In the Scene » Nightlife in Focus: Pride Board Resigns

by Jim Winsor
Posted on 01/27/10
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Nightlife in Focus: Pride Board Resigns – Let the Healing Process Begin

by: Jim Winsor | In the Scene | January 27th, 2010

A big update on the San Diego Pride board payoff scandal, which I’ve covered here before – the 3 controversial board members in question have agreed to step down, in favor of an interim board.

This story broke late last night:

Elected officials intervene — demand Board changes at Pride
Princetta, Karim and Worrell to step down
Morgan M. Hurley, Copyeditor Tue, 01/26/2010 – 6:51pm

(SAN DIEGO) Sources close to SDGLN state that elected officials – all current and former San Diego City Councilmembers – have joined together in a collective effort to resolve the crisis and scandal that has rocked San Diego Pride in recent weeks.

State Senator Christine Kehoe, City Councilmember Todd Gloria, City Councilmember Carl DeMaio and former City Councilmember and Assembly candidate Toni Atkins have united their call for Chair Phillip Princetta, Treasurer Mike Karim, and Secretary Carl Worrell to step down.

Kehoe, Gloria, DeMaio and Atkins met with the Board over the weekend and have been aggressively working the phones to bring about this resolution.

An agreement was reached this afternoon. Princetta, Worrell and Karim have agreed to resign, but not until a slate of former Pride Board members is in place.

A new Board will be announced this week.

And this one this morning:

BREAKING: Elected officials call for reinstatement of nine board members, names submitted to Pride in official memorandum
Pridegate offenders Princetta, Worrell, and Karim to step down
Margie M. Palmer Wed, 01/27/2010 – 7:21am Updated, January 27, 10:00 a.m.

(SAN DIEGO) As reported first by SDGLN on Tuesday, the embattled offenders in the Pridegate scandal have agreed to step down and appoint an interim Board.

The action came after intervention by four GLBT elected officials: State Senator Christine Kehoe, Councilmember Todd Gloria, Councilmember Carl DeMaio, and former Councilmember and Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins.

“As elected leaders, we had a responsibility to relay the concerns we have heard from so many in the community to the Pride board,” said Gloria. “Upon sharing our thoughts with them, the board put the best interests of the community and the organization ahead of themselves and agreed to an orderly transition of Pride governance to an interim board consisting of past board members. This was an important first step to rebuilding the public’s trust in San Diego LGBT Pride.This action will ensure that planning for this year’s Pride celebration will continue and that the San Diego’s largest civic event will take place as scheduled.”

“This will provide a fresh start for Pride and the continued planning for this year’s successful event,” said Senator Kehoe.

SDGLN has obtained a memorandum by Senator Kehoe in which nine past Board members were named. The list was presented by the elected officials for interim appointment until a permanent Board can be put in place.

The list includes Jeri Dilno, Andrea Villa, Judi Schaim, Larry Ramey, Chris Shaw, Bob Leyh Vertez Burks, Romer de los Santos and Anne Hewett.

Gloria is pleased with the outcome of the meeting, which will ensure the continued success of the largest civic event in the City.

“I look forward to seeing a new Pride board implement measures that will increase transparency and public participation in the actions it takes.”

Although there is still the matter of the rehiring of staff to be resolved, these resignations are a huge step forward. It’s now time, I think, for the community to come together, heal the rifts which developed during this whole unfortunate episode, and help make San Diego Pride 2010 the best one ever.

And I think a message of thanks is due to the three departing board members. Not only for eventually doing the right thing and resigning (hence saving Pride from perhaps irreparable divisions) but also for their years of valuable service to San Diego Pride prior to the most recent controversy. As this YouTube video of Dr. Princetta (posted August 2008) reminds us, these were not easy years for the board of San Diego Pride: