WMNF Station Manager Jim Bennett has just sent out an e-mail to listeners and volunteers informing them that the firings last week of full-time station receptionist Julie Scheid and two part-time employees, Music Director Lee "Flee" Courtney and administrative assistant Linda "Lu" Reisinger, have been rescinded.
You can read Bennett's e-mail below.
Good news has come to WMNF after a week of controversy. Yesterday WMNF
received a large one-time gift which will enable us to rescind the
announced layoffs of three staff members due to a financial crisis at
the station. The donation was not solicited as a result of the layoffs.
The timing was coincidental but couldn't have happened at a more
critical time. As of this afternoon, Julie Scheid, Lee Courtney, and
Linda Reisinger remain on staff at WMNF. We are very grateful for this
amazing gift of financial support that allowed this to happen.
While this timely legacy bequest allows us to avert the crisis and the
layoff of three valuable staff members, it will not avoid future crises.
WMNF's future financial health is dependent on expanding our membership
base. On July 13 we embark on a three day drive where we hope to add
1000 new or returning station members.
We appreciate the concern and input from the many listeners who
contacted us in response to the layoffs. It is important to us to know
how much you care about WMNF. We are happy to have our WMNF family back
together.
As Bennett mentioned, there has been a firestorm of criticism issued towards the station since the announcement of the terminations went public last week. At the time, station representatives said they faced a $60,000-$90,000 deficit.
