Final July 8, 2020 minutes
WPFW Regular LSB Meeting
July 8, 2020
Teleconference
Washington, DC
Sabooh
Hakim – Chair
Tony Leon – Vice Chair
Nick Arena - Treasurer
Ellen Williams Carter - Secretary
I. Call to order
Sabooh Hakim, chair called the meeting to order at 6:50 pm. Quorum was established 6:45pm.
II. Roll call
21 - Members that were present at roll call: Craig Hall, Dennis Williams, Eileen Rosin, Ellen
Williams Carter,
Julie Hewitt, Louis Wolf, Marsha Coleman Adebayo, Martha Peterson, Maskeelah Washington, Tony Leon,
Vanessa Dixon-Briggs, Wayne Bruce, Arthur McCloud, Lucille Perez, Tim Willard, Kathleen Malloy, Sabooh
Hikim,
Nancy Sorden, Ron Pinchback, Thomas O’Rourke, Nick Arena, Jay Winter Nightwolf, Donna Grimes
Excused
Absences: Craig Hall
Unexcused Absences: Chuk Nixon
There were no resignations.
Timekeeper:
Dennis Williams
Sergeant at Arms: Parliamentarian
III. Agenda
1. Motion added concerning the parliamentary
inquiry: Vanessa & Kathleen
2. New business starting the manager evaluation
3. Start the process to fill LSB
vacancies -new business
4. Executive session for personnel matter –Tony’s motion
IV. Approval of
the Minutes
Motion to move the minutes to the next meeting. The motion was approved.
V.Management Reports
The General Manager, Jerry Paris
The transmitter is 100% operational. The studio is disinfected to protect the
staff. Staff is working part time. He has done shows from his home through special equipment. The Office Manager is no
longer on the staff. Lightning struck the transmitter. The work Jerry and Moe did on the transmitter saved WPFW
$100,000. We are receiving funds for payroll. Our WPFW newscasts are also aired on WBAI. Our next Pledge Drive is in
August. It may be two weeks instead of one week. Rob Sims has left WPFW. A new intern is reporting remotely. All
programs are aired some from home and some are done in the studio.
Questions:
Maskeela - Is Katea still
boycotting the meeting? GM - She isn’t attending the meeting.
Martha - Is WPFW airing the George Floyd
funeral? GM- Pacifica presented National Special Programming: An Unlikely Icon - George Floyd: His Life, his Death, and
his Legacy Hosted by: Verna Avery-Brown (WPFW) and Akua Holt (KPFT) will be aired.
Thomas O’Rourke: How is
programming taking place? GM – He is doing some programs from his home. The public Affairs programmers are doing
their programs from their homes. Most of the music programs are done in the studio.
VI. Finance (submitted a
written report)
The Station Bank Balances were $59,000 as of June 30. Off-air and other types of fundraising is
needed due to shortfalls in 2019 and 2020. Ideas include contacting donors who have not supported the station in the
last 12 months; selling merchandise (branded WPFW masks…etc.) via the website; placing ads on the website; obtain
additional local grants. LSB members should consider volunteering during for these fundraising activities. We still need
Grant writers and potential major donor referrals to the Station. The Station is behind budget by approximately $50,000.
Loan interest payments of $3,150 per month are included in the Budget starting in Dec.’19. Budgeted Expenses of
$50,000 for the HD transmitter costs were not made in January due to lack of funds. PNO estimates that WPFW past due
Central Services payments for FY20 are approximately $88,000. Additional payments for other expenses from FY19 are
estimated at $180,000. Approximately $20,000 in National Election costs that are not included in the FY2020 budget. The
Station has not been asked to make payments for the National Election to date.
VII. Community Comment
Joe Brown
thanked Nightwolf for his show. He acknowledged the part Nightwolf made in encouraging the change of the Washington
football teams name. He is disappointed that Jay was taken off the air.
Cliff Smith stated that Nightwolf’s
show is extraordinary.
Moe Thomas stated that he moved to Delaware. He said that he is proud to be the
WPFW’s chief engineer.
VIII. PNB Report (submitted a written report)
Nancy stated in her written report
the following:
On June 23 Pacifica received the $1.2 million Payroll Protection Program loan. The Emergency Injury
Disaster Loan (EIDL) application is still being processed.
The Bylaw amendments voted on were the following:
On
June 25 the PNB voted on and approved the following Bylaw amendments that have been posted on the Pacifica website as
required by the Bylaws. These were forwarded by the PNB Secretary to all LSBs to vote on.
