Minutes for the regular National Finance Committee meeting March 8, 2011.<br />
<br />
Meeting convened at 8:41 PM (ET) a quorum being present, the Convener and<br />
Secretary being present.<br />
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Attending: Ken Aaron, Jim Boyd, Bill Crosier, Campbell Johnson, Kim<br />
Kaufman, R. Paul Martin, Tracy Rosenberg, Alex Steinberg, Barbara<br />
Whipperman, Bruce Wolf, also attending was Executive Director Arlene<br />
Englehardt.<br />
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Agenda:<br />
<br />
1. Call to order.<br />
2. Roll Call.<br />
3. Introductions.<br />
4. Nominations and Election of Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary.<br />
5. Set schedule for the year.<br />
6. Any emergency or pressing issues (e.g. audit requirements, KPFK budget.)<br />
7. Carry over business from last year.<br />
8. Review status of reporting from the stations and other business units.<br />
9. Set targets for 1st quarterly review and report to the PNB.<br />
10. Adjourn.<br />
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<br />
Introductions 8:43 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The members of the committee introduced themselves.<br />
<br />
Nominations and Election of Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary 8:46 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Nominations for Chair<br />
<br />
Ken Aaron nominated Tracy Rosenberg.<br />
<br />
Campbell Johnson nominated himself.<br />
<br />
There were no further nominations and nominations were closed.<br />
<br />
It was decided that the voting for Chair would be conducted this way: the<br />
Secretary would prepare a ballot and send that to Christine Neira at the<br />
Pacifica National Office. Ms. Neira would then send copies with a cover<br />
E-mail to each committee member and each committee member would return a<br />
filled out ballot to Ms. Neira via E-mail. The deadline for voting will be<br />
March 16, 2011. After the deadline Ms. Neira will count the ballots and<br />
announce the results.<br />
<br />
The two candidates for Chair of the committee made their speeches.<br />
<br />
Chair pro tem 8:53 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The committee decided to elect a Chair pro tem.<br />
<br />
Ken Aaron nominated Tracy Rosenberg.<br />
<br />
There were no other nominations and Tracy Rosenberg was elected Chair pro<br />
tem without objection.<br />
<br />
Tracy Rosenberg assumed the Chair at 9:02 PM (ET).<br />
<br />
Nominations for Secretary 9:04 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Tracy Rosenberg nominated R. Paul Martin for Secretary.<br />
<br />
There were no other nominations. R. Paul Martin was elected Secretary<br />
without objection.<br />
<br />
Set schedule for the year 9:05 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The committee discussed a meeting schedule for the next year.<br />
<br />
Motion: (Tracy Rosenberg) "That the 2011 NFC meet on the second and fourth<br />
Tuesdays of every month, except for November when our regularly scheduled<br />
meetings will be on November 15, and November 29. This schedule remains in<br />
effect until the last meeting of the 2011/2012 PNB." (Passed without<br />
objection)<br />
<br />
Any emergency or pressing issues 9:21 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The Chair told the committee that the PNB had given a deadline of April 15,<br />
2011, for the KPFK FY11 budget to be submitted.<br />
<br />
The committee discussed the PNB audit task force. The auditor's report<br />
cited a number of areas that Pacifica needs to improve on. The most<br />
pressing area is the lower listener support revenues at the stations. The<br />
point of the task force is to examine the auditor's report and recommend<br />
solutions and specific actions to address the issues it raises.<br />
<br />
NFC members may join this task force in the future in addition to the<br />
members who are already on it.<br />
<br />
KPFK budget 9:43 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The KPFK Finance Committee will meet next Monday. At the end of January<br />
KPFK was about 5% ahead of FY11 budget projections, although the last<br />
on-air fund drive missed its goal by $180,000. The KPFK Treasurer said that<br />
she would try to get the draft FY11 budget to the KPFK LSB in two weeks.<br />
Moves of WBAI and WPFW 9:56 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The committee discussed the moves of both stations.<br />
<br />
WPFW Move 9:56 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The Executive Director said that WPFW's lease expires in July 2012, but<br />
they are hoping to extend that to the end of 2012, after which the building<br />
will be demolished. WBAI's lease ends on December 31, 2012. It was reported<br />
that there have been talks with the University of the District of Columbia<br />
about WPFW moving there. However if there are budget cuts in the District<br />
of Columbia this might not be possible, and the university would want some<br />
branding rights as part of the deal.<br />
<br />
It was reported that WPFW is seeking a grant for new equipment and that the<br />
grant would be used to provide the equipment for the new space.<br />
<br />
WBAI Move 10:08 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
A Director has had some informal discussions with the WBAI General Manager<br />
about the move. The General Manager is exploring options and working on<br />
generating funds for this move. It was suggested the we should have the<br />
WBAI General Manager on the next NFC teleconference meeting. The Executive<br />
Director reported that she's working with a real estate agent on the WBAI<br />
move, she's not 100% pleased with the agent. The WBAI General Manager has<br />
been working on this, the Executive Director will be concentrating on it<br />
more in the near future.<br />
<br />
Carry over business from last year 10:13 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Minutes 10:14 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The minutes are posted. It was agreed that at the next meeting we would<br />
attempt to approve the draft minutes that haven't been approved yet.<br />
<br />
Set targets for 1st quarterly review and report to the PNB 10:23 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The committee discussed the bylaws mandated quarterly reports on budget<br />
compliance by LSBs. The committee agreed that all LSBs should do Q1 reports<br />
on their FY11 budgets, the Treasurers will have to make sure this happens.<br />
<br />
New Business<br />
<br />
The committee discussed the timetable for the FY12 budgets. This and other<br />
FY12 budget issues will be brought up at the next meeting.<br />
<br />
Motion: (Ken Aaron) "To adjourn." (passed without objection)<br />
<br />
Adjourned 10:22 PM (ET).<br />
<br />
Submitted by R. Paul Martin, Secretary.