San Diego LGBT Pride had 19 people turn out for last week’s open house seeking new board members. All 30 of the seven-page informational packets that were printed for the open house have now been distributed, following additional requests for applications from individuals who could not attend the Aug. 31 event.

Though Pride co-chair Phillip Princetta said the board had no expectations as to turnout, he said they were pleased with the amount of people who came this year.

The board expects applications to come in over the course of the next week. Rather than have Pride’s personnel committee review the applications, as has been done in years past, a committee of two board members and two non-board members will review the applications this year. Candidates will then be presented to the full board at their next meeting on Oct. 12, and a mentor will be assigned to each candidate. The board will then vote to elect board members at their January meeting.

Princetta said they are hoping to fill seven to eight positions on Pride’s board, bringing the total number to 16 or more. The board can have up to 20 members, he said, and added that Pride accepts board applications throughout the year. Applications are available at www.sdpride.org.

The search for a new executive director following last month’s resignation of Suanne Pauley is underway. Pauley resigned following a public controversy over convicted child molesters working with the Pride team, including an individual who had been working as a clown in the Children’s Garden at the Pride festival. While the board firms up the specific requirements for the position, they have set up an e-mail address, prided@cox.net, for questions from individuals interested in applying. Princetta said they hope to have the position filled by the end of the year.

Pride released a three-pronged plan in response to this year’s controversy, which included increasing board membership, establishing a screening policy for staff and volunteers, and continuing dialogue with community leaders.

Though the plan stated they would have two board slots filled by the end of August, those positions haven’t been filled.

“We haven’t [filled them], because we thought that we were going to remain with the process of going through the application process and picking who exactly would [fulfill] the needs of the board,” Princetta said. “We have not done that because we’ve gotten this other [process with two board members and two non-members] going. And I think that the two community members looking at the applications would be a good sign to the community.”

The two non-members from the community who will help in reviewing applications for Pride have yet to be selected.

A possible advisory board comprised of community leaders interested in serving the board as consultants is still under discussion. “We didn’t decide not to have an advisory board,” he said.

The board is working with a consultant to decide whether to put an advisory council in place or not. One piece of advice they received is that there are different ways of manifesting an advisory council, Princetta said. “One was that you have a group of people in place and that you only run questions through them when you have an issue that needs to be run through them. I couldn’t say that that wouldn’t happen between now and January. It very well may, or it may not, depending on what advice we receive and how we should proceed.”

A committee that includes Pride board member Maggie Allington and board emeritus Jeri Dilno is working with law enforcement and other agencies to develop a screening policy, which Princetta said they hope to have finalized in November.

The San Diego Human Dignity Foundation will be distributing $100,000 raised by Pride to selected GLBT and HIV/AIDS organizations at the foundation’s annual boat cruise, scheduled for Oct. 9.