‘Setting the HBA’s record straight’

Dear Editor,

I write to set the record straight with facts about the recent transition in staff management at the Hillcrest Business Association (HBA). It is unfortunate that a disgruntled former staff member has joined with two long-time detractors of the association to actively seek to undermine an organization that is doing such positive work on behalf of Hillcrest.

First, after numerous performance problems came to light, several board members suggested that our then-executive director, Sonya Stauffer, receive guidance from a management coach to improve her communications with staff, vendors, and HBA members. Instead of participating in this corrective process, Ms. Stauffer simply stopped coming into work. The HBA has documented emails and text messages that not only document these performance problems but irrefutably demonstrate that Ms. Stauffer abandoned her job.

Second, since leaving the HBA, Ms. Stauffer has lashed out at the Board and joined with long-standing HBA critics to level bizarre and unsubstantiated accusations against the individuals on the board and the organization at large. Her actions since her departure only reinforce the wisdom of the HBA’s decision to bring in an interim Executive Director to move the organization forward.

The hard-working volunteers at the Hillcrest Business Association bring us our most successful events each year such as CityFest and do amazing projects to improve our quality of life — such as the Hillcrest Pride Flag. It is unfortunate that a few critics would be willing to diminish this good work and undermine our community through their misguided actions.

Don’t simply believe unsubstantiated accusations; instead give me a call at 619-299-3330 if you have questions.

— Benjamin Nicholls, HBA interim executive director, via email

Editor’s note: This letter previously ran in the June 27 issue of Gay San Diego.

Stauffer responds

I would not consider standing up for respectful, professional and fair treatment in the workplace for staff, vendors and myself, reporting a Board Member interfering with business of the HBA to the President/Board attempting to take advantage [intimidation] of their position on the Board, to be “a disgruntled employee,” as I was identified by Nichols in his letter dated June 24. I have attempted to bring these and several other issues to [Board President Johnathan Hale’s] attention in past months.

I had a stellar review in February from the entire board, excluding board member Cecelia Moreno. As well, later in May and after a month’s plus of detailed reporting to Hale on my daily activities, Hale emailed me and stated, “you’re soaring and you don’t need to do these reports anymore.” So, I don’t understand how Nicholls could comment “numerous performance problems.”

I did not “stop coming to work” as Nicholls states. Johnathan Hale came to my office, told me I was terminated, asked for my key, unplugged my computer and told me to leave.

At a brief Executive Board Meeting on June 10, Board Secretary Eddie Reynoso suggested hiring a coach for both board and myself. Hale rejected Reynoso’s suggestion and stated an interim director was being moved to board for approval. The conversation became highly emotional and I felt it in my best interests personally and more so, emotionally, to leave this situation with Hale. It was then I handed Hale the company credit card. I felt we were not able to resolve the issues at this time and I was not comfortable with the credit card on my person.

Despite reaching out on several occasions to the board VP and other board members, I’ve only received one response to my request for 30 minutes of uninterrupted time before the board, a courtesy I would consider a fiduciary duty by the board to the HBA’s members.

No one is trying to diminish the work the HBA does at all and I don’t recall where any of my comments or the “detractors” comments, Nicholls speaks about, do either. I have personally seen the so called “detractors” issues and they are 100 percent correct in their pursuit to have the HBA ran as per any Federal, State guidelines/laws, [pertaining to a public nonprofit] bylaws and as a healthy organization for the benefit of its members.

I am not “joined” with anyone as Nicholls states, I am independently standing up for what is right and not allowing the events of my termination [solely carried out by Johnathan Hale and without his board, 5.a. of the Hillcrest Business Improvement Association Bylaws] to be “brushed under the rug” or any attempts to hide from its members, the public, or the board for that matter.

I have not made one false or any “unsubstantiated accusations” as Nicholls claims. I have emails, bylaws, minutes, audios and more to confirm what I am stating is true. There is much more to this than contained in these few paragraphs and this is why I asked for the board to hear me, call an emergency meeting and give me 30 minutes of uninterrupted time. This is all I have asked for: to be able to speak to them without being interrupted.

—Sonya Stauffer, via email in response to Nicholls’ letter in the June 27 Gay San Diego

Disclosure: A San Diego Uptown News employee outside of the editorial department sits on the Hillcrest Business Association’s board of directors.