2/2/05 Special Meeting of WPFW LSB - Minutes
MINUTES OF WPFW LOCAL STATION BOARD EXECUTIVE SESSION
Date & Time: February 2, 2005 7:00 PM
Location: 2390 Champlain Street, NW, Washington DC
Present (21): Jim Brown, Sarah Bittle, Jim Brown, Acie Byrd, Cade Campbell, Joe
Chiara, Billy Ray Edwards, Joni Eisenberg, Ayo Handy Kendi, Luzette King,
Ambrose Lane, Dan Logan, Norberto Martinez, Kalonji Olusegun, Ron Pinchback
(non-voting), Rob Robinson, Thomas Ruffin, Zarinah Shakir, Hakam Takash, Gloria
Tuner.
Not Present (4): Jane Gatewood, Mark Roberts, Katea Stitt, Carol Wolfe.
This was a special meeting of the LSB in executive session to discuss certain
concerns relating to compliance with by-laws. These concerns had been raised
during the LSB's Jan. 29, 2005 retreat.
Distributed in writing prior to, and at, the meeting was the following proposal
by LSB member Billy Ray Edwards:
"As a means of bringing closure to this issue and to allow the LSB to move
forward, I move that:
"1. A majority vote will not be used as part of the resolution.
"2. The bylaws must be applied to the issue of absence without excuses
according to the Pacifica bylaws.
"3. For the future, the LSB buys a low cost recording system and all full LSB
meetings be recorded and such records must be kept by the Secretary of the LSB
and made available for inspection by members of the LSB and listening audience
for openness and transparency.
"4. All future agendas of the LSB must comply with the motion passed by this
LSB in the June 2004 meeting calling for an agenda item dealing with
attendances, absences and excuses.
"5. Excuses will only be granted at the meeting for which the absence applies
unless for extenuating circumstances. However, no excuses must be retroactive
for more than one meeting."
Opening the discussion, Chairman Jim Brown reaffirmed that it is currently the
LSB's policy that during each meeting, the LSB will vote on excused absences
for LSB members not present, and such vote will be duly noted in the minutes of
each meeting.
Ambrose Lane moved that items 2 through 5 of the above proposal be approved.
Kalonji Olusegun seconded this motion.
Feb. 2, 2005 LSB Minutes - Page 2

During consideration and debate over this motion, certain amendments were
proposed and agreed to as substitutions for the original language of items 2
through 5. As a result, the motion as voted upon was:

"The Pacifica bylaws must be applied to the issue of unexcused absences.
"For the future, all full LSB meetings shall be recorded in a manner acceptable
to a majority of the LSB, and such records must be kept by the Secretary of the
LSB and made available for inspection by members of the LSB and listening
audience for openness and transparency.
"All future agendas of the LSB must comply with the motion passed by this LSB
in the June 2004 meeting calling for an agenda item dealing with attendances,
absences and excuses.
"Excuses will be granted according to the facts and circumstances of the case."
As so modified, the above motion was agreed to by a vote of 16 FOR and 0
AGAINST.
It is here noted that prior to the final vote on the above motion, Billy Ray
Edwards, proponent of the original motion, asserted that other LSB members were
"missing the point" and that his underlying intent was to raise concerns
related to his overall lack of confidence in the LSB leadership.
Ambrose Lane then moved to "establish a committee to draft policy and
procedures for the LSB." This motion passed by a vote of 15 FOR and 1 AGAINST.
Mark Berman moved that LSB chair Jim Brown appoint 3 or 4 members to this
committee on policy and procedures. This motion passed by a vote of 15 FOR and
1 AGAINST.
Dan Logan stated he would be unable to attend the Feb. 9 LSB meeting due to out-
of-town travel related to a death in the family, and moved to be excused in
absence. This motion was approved by acclamation.
A motion was made and approved by acclamation to excuse the four LSB members
not present at the Feb. 2 meeting.
The meeting was then adjourned.
Submitted Feb. 6, 2005
by Steve Hoffman, who volunteered to act as secretary for this meeting in the
absence of secretary Carol Wolfe. Minutes corrected at 2/9/05 LSB meeting to
attach the original resolution which follows.
RESOLUTION FOR LSB SPECIAL MEETING
February 2, 2005
PROPOSED BY BILLY RAY EDWARDS
As a means of bringing closure to this issue and to allow the LSB to move
forward, I move that:
1. A majority vote will not be used as part of the resolution.
2. The bylaws must be applied to the issue of absence without excuses according
to the Pacifica bylaws.
3. For the future, the LSB buys a low cost recording system and all full LSB
meetings be recorded and such records must be kept by the Secretary of the LSB
and made available for inspection by members of the LSB and listening audience
for openness and transparency.
4. All future agendas of the LSB must comply with the motion passed by this LSB
in the June 2004 meeting calling for an agenda item dealing with attendances,
absences and excuses.
5. Excuses will only be granted at the meeting for which the absence applies
unless for extenuating circumstances. However, no excuses must be retroactive
for more than one meeting.

STATEMENT
This is an attempt to correct the wrong of the consistent violation of the
Pacifica bylaws that has snow ball down to lies and the attempt to cover up
these violations by this LSB.
I do not in anyway intend to personally attack anyone nor do I intend to be
unsympathetic to Mr. Logan.
November, 2004 a special meeting was held to discuss the MASC report on the GM
search, I raised as a point of order on the matter of automatic removal of
members of the LSB board who was absent for three consecutive LSB meetings
without excuse according to the Bylaws (Article 4 (9)©). The Chair and
Secretary took no action and the meeting carried on.
At our regular December 8, 2004 LSB meeting, without calling any names, I
raised the issue again. The Chair then acknowledged that it was Mr. Dan Logan
and immediately moved a motion to excuse all absences retroactively for six
months. No reason for excuses was presented before nor after a vote was taken
on that motion which was passed by a majority vote. In fact, no reason was
presented at the November special meeting nor at the December 8, regular
meeting. As this was the third time for such a motion in a year, concerns were
expressed about the pattern of retroactive excuses that was used every time the
issue of automatic removal for non-attendance without excuses.