KPCW’s Feulner signs off, possibly forever

Blair Feulner, founder and longtime manager of KPCW in Park City, Utah, may have talked himself out of a job. During a July 15 on-air sign-off, Feulner told listeners he was taking a six-month sabbatical. The announcement took trustees of KPCW licensee Community Wireless of Park City by surprise, according to a report posted on KPCW’s website. Feulner and his board have been in a stand-off over his demands for a renewed employment contract since March, and the Park Record reports that the board appears to be split over what to do about him. Joe Wrona, the Community Wireless executive committee member who handled negotiations over the pending sale of Salt Lake sister station KCPW, told the press that Feulner’s leave of absence is unauthorized and the board is “struggling to try to make decisions that are in the best interest of Community Wireless, and that do not constitute a betrayal of the trust that Community Wireless listeners, donors and employees have placed in the board of trustees.” The Salt Lake Tribune also reported on the dispute last week.