[Approved]
KPFA Local Station Board
Regular in-person meeting, September 14, 2013, 11am-4pm
North Berkeley Senior Center
1901 Hearst Ave., Berkeley, CA
Note: An audio archive of this meeting is available at www.kpftx.org/archive.php
Present: Shahram Aghamir, Craig Alderson, Mal Burnstein, José Luis Fuentes, Matthew Hallinan, Mark Hernandez, Cynthia Johnson*, Janet Kobren, Jack Kurzweil, Joy Moore, Andrea Prichett, Tracy Rosenberg, Lewis Sawyer, Dan Siegel, Franklin Sterling, Ramsés Teón-Nichols*, Carole Travis, Barbara Whipperman, Margy Wilkinson.
*Arrived after roll call.
Absent: Brian Edwards-Tiekert, David Gans, Donald Goldmacher, Samsarah Morgan, Mel Sanders, Burton White.
1. Call to order
Meeting called to order by vice chair C. Travis at 11:14 am.
2. Roll call and excusing of members
Moved (T. Rosenberg) to excuse M. Sanders, S. Morgan, C. Johnson, R. Teón-Nichols, B. Edwards-Tiekert, B. White, D. Gans, D. Goldmacher. Approved without objection.
3. Approve agenda
Moved (D. Siegel) to approve agenda. Moved (M. Wilkinson) to delete KFCF item and replace it with PNB report, including an audit update. As amended, approved without objection.
4. Minutes
Moved (M. Burnstein) to approve August 10, 2013, minutes. Approved unanimously by voice vote.
5. Public comments
M. Mayzes.
6. Announcements
A. J. Moore: Reminded members to support Berkeley Historical Society, which is sponsoring event on the history of urban agriculture. Occupy the Farm is conducting a community forum at Gill Tract, Oct. 13, 10-4.
B. J. Kobren: Sept. 17 is two-year anniversary of Occupy Wall Street. All-day events in New York to commemorate it; possibly some in Bay Area.
C. D. Siegel: Lawsuit by Daniel Borgstrom is close to being completely finished. Borg and his attorney Richard Phelps have been ordered by court to pay $10,700 in attorney fees.
D. F. Sterling: Vandana Shiva event at Brower Center was success. There was overflow attendance at event and it had double the usual number of video viewers.
E. M. Wilkinson: KPFA-sponsored events coming up: David Bacon, Diane Ravitch, Edwidge Danicott. Fabulous events. Urged members to spread word.
7. Interim GM report (R. Pirodsky)
Fall fund drive begins in one week. Planning is smooth and he expects us to meet or exceed goal. As manager at other stations, he worked with executive committees from boards. They met once a week on informational basis. He proposes a task force from board to discuss issues related to programming, governance, and implementation of PNB program council guidelines. PNB has not provided any guidance. Program council will be a management committee, and he needs to work with board. Another responsibility would be to help separate KPFA from KPFB to develop programming and administration. Task force would require a lot of work. Interested board members should contact him at Richard<at>kpfa.org.
We have to find way to reach out to other listeners and establish reciprocal arrangements with other media outlets for advertising KPFA.
He is trying to adjust program schedule to target audiences when they’re most available. Some programs don’t raise money because target audiences don’t follow same schedule. He has drafted programming changes, recognizing balance between audience and programmers. If we can’t make basic shifts in schedule to help station, we have problems.
Articles in Village Voice and New York Times concluded that Pacifica suffers from too much democracy. He thinks “politics” is proper word, not “democracy.” We need to rise above conflicts if WBAI and Pacifica are to succeed.
Budget is with NFC. It has been a moving target. Budget as passed by local board is not what is going to PNB. There may need to be cuts. If so, he’ll listen to all suggestions, but some things can’t be cut: those things that degrade the product and impair revenue. We need to improve both.
Workplace investigation was confidential. People gave testimony in confidence. Report not as complete as preferred. He has letter and list of recommendations to distribute in closed session. So far these have been shared only with executive director.
Moved (M. Wilkinson) to allow Q&A period about iGM’s report, then move to executive session. Following additional discussion, motion approved by show of hands: Y:many, N:1.
[Board moved to executive session to discuss workplace investigation and related personnel issues.]
Board reconvened in public session at 3:22pm.
Moved (A. Prichett): “That the LSB determine policy for when or if it is appropriate for management to contact and involve police in station efforts to keep staff and KPFA premises safe. Item to be placed on next agenda.” Approved by voice vote: Y:many, N:3.
8. Treasurer’s report (B. Whipperman)
TR1 is chart showing how budget approved by LSB has been changed at each step of review. Column K compares with column E. CFO may be able to reform budget process.
$60k in bank, with another $20k due on 20th of month. $80,319 payable, including $34k for medical coverage.
9. PNB report
A. Governance and Audit (M. Wilkinson)
Thursday meeting of PNB passed motion to postpone elections until after Jan. 1. Board members who have reached their 6-year term limit are off as of the end of December, to be replaced by runners-up.
Also discussion regarding in-person meeting in Texas. PNB has been discussing WBAI’s problems with physical location, inability to meet financial obligations, two months behind on transmitter rent. Special meeting scheduled to talk about solutions to save station. 2012 audit finalized, report forwarded to PNB. Will be posted on Pacifica web page this week. Reports shows problems but does not continue “going concern” status due to a technical reason. Personnel committee has completed executive director candidate search and is ready to begin interviews.
T. Rosenberg added that there have been several offers to sell or swap WBAI but the primary goal is to hang onto it. One solution could be contract with short-term management of station. D. Siegel added that WPFW is unable to meet its bills and that we need to think about a radical reorganization of network to find way for stations to be responsible for their own futures.
B. Development committee (J. Moore)
J. Moore has been advocating for 65th anniversary celebration as fundraiser to save WBAI.
Adjourned 4:00pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Craig Alderson
LSB Secretary