Disappointed with leadership decision

To the Editor:

I was disappointed to see the news in Friday’s paper about the Red Rock Center and Fairmont Opera House sharing an executive director, and to learn that the Red Rock position was never open to the public to apply. The board may not have been legally obligated, as they say, to do so, but I think that decision precludes conducting a search for the best possible candidate.

My partner sent in his resume for this position at the encouragement of a Red Rock board member, doing so in early November. He was assured that he would be kept updated throughout the process and that they would be posting the position to the public. After that point, he did not receive any further communication from anyone at the Red Rock; he was never updated and the position was never posted. We are disappointed by the unprofessional conduct of the board in this search process. Now that a decision has been made, it’s clear the board was not interested in conducting a thorough search for this position and didn’t have a vision for its organization’s future. They have done a disservice to the community by not giving an opportunity to the many artists, community members, and others in the area and elsewhere to share their ideas for the future of the Red Rock Center. We are not Red Rock members, but we wonder how they must feel knowing that the board replaced the only executive director they’ve ever had with someone who has full-time responsibilities already at a different arts organization. We believe the Red Rock building has the potential to be a cultural touchstone in our community, bringing in people of all ages and backgrounds to their events. It deserves a dedicated executive director whose sole responsibility should be its growth and sustainability. Instead, this has become another example of a Fairmont institution choosing to look inward for solutions, instead of being open to new ideas from inside and outside the community.

Helena Johnson

Fairmont