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Letter Raises Questions Regarding Management of Monrovia’s Community Access Station
Monrovia Weekly Jun 15, 2016
NBC4 weathercaster Fritz Coleman and Hillsides Chief Advancement Officer Carrie Espinoza at last year's Ice House benefit. –Courtesy photo
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Lance Mungia, executive director. – Courtesy Photo
By Susan Motander
A copy of a letter sent to the board members of Community Media of the Foothill (CMF) was recently forwarded to this publication. Due to the length of the letter, it is not possible to print the letter in its entirety in the print edition. The complete text of the letter is available at www.MonroviaWeekly.com.
It is important to note that the City of Monrovia owns KGEM, the community access station, and that the city has a contract with CMF to manage that station and to provide certain services for the city, including broadcasting city council meetings and such.
The letter in question was from Angela Jackson, who, until recently, was an employee of Community Media of the Foothills. Her letter begins:
“Last month, Executive Director Lance Mungia, thought it suitable to fire me after a disagreement we had over verbal and written policies on May 6. In his incident report, he claims that I was insubordinate and that I belittled his authority.
“I am here to tell that his report is almost completely inaccurate.”
She goes on to relate her side of the incident and to outline some of what she says are problems at the station, including the departure of many long time staff members. She states that she was questioned by a member of the board about the situation, writing:
“The board member asked, ‘if people were so frustrated over how the company was run, why had no one come to the board meetings to complain?’ That is not the question that should have been asked. Instead, I have a better question, in fact multiple.”
She then goes on to list several issues, including age and replacement of equipment (i.e. artwork and computers) and the misuse of technical equipment for personal projects.
She concludes by saying that she does not expect “anything to come of this, my intention was to finally do what no one else, for whatever reason, wouldn’t or couldn’t do; and if nothing does change, then I guess I know who really is in charge, and now, so will everyone else.”
Mungia, who is alleged to have fired the employee, is on vacation and therefore not available for comment. He has indicated that when he returns he will respond to the letter.
Any members of the board of directors who wish to respond are encouraged to do so. We feel an obligation to allow all the interested parties to share their positions and opinions.
It should be noted that at the at its May 17 meeting, the Monrovia City Council approved only a six-month extension of the contract with CMF. At that time, council members expressed some concerns about the management of the station and of its accounting procedures. The contract is set to expire at the end of this calendar year.
For full letter, click here.
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