FROM THE LOVE OF KDHX
(League of Volunteer Enthusiasts)
OPEN LETTER TO THE ST LOUIS COMMUNITY
ST. LOUIS, MO (August 26, 2024)
ON AUGUST 23, 2024, the Board of Directors of the Double Helix Corporation settled a lawsuit brought by three former volunteers and three Directors duly elected last September by the Associate Members of KDHX. As a result, two of those Directors – Courtney Dowdall and Kip Loui – have been immediately seated on the governing body that oversees KDHX.
We congratulate Courtney and Kip on this victory, but the work is not done. We cannot stop with only two members on what is officially required to be a 15-person Board of Directors. Courtney and Kip will be extraordinary Directors, but they cannot by themselves undo the damage to KDHX – its programming, fundraising, facilities, and reputation. Only the whole community working together can save the station. Clearly, the station is facing an existential crisis, and now is the time for the Board of Directors to change course, with Courtney and Kip helping to right the ship.
This lawsuit stemmed from the refusal of the Board of Directors to address concerns about the operations and practices of the station. After calls for genuine dialog went unheeded, the Associates convened a “special meeting” in accordance with the State of Missouri’s Nonprofit Corporation Act. The purpose of the meeting was to remove non-responsive and unrepresentative directors in a manner consistent with Missouri laws and replace them with individuals who shared the Associates’ concerns.
One question that the community has asked is why the lawsuit was settled with only two, not three, directors seated. According to the current KDHX bylaws, Associates are allowed three representatives on the Board. At the time of the special meeting, the Associates believed two such directors needed to be voted out and one such director slot was vacant. It turns out this was incorrect; all three slots needed to have directors removed before election. (KDHX management refused to answer inquiries about these slots.) Consequently, only two of the three constituent directors were properly removed prior to election at that meeting. Thus, in the settlement, only two directors could be seated.
In the months and years ahead, the LOVE of KDHX will continue to work to reform and reinvigorate KDHX. We look forward to finally moving beyond the failed leadership of the past. We remain committed to a vision that both protects KDHX’s legacy with the St. Louis arts and music community and advances the long-term growth of its audience.
