2006-03/Mar Open KRFC "demands" letter

March 15/16, 2006
(note this was censored from most KRFC e-mail lists)
Subject: KRFC Denies Petition, Fires Volunteers

Dear KRFC Volunteers:

Congratulations to KRFC on a successful fund drive! Without all the volunteer time and hard work, KRFC would not be possible. We wanted everyone to be able to concentrate on the pledge drive so we waited until now to share our perspective.

We are a group of current and former KRFC volunteers, original founders, financial contributors, board members, programmers, and strategic planning committee members. We are working democratically and inclusively in an effort to make the founding KRFC mission a reality.

Many of us signed the petition, outlined in the bylaws, asking to send the proposed mission statement to a vote of the entire membership. The petition was signed by a group more than ten times larger than the board. Our petition was denied. The board also dismissed three volunteers using a loophole which denies the volunteers access to the KRFC grievance policy and a fair hearing. Marty Durlin, respected station manager of KGNU and trained mediator, offered mediation. We accepted but the KRFC board declined.

We are asking for the KRFC Board and Station Manager to:

1. engage in dialogue and accept mediation
2. offer fair hearings for the dismissed volunteers
3. promise that there will be no more dismissals without due process
4. contact petitioners whose signatures were considered invalid to notify them of the reason

The recent actions of the board and station manager are wrong and must be challenged. When the board and station manager decide to close off communication the options for resolution become very limited and very impersonal. This letter is also asking for your suggestions, wisdom and help as we move forward and insist upon basic accountability to members and volunteers, and fair practices when dealing with every person in the KRFC community.

Please take some time at our website so you can be aware of the actual details. Feel free to contact anyone on the website contact list.
http://savegrassrootsradio.org/ourstory

Sincerely,

Open KRFC (an outgrowth of the petitioners)
Andrew McMahan * BT Huntley * Carla Conrardy * Carmen Reid
Cheryl Distaso * Chester McQueary * Chris Rozoff * Cindy Reich
Daniel R. Leatherman * David Bartecci * David Lauer * Dean Arnold
Deborah Stucklen * Diedre Shaffer * Don Flick * Don Inglis-Widrick
Eddie Arthur * Emily Hornbach * Emily Yost * Eric Flashner
Eric Hamrick * Eric Levine * Kevin Cross * Jamie Folsom
Jane Kneller * Jeff Moe * Jeff Rowan * Jen Balser * Jerry Gerber
Joe Kissel * Joe Ramagli * Joe Stern * John Kefalas
John Montgomery * Karen Watt * Kate Jeracki * Kellie Falbo
Kevin Foskin * Kristianne Gale * Laurence Budd * Mareye Bullock
Mark Ottenberg * Meg Corwin * Michael Lazonsky * Nancy York * Nicolas Ferlay
Norberto Valdez * Paul Bame * Rich Shaffer
Saja Butler * Sandy Lemberg * Sally Miles * Sharon Gale * Stacey Koeckeritz
Stacy Buggle * Tanja Andreas * Todd Simmons * Troy Lepper