The Coconino County Parks and Recreation Department (CCPR) contracted with PROS Consulting to develop an Organizational Master Plan that would aid the Department in sustaining a high quality park and recreation system over the next 10 years. This project seeks to provide sound and realistic recommendations, strategies, tactics, and suggested initiatives that address current and evolving park and recreation needs of residents of Coconino County.

The collaborative process for developing the Tusayan Community Wildfire Protection Plan began May 5, 2004 at a Tusayan/Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce Board meeting in Tusayan. A CWPP is developed to assist local fire districts, local governmental agencies and residents in the identification of lands—including federal lands—at risk from severe wildfire threat and to identify strategies for reducing fuels on wildlands while improving forest health, supporting local economies, and improving firefighting response capabilities.

In fiscal year 2011, McNeal Elementary School District’s student AIMS scores were lower than or similar to peer districts’ averages. Although per pupil costs were high in some operational areas, the District was relatively efficient overall. McNeal ESD’s per pupil administrative costs were higher than the peer districts’ average, but only because the District served fewer students. The District’s food service program also had higher per pupil costs, but its cost per meal was similar to the peer districts’ average. However, the District subsidized its food service program with $23,000 that otherwise potentially could have been spent in the classroom. In addition, McNeal ESD’s plant operations and transportation program were both reasonably efficient, with lower costs per square foot and per mile, respectively. McNeal ESD paid a neighboring district to transport high school students living within McNeal ESD’s boundaries. As allowed by law, both districts received full funding for the route miles. Lastly, the District needs to strengthen some of its purchasing and computer controls.

The Arizona Board of Regents annually prepares an analysis of the financial condition of Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and The University of Arizona using data from the universities’ audited financial statements. This Assessment of Financial Strength uses the methodology developed by KPMG, BearingPoint, et al. and used by university governing boards and accreditation agencies across the country. The methodology employs four financial ratios and a single indicator of financial health—the Composite Financial Index—and provides a scale against which to benchmark our universities. The analysis is for each university’s entire enterprise, which includes their component units.

This paper provides a review of studies that examine the extent to which university research promotes local economic growth and development. The primary focus of the paper is on economic impacts that derive from the innovative outputs of faculty. this paper evaluates Arizona State University and the Phoenix metropolitan area in terms of factors that enhance the local economic impact of university research. The potential for local impacts from ASU’s research and graduate programs is greatly aided by the fact that ASU is located in a major metropolitan area with a climate and other natural amenities that mobile professional workers find attractive.

Growth in the stock of knowledge has been the most important factor behind the dramatic rise in living standards in the United States and other countries over the past 100 years. Systematic efforts made by firms, universities, governments, and other organizations to increase the stock of knowledge are referred to as research and development (R&D). The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the entire system of R&D in the United States—or as it is sometimes called, the national innovation system. Special emphasis will be placed on basic research. This is the component of R&D that is most likely to be underprovided by the private sector and the one that figures most prominently in public policy toward science and technology. The report also emphasizes the role of universities that, in the United States, perform the lion’s share of basic research.

The report provides a variety of basic statistical indicators of R&D effort and identifies recent trends in sources of R&D funding. The report also reviews classic arguments on the appropriate role of government in supporting R&D and the strengths and weaknesses of universities as performers of R&D. The U.S. national innovation system is compared with those in other major industrialized countries.

A statement of the community vision for the 525-square-mile Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization (FMPO) area, which extends west-to-east from Bellemont to Winona, and south-to-north from Kachina Village/Mountainaire to north of the San Francisco Peaks. It is the general plan for the City of Flagstaff, and in county areas, works in conjunction with the Coconino County Comprehensive Plan.