Minutes for the regular National Finance Committee meeting January 8, 2013.
Meeting convened at 8:46 PM (ET) a
quorum being present, the Chair and Secretary being
present.
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Attending:
Ken Aaron, Jim Boyd, Bill Crosier, Marcus Jetter, Campbell Johnson, Kim Kaufman, R. Paul Martin, Tracy Rosenberg, Alex
Steinberg, Barbara
Whipperman.
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Agenda:
1.
Roll Call
2. Minutes
3. Check-in on officer elections timeline and PNB committee selections
4. Station
Check-ins
5. Breakdown case by case of legal
expenses
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Motion:
(Kim Kaufman) “To approve the agenda.” (Passed without objection)
Minutes 8:55 PM (ET)
Motion: (R.
Paul Martin) “To approve the minutes of the December 11, 2012, meeting.” (Passed 6 for, 0 against, 4
abstentions)
Check-in on officer elections timeline and PNB committee selections 8:57 PM (ET)
The
committee discussed who’s terming out. The next meeting will have the same people at it as this meeting, and if there
are new Treasurers the old Treasurers will also attend although only NFC members will be able to vote.
Station
Check-ins 9:05 PM (ET)
KPFA’s December on-air fund raiser was scheduled to go for 10 days and ended two days
early. The goal was $275,000 and $283,000 was pledged. The station has a 64% fulfillment rate so far. The dates for the
next on-air fund raiser are still under discussion. A comparison of the actual to budget for FY13 is not possible
because no stations have received information from the National Office.
KPFK’s Fall on-air fund raiser came in
short of goal. The December on-air fund raiser was extended by one day and raised more than its goal. Some expenses are
over budget, some premiums may have been held back and so while FY12 looks better on premiums FY13 looks worse. It is
possible that an off-budget fund raiser is being planned. There appears to have been $30,000 spent on the first part of
the transmitter replacement, but it may not have been entered on the books properly. KPFK may be running a
deficit.
KPFT’s next on-air fund raiser starts on January 3, 2013, and is scheduled to last for 2½ weeks. The
station was refunded $30,000 in property taxes. In December the station did a silent campaign with a goal of $30,000 and
it raised $34,000.
WPFW had an on-air fund raiser with a goal of $160,000. It made over that amount but about
$20,000 were conditional pledges based on changes being rolled back and the General Manager being removed. There have
been programming changes. The station has not purchased the premiums offered during the Fall on-air fund raiser, but
they’ve offered the same premiums for their December on-air fund raiser. The station has been unable to get an income
statement for FY12. They need this for the landlord. They have not moved yet. There is also a question of whether a
local engineering firm should be hired to do the build out in the new facility or if Pacifica personnel should do it.
There is a question of what sort of transmitter WPFW should install.
WBAI’s Fall on-air fund raiser was
scheduled for 28 days and had a goal of $850,000. Super storm Sandy hit and took the station off the air for the last
scheduled days of the on-air fund raiser. The tally was $579,067. The Pacifica-wide emergency on-air fund raiser for
WBAI raised an additional $200,000 for a total of $779,067. The December on-air fund raiser went for seven days and had
a goal of $200,000. It ended with a tally of $144,074. In FY13 WBAI has spent 35 days pitching and has raised a tally of
$723,141 which is $326,859 short of its goal. An art auction has raised between $50,000 and $60,000. The storm forced
WBAI to move. The station will have its offices and studios in two locations for six months to a year. The rent will be
significantly less than usual for the offices and studios for six months. The Program Director has left the station, so
there is now one less Management salary. The station’s FY13 budget will have to be adjusted. The station has
instituted the “WBAI Buddy” program with people donating a set rate monthly. This will raise $120,000 a year at the
current rate and may allow the station to pitch for fewer days.
Breakdown case by case of legal expenses 10:11 PM
(ET)
Due to the lateness of the hour it was agreed to postpone this item.
Motion: (R. Paul Martin) “To
adjourn to executive session.” (Passed without objection)
Adjourned 10:11 PM (ET)
Submitted by R. Paul
Martin, Secretary.