Minutes for the regular National Finance Committee meeting May 8, 2012.<br />
<br />
Meeting convened at 8:36 PM (ET) a quorum being present, the Chair and<br />
Secretary being present.<br />
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Attending: Ken Aaron, Jim Boyd, Bill Crosier, Marcus Jetter, Campbell<br />
Johnson, Kim Kaufman, R. Paul Martin, Tracy Rosenberg, Alex Steinberg,<br />
Barbara Whipperman.<br />
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Agenda:<br />
<br />
1.	Approve draft agenda<br />
2.	Approve minutes<br />
3.	Check-ins regarding LA and DC Workgroups<br />
4.	Budgetary Updates<br />
5.	Capital expenses - transmitters/moves<br />
6.	Policy on Interstation transfers<br />
<br />
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<br />
The Chair announced that Executive Director Arlene Engleheart is on a plane<br />
at this time and so can't be with us tonight.<br />
<br />
At 8:44 PM (ET) the Chair relinquished the chair for one minute so she<br />
could get the agenda typed up, the Secretary took the chair for that time.<br />
<br />
Motion: (Marcus Jetter) "To approve the agenda." (Passed 8 for, 0 against,<br />
2 abstentions)<br />
<br />
Approve minutes 8:50 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
A change to the language of the draft minutes was suggested and after<br />
discussion there was no objection to it.<br />
<br />
Motion: (Barbara Whipperman) "To approve the minutes of the April 24, 2012,<br />
meeting as amended." (Passed without objection)<br />
<br />
Check-ins regarding LA and DC Workgroups 9:07 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The Chair reported that the working group on WPFW met on May 3, 2012, at<br />
7:00 PM (ET). The working group discussed the issues but since no one from<br />
WPFW was at the working group meeting no decisions were reached.<br />
<br />
The committee discussed when to hold the working group meeting for<br />
discussing KPFK. It was agreed to hold it at 3:00 PM (ET) tomorrow.<br />
<br />
Budgetary Updates 9:14 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The committee reviewed the progress on the FY13 draft budgets with a short<br />
report by each of the stations' Treasurers.<br />
<br />
KPFA  - the Treasurer is talking to the Business Manager and others and<br />
getting the numbers together.<br />
<br />
KPFT - the last two local Finance Committee meetings have done budget<br />
priorities. The station has had transmitter problems, then their antenna<br />
was down for 14 days, they are not getting a good response to the current<br />
on-air fund raiser because people don't know they're back on the air.<br />
<br />
KPFK - the Business Manager got the budget templates at the end of April<br />
and was manually transferring information into it. The Treasurer said that<br />
she suspects no one's done anything on the FY13 budget yet.<br />
<br />
WPFW - their local Finance Committee met and developed budget priorities.<br />
They do not anticipate problems. The Treasurer has not talked to the<br />
station's General Manager about the FY13 budget template, but will talk to<br />
him about it tomorrow.<br />
<br />
WBAI - the local Finance Committee has had trouble meeting and getting<br />
quorums. Last year the Treasurer set the meeting dates, this year the<br />
committee wants to set the meeting dates and there are fewer meetings. So<br />
far nothing has been done with regard to the FY13 budget, but a meeting is<br />
being set up for some time in May.<br />
<br />
Capital expenses - transmitters/moves 9:36 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The committee heard more about KPFT's technical problems. KPFT has set up a<br />
capital campaign to get a new transmitter. It is estimated that the new<br />
transmitter will cost about $300,000 and so far about $40,000 has been<br />
raised for this.<br />
<br />
The committee was told that at KPFK the station's technical people have<br />
looked into the transmitter problems there. A memo is expected, but the<br />
bottom line is that the station needs another Nortel transmitter. The<br />
station also needs to examine the efficacy of its outside fund raising<br />
events and ensure financial transparency around them.<br />
<br />
The committee was told that WPFW has a Relocation Committee that's looking<br />
for a venue for the station to move to. The station's lease was extended to<br />
the end of 2012, and there may be zoning problems for the developer that<br />
wants to raze the building and put up another structure in its place. This<br />
could possibly extend the time when WPFW could remain in that space.<br />
<br />
Policy on Interstation transfers 9:47 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The committee went over Pacifica's current policy on interstation transfers<br />
of money and discussed it with an eye towards its implementation and<br />
possible revision.<br />
<br />
Motion: (Ken Aaron) "That the NFC ask the National Office for a record of<br />
all interstation transfers for FY12, to be reported within 30 days."<br />
(Passed without objection)<br />
<br />
The committee also reaffirmed that it will enforce the provisions of the<br />
2005, PNB policy passed at the PNB in-person meeting on April 2, 2005,<br />
regarding unbudgeted inter-unit transfers going forward and will notify the<br />
PNB and the National Office of this.<br />
<br />
Motion: (R. Paul Martin) "To adjourn." (Passed without objection)<br />
<br />
Adjourned 10:35 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Submitted by R. Paul Martin, Secretary.<br />