YOUR AD HERE »

Guest Column: Reacting to Bruce Simonian guest column

Frank Wright

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read Mr. Simonian’s guest column from last week, click here.

The North Lake Tahoe Bonanza has raised its one-sided, self-perpetuating head once again by allowing Mr. Simonian to vent via his “guest column” in its March 6, 2014, edition.

Allowing him to slander members of the community. And why? Because locals discovered Mr. Simonian tried to cheat the public out of a qualified general manager by railroading a personal friend into the job. A friend who lacked the qualifications to hold the job.

Fact: Mr. Simonian had a discussion with Mr. Eric Severance prior to the latter’s submittal of an application to be IVGID’s next General Manager. Mr. Simonian and Mr. Severance both discussed the fact that Mr. Severance lacked the minimum, published educational requirements for the job: a college degree.



Fact: Mr. Simonian placed himself on the committee to set the minimum requirements for the job of general manager. Mr. Simonian and his committee attempted to remove the college degree requirement for the job. But outrage from other board members and the community overruled Mr. Simonian’s personal agenda.

Fact: Mr. Simonian, for over a year, knowing candidate Severance lacked the necessary college degree, kept this dirty little secret from the public and fellow board members. All the while quietly advancing his personal candidate.



Fact: Mr. Simonian knowing Mr. Severance did not have a college degree, voted to have him be his choice as a finalist for the job of general manager of IVGID.

Fact: Mr. Simionian, even after the secret got out and he knew his handpicked candidate was not going to get the job, proceeded to publicly condemn the community members who had exposed his scheme.

Fact: Mr. Simonian authored a “Special to the Bonanza” saying that his name had been slandered, all the while assassinating the characters of those asking for his resignation from the IVGID Board.

Questions that have not been answered:

1. What is Mr. Simionian’s business and personal relationships with Mr. Severance?

2. What did Mr. Simionian think he was going to gain by getting Mr. Severance hired as IVGID’s GM?

3. Did IVGID’s HR Director share the fact with Mr. Simonian, as chairperson of the IVGID board (in 2013), that Mr. Severance did not have a college degree and if so, what was his response to staff?

4. If IVGID’s HR Director did not know that Mr. Severance did not have a college degree, why didn’t she learn of his lack of qualifications since it was her job to do so?

5. Did IVGID’s executive search firm share the fact with Mr. Simonian, as chairperson of the IVGID board, that Mr. Severance did not have a college degree and if so, what was Mr. Simonian’s response to Peckham & McKenney?

6. Why did it take the scrutiny of local community members to discover that Mr. Severance lacked the requisite college degree?

7. Why is Mr. Simonian throwing everyone under the bus?

8. Why is he still a trustee?

Frank Wright is a Crystal Bay resident and a candidate for the IVGID board of trustees.


Support Local Journalism

 

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and beyond make the Sierra Sun's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.