The remaining members of embattled board of San Diego Pride — which voted to amend its own bylaws to award a $5,000 bonus to board president Phillip Princetta and stirred up all sorts of controversy — does not plan to resign. But they will apologize!
“The Board of Directors of San Diego Pride has no intention of resigning,” write Princetta (pictured), Treasurer Mike Karim and Secretary Carl Worrell in a statement. “Instead, we are going to apologize to our community and ask them to open their hearts to forgiveness.” Haha, that’s cute.
Of course one person who won’t be accepting their apology anytime soon is Ron deHarte, SD Pride’s executive director — or he was, until he was fired on Monday, reports SDGLN — who raised objections to the cash gift. (Officially, the board fire deHarte over “irreconcilable differences,” and not his whistleblowing.) You’ll remember deHarte’s name from when he was attacked in June at an equality rally
The board members go on to say, “Ninety-nine percent of what this community has read so far on the issue is inaccurate and based on pure spin. It is a plan to remove the current governing body of this organization and ‘take it over,’ plain and simple.” They won’t point out the 1 percent of the media coverage that is accurate, but we’re going to add this nugget: The appearance of impropriety alone is enough to damage to reputation of San Diego Pride, and is going to damage the organization’s fundraising efforts. Because what donor wants to write a check to a gay group that’s been quietly re-routing its own bylaws to financially reward its leaders?
How about we take this to the next level?
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As SDGLN op-ed contributor Arlon Jay Staggs notes (without mention SD Pride by name): “If you look past the logos and bumper stickers, you‘ll see how the people who lead the foremost LGBT equality organizations in San Diego are extremely willing to accept checks and volunteer hours with one hand, while slapping its very lifeblood in the face with the other. You’ll start to see how shallow their million-dollar sound bites really are. You’ll notice how appreciation, acknowledgement, and contribution interest them far less than looking good and avoiding looking bad.”
Dave
They always mess up pride here. I stopped even thinking of going years ago…they all need to get off their high horse and realize it’s not about them
AndrewW
I think “refunds” are much better than “forgiveness.”
Cam
Fuck them, say thank you by repaying the money douchebags.
edgyguy1426
Plauged?
Mike in Asheville, nee "in Brooklyn"
This is not the first, nor will it be the last, time that accusations of malfeasance have been leveled at the management and directors of a nonprofit community service organization.
IF the claims are simply “he said // he said” then shut the fuck up because you are doing a horrible disservice to the community. [Giving some benefit of the doubt, but giving compensation and bonuses to board members is outrageous.]
On the other hand, there are the 2 board members who resigned in protest and the executive director forced out by the remaining board. Plus, there are former board members who were members of the board during the tenure of some of the current members.
If indeed malfeasance has occurred, certainly the recent former board members and executive director, along with other current/former staff, have information and evidence. They, and along with the many volunteers who put their hearts into SD Pride, all have standing to take complaints and evidence the SD District Attorney’s and/or the California Attorney General fraud units.
ousslander
We must hold our “leaders” to a high standard if they wish the represent us and when they turn out to be cheats and general douche bags should be stripped of any office, position they hold and ostracized.