Rough Summary of Pacifica Board Telephone Meeting 9/19/2001
From Progressive Portal
Note: Quotations should be considered approximate.
. New members appointed, new officers elected
. Emergency meeting on "Democracy Now!" set for 14 days from today
. Ford doesn't allow motion to suspend Utrice Leid
Over the objections of five members as to the process undertaken, the Pacifica
Board in a telephone conference call meeting added new members today and
elected new officers. Below is a summary of the meeting, held today (Wed.,
9/19/2001, starting 2 p.m. ET, 11 a.m. PT).
I'm sure Pacifica Campaign will soon issue
further action alerts, and Progressive Portal
will also have some enhanced letter-writing.
(Progressive Portal's new letter-writing on Pacifica will likely be delayed for
a few days, as we develop responses to the international crisis that rose to
the fore with the attacks of Tuesday, Sept. 11.)
NEW MEMBERS
In an unexpected and unusual process, acting chair Ken Ford gave each new
member immediate voting rights as they were elected, so they could vote on the
subsequent nominations. At the end of the process, the new members were allowed
to vote immediately, including on the election of a new chair.
The new members:
Marion Barry -- controversial former mayor of Wash., DC
Dick Gregory -- comedian, activist, health advocate
James Ferguson -- Director of Research and Planning, Council of National Black
Churches; Dem. Party activist
George Barnstone -- real-estate executive
Krishna Roy -- p.r. and marketing executive
If the five can be counted upon to side with the Pacifica majority, and if
their election isn't subsequently overturned by court action or otherwise, the
majority now has 11, versus five in the minority. That gives the majority the
ability to cast two-thirds-majority votes required to amend the by-laws or oust
board members. (They had tried in court to oust Pete Bramson, arguing that his
term had expired. Ford did not offer to resign given that his term had
expired.)
NEW OFFICERS
Farrell became chair; Johns became treasurer; no vote held on vice chair (Ford
is now vice chair); Murdock became secretary.
Chairperson
"Dissidents" Nominate Cagan: Tom Moran nominated, and Pete Bramson seconded,
nomination of Leslie Cagan to be chair of the board.
"Usurpers" Nominate Farrell: John Murdock nominated Bob Farrell to be chair.
After Ken Ford called for a second, there was a pause. Ford then said that the
"parliamentarian" had advised him that it wasn't necessary to second
nominations. Asked by Cagan who the "parliamentarian" was, Ford said, "the
book, Robert's Rules of Order." (He's correct:
)
Vote was as follows (Johns had left for another meeting):
Member* Voted for
*"Dissident"
Murdock Farrell
*Bramson Cagan
Farrell himself
Ferguson Farrell
Barry Farrell (said he's known Farrell
25+ years, good friend)
Lee Farrell
*Kriegel [abstain]
*Moran Cagan
*Robinson Cagan
Chambers Farrell (after speaking to Roy's
nomination saying we need more
women on the board, she voted for
the male Chairperson candidate)
*Cagan herself
Ford Farrell
Roy Farrell
(Barnstone was added to the call after the vote.)
Treasurer
Bramson nominated Robinson. Moran seconded (Ford: unnecessary).
Murdock nominated Johns; he said Chambers (tax accountant) would be
qualified but she is overworked. She said she would also support Johns.
Chambers endorsed Johns and slammed Robinson as divisive because he has
joined the lawsuit against the majority. Chambers is clearly firmly
entrenched with the majority, except with regard to Utrice Leid, the
former WBAI manager now appointed national Program Director.
Murdock Johns
*Bramson Robinson
Farrell Johns
Ferguson Johns
Barry Johns
Lee Johns
*Kriegel Robinson
*Moran Robinson
*Robinson Robinson
Chambers Johns
*Cagan Robinson
Roy Johns
Barnstone [abstain]
Ford Johns
Secretary
Lee nominated Murdock. Chambers was also going to nominate Murdock. After
offering to open Cagan's line, he told the operator to stop, then he No other
nomination.
