By Susan Randall
Casa Grande Dispatch
The Central Arizona College Governing Board swore in newly elected member Debra Banks from San Tan Valley last Tuesday.
The board also swore in longtime member Gladys Christensen of Coolidge, who after redistricting also represents most of the eastern part of Pinal County. Other board members are Rick Gibson, who represents Casa Grande, Stanfield and the Gila River Indian Community; Rita Nader, who represents Maricopa, Thunderbird Farms, Ak-Chin, Hidden Valley, ChuiChu, Toltec, Red Rock and Saddlebrooke; and Linda Yarrington, who represents the Apache Junction area.
Yarrington was elected unanimously as president of the board. Nader was elected board secretary and vice president. Christensen was re-elected reresentative to the Arizona Association of District Governing Boards. Gibson was reelected representative to the Pinal County Governmental Alliance.
State Rep. Frank Pratt has said he is cautiously optimistic that education would be looked upon more favorably this legislative session, Gibson said. Community colleges, in particular, might be able to negotiate better budget treatment than they have received in the past. Pratt did not expect any major increases or decreases in funds for education, but that could change with the governor’s State of the State address. He did not expect weapons on college campuses to return as an issue this year.
