Op-Ed: Pride South Florida’s Marc Hansen Still Must Go

Mark Hansen has no business being the director of Pride South Florida anymore, and almost everyone working there with him and around him knows it. He has compromised their efficacy and diminished their organization.

In the last two weeks, facing public challenges from board members for transparent irregularities, Hansen voluntarily suspended his tenure on the board by taking a self imposed leave of absence, purportedly in order to deal with recurring health issues. Good for him, for at least temporarily recognizing the board is bigger than any one person. Unfortunately, there is more to the story.

Faced with disciplinary action from his own board for violating their own rules, regulations, and guidelines for ill-conceived acts of misbehavior, Hansen then even prudently went a step further. He told everyone to call off their inquisition, since he was formally resigning from the organization.

Hansen then publicly announced his decision to the community and the board in a series of emails. SFGN last week published a detailed news story on this year's latest PSF meltdown, complete with the email exchanges from board member Christopher Bailey exposing the organization’s internal feuds, fury, and frustrations. Welcome to the world of non-profits, where it sometimes seems for board members that no good deed goes unpunished.

The Pride South Florida implosion came at an awkward time for the board as they are currently in negotiations with the Wilton Manors city commission to run the annual Stonewall Parade. No city official worth their salt can conceivably jeopardize their credibility by allowing tax dollars to be used for an event run by a non profit in the midst of an open and public internal dispute threatening its own existence.

We have gone that path too often before, with other pride groups, and the end result has always been nasty. First responders have been compromised and vendors have not been paid. Accountings have been suspect. The city simply can't do business with a group that can't do business with itself. The city would be inviting its own censure and compromising their own stature.

But here we go again. Somehow, Mark Hansen has now 'changed his mind' and rescinded his resignation. Under the mixed up mess that is apparently the rules of Pride South Florida's board, he says he can. Who knows? Who cares? Either way, this is no way to run a publicly funded non profit subject to IRS scrutiny and review, doing business with a city commission, and dependent on our community's support.

Stepping aside was and still is the proper thing for Hansen to do. Remember, this is the same organization who last year refused and still won't turn over to the press correspondence from the IRS indicating their not for profit tax status is in jeopardy. It still is and always will be with crap like this going on. Too many honorable board members faithfully discharging their duties just don't need this kind of public humiliation. They work too hard. We understand. You don't volunteer expecting rewards, but you don't need embarrassment wrongfully heaped on you either.

But if Hansen won’t act, the responsibility does fall to the rest of the board to remove him. If they don’t, they should be held just as culpable as Hansen himself.

As SFGN goes to press on a Tuesday night, Hansen is again issuing edicts and directives as the chair, warning board members to be careful about what they say because "the wrong people might get ahold of it."

Yes, like us, the free press. Meanwhile, one of Hansen's challengers, Christopher Bailey told SFGN he planned on resigning. We understand that too. Who needs the grief? This is not why you join a board. But then who is left to speak up if the righteous people depart?

Hansen, please allow yourself the space and time to heal and deal with the many challenging health issues you face. Let the rest of your board also heal without your tyrannical temper tantrums and inconsistent, perennially compromised leadership. Do what's right and permanently step aside, once and for all.

The South Florida LGBT community can do without the leader of one of the most prominent non-profits in anger management classes one day and emergency rooms the next. Hansen, if you had taken our advice and resigned last year, we would not be here visiting this issue again. You have done some good things along the way. Now give others a chance. The earth will remain on its axis without you spinning the wheels of PSF, which you are singularly causing to fall off.

Publisher's Editorial