- Amendment to Shorten the
Amendment Process
- Amendment to Modify Pacifica Foundation Name
- Amendment to Modify Amendment Petition
Threshold
The PNB voted on but did not approve the following Bylaw amendment
-Amendment to Codify Financial
Responsibility
The PNB approval an exception to the hiring freeze. The PNB approved hiring a replacement for
Development
Director at WBAI. The PNB Town Hall task force was appointed to plan the next PNB Town Hall. Affiliates
Department to become Affiliates Unit. The COVID-19 task force shared the link to the web page for Covid, Race &
Democracy, where you can find all of the previous editions (with descriptions) available to listen to and to download:
https://covidtaskforce.pacifica.org/covid-race-democracy-pacifica-radio-show/ individuals across the network are
volunteering their time to work on this project, including Katea Stitt and their help is greatly appreciated. (BTW Katea
has been instrumental in helping to produce the shows. Her production skills are greatly appreciated around the
network.)
Verna Avery Brown (WPFW) and Ron Pinchback are on the Covid-19 task force.
The Development Task Force-
paid the back amount owed to Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
A Recovery Plan for the 2018 Audit was
Approved.
A Recovery Plan (approved by the PNB) has been required by the California Attorney General. The recovery
plan is Attachment A; it begins on page 5 and continues on page 6 of the minutes.
Vanessa stated that the Personnel
committee is looking for a new executive director.
Eileen stated that the Governance committee discussed the
amendments.
Delegate Assembly 9:04 adjourned to Delegate Assembly 9:08 began the vote and discussion
Eileen
discussed the 3 proposed bylaw amendments.
Ron stated that the amendments that we are voting on are procedural
amendments not substantive.
Motion to stop the discussion and debate; Vote: Favor- 19 against 1 Abstention- 1
- Proposed Bylaw Amendment to Shorten the Amendment Process – Vote: Unanimous
- Proposed Bylaw Amendment
to Modify Pacifica Foundation Name – Vote: Unanimous
- Proposed Bylaw Amendment to Modify Amendment Petition
Threshold – Vote: Favor 15 against 4
Abstention 1
9:29 ended the Delegate Assembly
See the
additional attachment for result of the vote.
IX. Outreach and Development (submitted a written report)
As of
July 18; 5 people have requested information. The Town hall will take place on ZOOM July 18, from 1pm-3pm. WPFW Blues
Fest will take place in 2021. The U St. Jam is uncertain but they are looking at some time in December. There are two
different plans for the WPFW 5K - WPFW Walk against COVID-19. Plan A involves Physical Distancing; Plan B, involves a
Virtual run by way of zoom. Before the Walk, they would broadcast helpful information about combating COVID-19. Another
fundraiser is a Raffle Fundraiser where people register and pay online. They will ask different organizations and people
to donate their products or services to raffle off, e.g. (free barber/beautician appointments, music classes,
chiropractic care, memberships to fitness centers, etc.)
X. Programming Committee (submitted a written report)
The Programming committee submitted a letter that they want to send to Jerry (GM) and Katea (PD) concerning several
issues. Donna said that the committee couldn’t complete their tasks without the attendance of the managers at
their meeting so they decided to send a letter to them. It was decided that the letter would be discussed during the
August meeting as unfinished business before the letter is sent.
XI. Unfinished Business Letter to Managers
The
LSB voted and decided that the program committee’s draft letter to the managers should not be sent until there
was further discussion.
Parliamentary Inquiry
A Parliamentary inquiry was made by Vanessa Dixon Briggs
regarding the Roberts Rules. The Parliamentarian stated that he does not rule on anything. He stated that all questions
should go through the chair. This is that statement that Vanessa Dixon –Briggs wanted attached: She said that the
Parliamentarian stated, “The correct process is that members who want to make a parliamentary inquiry must be
recognized by the chairman to make the parliamentary inquiry. When the member asked the question, the chairman must be
the first one to attempt to answer the question. If the chairman is unable to answer the question, he may recognize any
board member who he thinks might be able to answer the question. He may also recognize the parliamentarian to answer the
question.†Vanessa Dixon Briggs said that this is a new process which is different than past practice and
documentation regarding the process for parliamentary inquiry previously provided by the parliamentarian.
XII. New
Business
Evaluation Process
It was decided that an evaluation process was needed for evaluations of the GM and
PD.
