Statement of No Confidence in Executive Director of KDHX, Kelly Wells
May 15, 2023
As Executive Director of KDHX, Kelly Wells’ chief directive is to support the organization’s mission “to build community through media.” We, the undersigned current and former volunteers of KDHX, feel that Wells has not only failed in this mission but has alienated the community that supports and relies on 88.1 KDHX. For over seven years, the vital bond of trust and respect between the community and KDHX has been injured time and again. Under her tenure, KDHX has:
● Endured repeated PR disasters, including the allegations of discrimination in the RFT’s July 2019 “Distress Signal” article and the recent firing of over 30-year volunteer DJ Tom Ray.
● Seen assets of the organization dwindle and fall into disuse—for instance, The Folk School (which now only presents one Facebook streaming weekly session) and KDHX’s artist performing studio (which once welcomed artists regularly, but is now being used as a storage room).
● Neglected relationships with community partners and foundered in developing new ones. There was a paucity of programming welcomed or presented by KDHX under the previous administration, and Wells has continued (and even deepened) the practice of not engaging with artists, venues, and community partners to present and welcome great artists.
● Lost important leadership in the community, through the continued vacancies on the board (only half the seats are filled) and the appointment of members who do no more than rubber stamp Well’s harmful policies.
● Endangered its support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting by failing to hold a Community Advisory Board meeting in the past three years.
● Squandered human resources by failing to train and support new volunteers (the lifeblood of this community organization) and driving away people with talent and diverse skill sets on staff.
● Dismantled the Program Committee and left vacant the Music Director position so that Wells, a person with no prior broadcasting experience or expertise, is the sole arbiter of what gets broadcast on 88.1 KDHX.
We, the undersigned current and former volunteers of KDHX, that this dereliction of duty by Kelly Wells supports her termination as Executive Director by the Board of Directors. We encourage the KDHX Board of Directors to remove Wells from her position as Executive Director and conduct a national search for an Executive Director with the necessary skill set to oversee such a unique community asset as KDHX.