding programs. It’s a small-scale Skills Center that is designed to be able to add onto in the future, determined by community needs.
* Approved the purchase of computer equipment from HP, in the amount of $263,319.
* Approved the purchase of access points from HyeTech Network & Security Solutions, LLC in the amount of $155,721.
* Approved the renewal of SMARTnet services for an additional one-year term, through HyeTech Network & Security Solutions, LLC., in the amount of $98,450.
* Approved authorization for Chair Everett Robinson to write a letter of support for Board Member Derrick Leslie to serve on the National Association of Community College Trustees Committee. Leslie abstained.
