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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend April 27, 2006 Tempers flare over criticism of SOHS director By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune In the Southern Oregon Historical Society's first board meeting since staff and former volunteers publicly criticized Executive Director John Enders, board members firmed up ranks, disputed the charges and branded them as "lies." Board President Robert Stevens read into the record a letter from board member Sandra Slattery, Ashland Chamber of Commerce executive director, who said the SOHS board was responsible for communicating with the executive director, and anything outside those channels was "unprofessional" and "made it appear we have no control over paid staff." "Who in their right mind would want to donate to an organization with such strife and which appears to have no confidence in the director?" her statement read. "They need to prop him up, not pull him down." SOHS employee Stephanie Butler said Enders has always told her that his door was open and she could come directly to him with any concerns. "It's a very tiny fraction of the staff who have issues," Butler said. Advertisement But at the Wednesday meeting, former volunteer Ben Truwe lashed Enders over alleged verbal mistreatment of library Carol Harbison Samuelson, who took medical leave after criticisms by the two and others appeared in an April 16 Mail Tribune story. Harbison Samuelson, a key and well-respected employee, had said Enders intimidated staff members and yelled at her and other employees, cutting off anyone with viewpoints in opposition to his own. Enders responded that Truwe's accusations were a "series of lies and defamations." He added that "most people in this community who know what's going on are not swayed by fanatics." In an interview later, Enders said Truwe was "on the warpath" after being fired from his role as a volunteer with SOHS and was rejected after being interviewed for a board position. Stevens said that in regard to Harbison Samuelson, there was a protocol for employee grievances and "we all like her and hope she can come back." Truwe, in his statement to the board, charged that members planned to remove fellow trustee Ed Jorgenson following his criticisms of Enders in the press. "The guy is in over his head," Jorgenson had told the Mail Tribune. "He's not an historian. He has no people skills. He rubs people the wrong way." When the time came for a planned executive closed session, Stevens announced, "We thought we might have something to talk about but we don't." According to SOHS bylaws, any 10 members of the board can remove another member, said Stevens in an interview. About Truwe's charge that the board planned to vote Jorgenson out, Stevens said, "That is wrong. Ed has his difficulties with us but we didn't intend to vote him off the board." Jorgenson, in an interview, said he was told by Stevens four days ago that he should resign. "I said, 'Why should I? I'm not going to do it,'" he said. In a statement prepared in the event of his dismissal, Jorgenson wrote, "I was the only trustee who as a volunteer was able to know what was going on with Enders and the staff. I thought it was my duty to report about John's management style and his hot temper I got nowhere." John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s