Guest Opinion Guest Opinion (February 18, 2005)

KMVT adapting to hard times

By Rita Gardiner

Referring to your article last week concerning KMVT layoffs, as a former long-time board member, I'd like to provoke more realistic and positive thinking on what might be otherwise viewed as hard-hearted, discriminatory actions.

As a local nonprofit corporation with indefinite funding, KMVT has had many difficult years, but has also received many, many national awards.

During my 20 years as a KMVT volunteer board member, several as president, the main purpose was, and still is, to serve the community in the best possible ways, provided the funding would permit various options. The diversity of Mountain View and surrounding cities has been well served through workshops and individual programming produced by staff and volunteers. The city governments of Mountain View, Los Altos, Sunnyvale and Cupertino are being served, contractually, by KMVT administration, staff, facilities and equipment.

Programs have been produced by and/or for other nonprofits, middle and high school sports, graduations, youth at risk, senior citizens, community events such as downtown parades, art-and-wine festivals, candidate forums and election results. There are military, gay and lesbian, various ethnic, cooking or animal, religious, non-religious, and various cultural and other language programs. Many community nonprofit activities have been and are being served by KMVT.

In the real world, financial problems do arise, and layoffs do happen. However, it is a wise board and company that will thoroughly analyze its situation and take the path which leads to adversely affecting the least number of persons.

Yes, it's always a shock but when funding is indefinite and funding sources do not materialize. Boards of directors must take action to prevent disaster -- action which does not damage the entire company but may allow for improvements.

A truly dedicated board member, staff, intern or volunteer naturally is concerned and does understand when finances mandate immediate actions to avoid even greater losses. KMVT's decision to lay off only two staff members was far wiser than cutting four or five positions. It was a terrific loss of two very devoted employees, but it could have been worse.

With regrouping in an attempt to preserve most, if not all, services, the board is moving in the right direction. It is always difficult to adapt to changing times, changing media forces, maintain staff, update facilities and equipment, and meet all the challenges with uncertain finances.

If city funding had not been cut, if individual program sponsors supported more programming, and if more contributor donations were realized, perhaps these financially-directed actions would not have occurred.

I, along with most other past and present board members, staff, interns and volunteers, feel indescribably proud of the more than 20 years of diligent, devoted time and energies expended in providing for the informational communication, education and entertainment of our community.
Mountain View resident Rita Gardiner is a former board member of KMVT.

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