Murdock Murdock
*Bramson no
Farrell Murdock
Ferguson Murdock
Barry Murdock
Lee Murdock
*Kriegel [abstain]
*Moran no
*Robinson [abstain]
Chambers Murdock
*Cagan no
Roy Murdock
Barnstone [abstain]
Ford Murdock
NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING
October 27-28 is next meeting, topics need to be submitted to chair within 7
days of today.
Cagan: Why not voting on vice chair position? Ford said he has not resigned and
his term is not up. Should we discuss topics for agenda now or just send them
in? Ford: now's good.
Cagan: review paid consultants, contracts; must have thorough, honest
discussion of continuing deepening crisis at WBAI -- outrageous that board
hasn't grappled with this since last December. Need evaluation process of
Executive Director; no evaluation in the 1.5 years since she came on.
Murdock: Thanked Ford. Cagan's issues do need to be addressed; he'll put some
issues in writing too. Any suggestions must be put in the form of a resolution
that can be voted on.
Chambers?: Agree with Cagan's call to help WBAI. Need personnel committee,
including more inclusive and community-responsive method of choosing station
general managers.
Barnstone: Agree.
Bramson: What's process to put issues on the agenda?
Ford: Will address that "real quick." Anyone else?
Moran: Unknown location of meeting, time and date without consulting board
members. Our issues have been put off, and no call-backs received from
Executive Director or Board majority in months.
Ford: Court stipulation says any agenda item SHALL be put on the agenda if
submitted in writing by a board member within 7 days of notice of meeting
(i.e., 7 days from today).
Murdock: In addition to submitting issues and proposals, please identify
information members would like made available, and individuals it may be useful
to ask to attend. Helpful to have a telephonic non-voting meeting after items
submitted and distributed so we can talk about how to prioritize the agenda,
because may be 5 or 6 people submitting the same item.
Moran: Written submission of agenda item was done (by board minority) before
this meeting, and were not put on agenda. Ford: I have not received any such
correspondence.
Bramson: I'm looking at email submitting those items.
Ford: Stipulated hard copy, not email. Given email volume we're receiving, a
lot are probably lost in transit or filtered out. Do it in written [i.e.,
paper] format.
Robinson: New members need to be aware they've come into a polarized board. The
way this meeting is conducted should be chilling. Governance and management has
broken down, network collapsing. Mediating, negotiating cannot be done if we
continue to use these means to deal with the present crisis.
Chambers: Also want to see review of Program Director. Have not witnessed any
set of events that would lead me to give the new person [Utrice Leid] the
benefit of the doubt. Critical issue. Board's viewpoint, preferably as an
action item, needs to be clearly, quickly, and pointedly expressed.
EMERGENCY MEETING RE "DEMOCRACY NOW!"
Cagan: Move for emergency meeting right now on this call or ASAP to address
"Democracy Now!" crisis. Reiterate question re October meeting location. MUST
BE a full, open, public meeting.
Murdock seconded motion to have emergency meeting to deal with "Democracy Now!"
No reason to wait on this, has gone on a long time. Need to have some people to
provide background in writing or at the meeting start. Policy issue is
involved, board needs to address it.
Moran asked if "we are currently open for business."
Ford ruled the motion out of order.
Barnstone: Fully agree we need to address the issues; we need to get "Democracy
Now!" back on the air. "This is just ya-ya land."
Bramson: What will ensure that we will get the requested documents before the
next board meeting?
Ford: You have to ask the new chair, Mr. Farrell. Bramson: Let's ask him.
Farrell: I'll speak at the close of the agenda [emphasis his] today. I'm
getting pressed for time to stay on the line.
Murdock: I insist on an emergency meeting. By-laws Art 4 Sec 2 -- special
meetings can be called by majority vote of full board. Board is on the phone.