LSB Vacancies
On the WPFW-LSB there is one staff vacancy available and 2 listener vacancies.
XIII.
Adjourned the Regular Meeting at 10:59 pm
Convened the Executive Session 11:02 pm
Sabooh Hikim, Chair adjourned
the meeting at 12:09 am
Minutes submitted by: Secretary, Ellen Williams Carter
Attachment A
Pacifica Recovery Plan
The IED brought this to the last PNB meeting (July 2, 2020) to be approved and then attached
to the audit for FY2018. Here is the Recovery Plan that was approved:
Recovery Plan for July 2, 2020 PNB Meeting by
IED, Lydia Brazon
The current financial situation is unprecedented in the many years since most of us have been in
Pacifica. Contributing factors include a combination of inherited, unsustainable, massive debt, dwindling membership and
listeners, the absence of CPB funding and last but certainly not least COVID 19. Certainly the pandemic has and is
expected to result in national financial uncertainty, only adding to Pacifica’s grave financial state.
A
recovery plan must both reduce our expenses and grow our listeners to be effective. Those proposals which constitute an
expense, would be contingent on our affordability at the time. Some measures are relative to what can be done depending
on the confines of our union contracts at four of our stations.
Currently at the PNO, at least $125,000 per year
savings are being realized from the absence of a salaried E.D.
and a reduction of will be a factor in the short
term. Additional reductions regarding the departure of other employees are being realized in the form of resignations
and some are from expected expense and staff reductions.
The donations from the PNO email appeal letter of June
2,2020 has provided important data and adding ACTBLUE as a donation option on pacifica.org and has proven to be
beneficial, in that the donations are greater and there is an increase in recurring donation commitments.
The
delinquent KPFA property taxes issue is now in the very capable hands of two law firms specializing in these matters. We
are cautiously optimistic that most of what is due will be reversed and the properties ultimately and rightfully deemed
tax exempt.
Union contract negotiations will begin soon for two stations and will hopefully be accommodating
regarding the situation at KPFK for that contract ending September 30 KPFA, contract is ending October 31 and the
expectation is in both cases, that there will be mutually beneficial negotiations which will be of further benefit to
all concerned in Pacifica.
The Pacifica Bylaws are currently in the process of being amended to allow for more
bylaws ballots and a shorter time frame for approval which should improve the efficacy of Pacifica’s governance
structure.
In 2016, I consulted our FCC attorney at the time, John Crigler, about the feasibility of an internet
station to start with in Chicago, so as to introduce a new listener, member and revenue stream in a city with activism
and vibrancy that wholly compliments our mission. My understanding is that because most of the licenses are based on
audience and since we wouldn’t have much to begin with, the cost per license is only in the hundreds. This
remains a low-cost option for audience and income growth for Pacifica.
In the first six months of 2020, the Board
has demonstrated a more disciplined approach to finances than in the past, by way of passing motions which tangibly
support the work of management in its effort to both reign in expenses and develop innovative efforts such as the COVID
19 special nationally mandated programming by Board members and volunteers throughout the network.
In late July, a
Pacifica National Fund drive will take place which should, like the national appeal provide additional funds while
peppering the drive with high profile guests and hosts.
June and July continue to afford Pacifica broadcast
opportunities to uniquely address issues regarding race relations and policing, Pacifica has been broadly acknowledged
as a source of its relevant coverage over the years, absent the rip-and-read practice of mainstream media. In August,
there will be additional national broadcasts of the National political parties and their Conventions affording us with
yet another opportunity to attract listeners and funds. And of course, the November Presidential elections historic in
its many aspects and the Pacifica roundtables should attract, once again, an incisive voice to the conversation and
analysis
I propose recruiting social media activists as well as PR to communicate all that Pacifica is now
offering.
KPFT, KPFA and KPFK have transitioned to Allegiance and out of MEMSYS with WBAI and WPFW transitioning in
the coming months. This promises to facilitate the membership reconciliations and greatly improve the accuracy and
flexibility of critical data essential to strategic planning
I propose an investment in training staff and
continued education in the various areas of governance, management, radio and social media to name a few. Much of what
has been brought to our attention by auditors past and present could, prove to be significantly beneficial by said
investment of time, energy and modest funding.
Last but certainly not least, having received the PPP funding on
June 26 and the prospect of receiving the applied for EIDL loan, will afford the Foundation an important opportunity to
develop a fiscally prudent and mission driven recovery and strategic plan moving forward