It’s been more than three years since Pride Fort Lauderdale has filed a federal tax return. Quirks in the tax code still give them another week to file for 2020, but it seems their persistence in obfuscating their inner workings continues. How the organization is operating, as well as who’s in charge, are questions President Miik Martorell is in no hurry to answer. As SFGN and Queer News Tonight have reported, Martorell appears to be the only person running the organization, without any executive board to oversee him. SFGN has learned that he has brought on Ernie Yuen to serve as Executive Director or in some analogous role. Drew Segura, a local DJ and entertainer, recently posted on social media that he has joined Pride and will work on their social media and digital presence. The city of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County are key partners in making sure the event happens. In the runup to Pride of the Americas (POTA) in February, the city stepped in at the last minute and offered a new location and covered some of the security costs. Visit Lauderdale, the county’s tourism arm, traditionally kicks in tens of thousands of dollars. Pride happily took the money and offered little in return. Martorell has promised to show us a profit and loss sheet from the event. He has promised to get minutes of board meetings posted. He has promised transparency. None of the promises have been fulfilled. The audacity of their opacity seemingly knows no bounds. Their intentional evasiveness led to a steady stream of departures from the organization and loss of key sponsors just weeks before Pride of the Americas. In an exclusive interview, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis told me, "“What concerns me is that the group has disintegrated.” 501(c)3 groups don’t have a lot of restrictions on them, but Pride’s by-laws are supposed to provide guardrails. Those include setting qualifications to serve on the boards, posting minutes, making notice of meetings, requiring two signatures on a check. It’s possible though Martorell and his supporters have changed the by-laws. The fact is, they won’t tell us. Legally, they don’t have to. But they’re taking your money. Being accountable to the community is the least the can do. You can read more of my interview with Trantalis and get more details in this week’s SFGN, online now and on stands tomorrow. #Queer Up South Florida Gay News