Nothing forecloses deciding to have an emergency meeting. Move again to set a
date for an emergency phone meeting.
Ford: This was not on the agenda, it's something the chair will have to
address.
Moran: Issues intertwined with that: behavior of interim general manager
[Leid], executive director [Bessie Wash] during that time -- need to address
those.
Robinson: Agree with Barnstone. "DN!" needs to be on the air. Some people want
it off the air permanently. We should be clear whether that's part of the
discussion.
Ford: We all want it back on the air, no one more than I. But there are issues
the attorneys and union are working on. This is the Executive Director's issue.
Chair will probably get in touch with you as to how this will be resolved.
Robinson: This is policy, not operational.
Bramson: Call the question, to vote on calling an emergency meeting. (Chambers
wanted to second, but was not needed.)
Barnstone: ASAP.
Farrell: He mentioned a "peace initiative" that he discussed with all but two
current board issues. Would be emotionally satisfying now to set a date to
discuss "DN!" but to do so without setting context, seeing nature of what is in
place in terms of discussions, suits, bargaining-unit priorities. Ask the
courtesy of the board to let me do that as one of the first things I do as new
chair. Give officers to look at the range of things put before the board and
put them in some sense of order and priority. Asking for a "no" vote.
Barnstone: Need to have meeting ASAP. Get "DN!" back on the air.
Cagan: Understand Farrell, but this is not a new problem. Setting an emergency
meeting doesn't undercut Farrell's authority to create context, have other
items, etc.
Ferguson: Any legal matters regarding "DN!"? Ford: Yes. Ferguson: Any labor
union input? A formal response? Ford: Grievances, lawyers on both sides trying
to work out this issue, and I'd hate for us to encumber the process now.
Murdock: Support Cagan's point -- we can schedule the meeting today, give
Farrell time to get organized. (Mentioned 10 days or 2 weeks.) Everyone on this
board should know what's going on with "DN!" and we have no clear report from
anybody. Appalling. I don't know what I would decide, but all of us need to
know what's going on. We all should get a report in next 4-5 days.
Farrell: Guided by the will of the organization. If majority wants meeting,
we'll have it.
Murdock: Restated question to move to hold emergency meeting 14 days from
today. At least 3 days prior to meeting, receive information needed to be
informed re issues surrounding "DN!" not being on the air.
Murdock yes
*Bramson yes
Farrell [abstained]
Ferguson yes
Barry yes? hard to tell what he said
Lee [apparently had left]
*Kriegel yes
*Moran yes
*Robinson yes (think two weeks is an "extensive" amount of time)
Chambers yes (want to get detailed reports
in 1 week from Exec. Dir.
as well as a similar report
from "DN!" -- 2 weeks is long)
*Cagan yes
Roy yes (but 2 weeks okay; don't see
difference 7 days would make)
Barnstone yes (2 weeks is too long)
Ford [abstain, "following the lead of
the chair"]
Kriegel had to leave.
Farrell asked for closing statement, but his line had disconnected. Someone
whispered, "Now entertain a motion to adjourn." Ford: "I will now entertain a
motion to adjourn."
Murdock moved to adjourn. Ford seconded. Someone whispered "without objection."
Ford: "And without objection hopefully."
MOTION TO SUSPEND UTRICE LEID QUASHED
Moran: Move that we direct the Executive Director to suspend Utrice Leid until
we have the meeting.
Farrell returned.
Ford: Motion out of order.
Moran: Why?
Ford: Not on agenda. Not given adequate information ahead of time to put on
agenda for discussion.
Moran: We moved on another motion that was not on the agenda.
Ford: Motion is out of order and we adjourn. (Didn't give Farrell his
opportunity to make closing statement.)
Take action!
Write letters regarding
Pacifica radio network
(and on a range of other progressive issues)
at Progressive Portal
http://www.progressiveportal.org
-----------------------
1
2[pic]
3[pic]