Minutes
WPFW Regular LSB Meeting
December 12, 2018
Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library
4450 Wisconsin
Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20016
Robert Simms, Chair
Ellen Williams Carter Secretary
I. Call to
order
Robert Simms chair called the meeting to order at 6:35 pm. Quorum was established at 6: 50pm.
II. Roll
call
15 - Members were present at roll call: Maskeelah-Myrtle Washington, Ellen Williams Carter, Donald Williams,
Robert Simms, Nick Arena, Eileen Rosin, Julie Hewitt, Martha Peterson, Jim Brown, Gloria Turner, Louis Wolf, Nancy
Sorden, Benito Diaz, Ron Pinchback,Meredith Cordisco
6 - Excused Absences: Cliff Smith, Lona Alias, Sabooh Hakim,
Eric Ramey, Tony Leon, Vicki McGill
2 - Unexcused: Campbell Johnson, Jay Winter Nightwolf
There was one
resignations/removal.
1 - Resigned: Christine Cotter in October
The GM Jerry Paris was present.
The IPD
Katea Stitt was present.
Timekeeper: Meredith Cordisco
Sergeant at Arms: Maskeelah-Myrtle Washington
III.
Approval of Agenda
The Agenda was approved.
IV. Approval of the Minutes
The November 14, 2018 WPFW LSB regular
meeting minutes were reviewed and approved.
V. Management Reports
The General Manager, Jerry Paris stated the
following:
All monthly obligations are paid. We are one payment behind on Central service payment. A payment was made
for the Pacifica archives thumb drive for fundraising thank you gifts. WPFW still owe $5,000 for the thank you gifts.
The thumb drive have been sent out.
The first week of January we will probably go to low power during the
transmitter construction. We will be at reduced power for two or four weeks. The station will use the back-up
transmitter. The construction will cost $100,000. Transmitter went down last Sunday.
WPFW received a bequest. The
donor hasn’t disclosed the amount.
The General Manager, Jerry Paris requested that we have an executive
session to discuss personnel matters.
Interim Program Director, Katea Stitt stated:
The theme for the Pledge is
“Give a Gift of Pacifica Music and Public Affairs”.
Morning Monday QB new program that is doing
well.
The Jazz and Justice program Pa'Lante hosted by Daniel Del Pielago will air on Sundays instead of
Thursday.
Jazz and justice hosts on Thursday maybe Jannell Gill and Amy Bormet who are pianist.
The Italian
Embassy and African American Museum will produce a program that WPFW maybe participate.
On Sunday the station will
partner with the Informer newspaper and Peoples Congregational for a town hall meeting.
In April the station will air
the Kennedy Center NEA Honors.
Sophie’s Parlor with partner Goethe for special programming.
VI. Finance
Report
The Treasurer, Nick Arena’s report stated the following:
The Bank balance as of 12/10/18 was less
than $30,000 with all bills current except for health insurance and two Central Services payments. A December
mini-drive is needed for cash flow until the Winter Membership drive set to begin in January.
Off-air fundraising was
successful in Nov/Dec with the U Street Jam providing over $7,000 net of expenses. Other off air events are needed for
January. The Station was ahead of plan FY’19 YTD thru November.
The end of the year Pledge Drive begins
December 15th and ends on the 22nd.
VII. Community Comment
Tony Norman stated that the station experiences
financial issues when there is no one oversee and the finances required to present an event. An objective analysis needs
to be done in development department.
Roman Gramalde asked a question about the funds WPFW will use for the American
University tower construction which houses our transmitter. He stated, “Why is the station paying $100,000 for a
tower that we don’t owe? Why are so many things done in the dark?”
Tom O’Rourke asked the General
Manager does the WPFW plan to move? Was the balloon rent payed? The General Manager replied that the balloon rent was
paid and we have a new 5 year lease.
Arthur McCloud stated that the Interim Program Director, Katea Stitt has not
addressed the allegations that she made against him 4 years ago. In addition, he stated that a program used
inappropriate explicit expressions on that air unbecoming of WPFW inclusive of FCC violations. The IPD said that notice
should be sent in an email. The IPD said it probably wasn’t the regular host. She stated that people are
suspended for one week. Arthur question why he was suspended for 6 weeks. The IPD said that he was suspended for making
racial comments on the air. Arthur stated this is the first time that he heard the statements about a racial
comment.
VIII. PNB Report
Benito Diaz stated:
The NES resigned and suggested that Pacifica postpone the
election. The membership list are difficult to verify. An executive session is needed to discuss the Bylaw amendments
that were submitted by the PNB. The amendments are not public yet.
Nancy Sorden stated:
The WBAI empire state
Pacifica liability is $ 2.3 million that is due at the end of 3 years. We are making interests payments now. The
Strategic Planning committee is discussing plans for payment.
IX. Program Committee
Donna Grimes stated that the
committee focused on the LSB approved Resolution on Programming Roles and Responsibilities. The PC has been in dialog
with the General Manager for several months regarding this document. It is their position that the Resolution which was
passed in 2015, requires more specificity.
In addition she stated that the GM agreed to provide the PC access to
programming related comments from the community submitted to the online survey and Info@wpfwfm.org portal. They
haven’t received the information.
X. MASC Committee
No report was submitted.
Resumes were collected
for the Program Director position. No written report was submitted.
XI. Outreach and Development
The U Street Jam
fundraiser occurred on December 1, 2018 raised approximately $7,050. The amount will be updated.
XII. New
Business
Lou Wolf suggested that WPFW could work with the REAL NEWS NETWORK as a mode to partner with them when it
would fit in the programming.
XIII. Adjourned Regular Meeting at 8:00pm
Reconvened for the Executive Session
8:05
Robert Simms, Chair adjourned the meeting at 8:17pm
Minutes submitted by: Ellen Williams Carter