Minutes
WPFW Regular LSB Meeting
June 12, 2017
1990 K Street N.W. Washington, D.C.
Robert Simms, Chair
Ellen Williams Carter Secretary
I. Call to order
At 6:45 pm a quorum was established. Robert Simms called the
meeting to order at 6:45 pm.
II. Roll call
12 Members were present at roll call: Robert Simms, Eric Ramey,
Maskeelah-Myrtle Washington, Ellen Williams Carter (non- voting), Louis Wolf, Donald Williams, Eileen Rosin, Nick Arena
(non-voting), Jim Brown, Tony Leon, Julie Hewitt, Benito Diaz, Cliff Smith, Nancy Sorden
10 Members Late: Campbell
Johnson, JW Nightwolf, Lona Alias, Meredith Cordisco, Christine Cotter, Sabooh Hakim, Vickie McGill, Martha Peterson,
Gloria Turner, Ron Pinchback
1 Excused absence: Sandra Butler-Truesdale
The GM Jerry Paris was present.
The
IPD Katea Stitt was present.
Timekeeper: Meredith Cordisco
III. Approval of Agenda – agenda was amended and
approved
Agenda Approved
IV. Approval of the minutes
The April 12, 2017 and May 10, 2017 regular meeting
minutes were approved.
Minutes Approved
V. Management Reports
The General Manager, Jerry Paris stated the
following:
• The Comey hearings broadcasted to the networks largest audience in Washington, D.C. ever.
• We
exceeded the pledge drive goal in May.
• Some programs were pre-empted during this drive.
• The next drive is
in September.
Questions:
Ron Pinchback (Statement)
We need to get organizations to come in and help answer the
phones during the drive.
Eric Ramey
What helped the drive this time?
General Manager
Our National
programming, programmer’s good attitudes on the air, broadcasting at 50,000 watts and streaming live on the internet
helped us surpass our goal.
Louis Wolf
How many jump drives were received?
General Manager
400 or 500
jump drives were received.
The Interim Program Director Report:
Pledge Drive
• She thanked members of the LSB
that answered the phone.
• She stated that there were many new members that sought the Pacifica Archives thumb drive.
• She indicated that there was not a lot of negative pitching during this drive.
Special Broadcasts:
• The
Comey Hearing were covered by WPFW for Pacifica. Mark Torres said that there was a great response to the coverage.
Listeners liked the Pacific post analysis.
• On Tuesday, June 27 from 9 AM to 12 Midnight a 15-Hour marathon
broadcast of the 1975 Pacifica Radio Classic cover to cover reading of George Orwell’s "Nineteen Eighty-Four" - read by
Pacifica Radio’s longtime morning host and blacklisted writer Charles Morgan and legendary voiceover artist June
Foray.
• Black Power Chronicles Nonprofit Organization will air on June 29th 6:00 to 8:00pm.
• Rev. Graylan
Hagler will host on WPFW 89.3 FM on What’s At Stake at 9 am.
VI. PNB Reports
• The PNB members led a discussion
involving the CFO’s response to inquiries from WPFW.
• Nick Arena (Treasurer) wanted to make clear that we need to
raise $100,000.
• Lona Alias suggested that we do a one day on air fundraiser to raise the $100,000.
PNB Motions
presented by Benito Diaz:
I move that:
1. A letter needs to be sent to document our position with Pacifica. In
addition, a sub-committee needs to send the PNB a letter concerning our finances. There was a Unanimous response from
the board.
2. A letter or a notice needs to be put on the WPFW website alerting the community concerning the
possibility of WPFW becoming a repeater station. There was a Unanimous response from the board.
Benito Diaz PNB
Report
PNB report submitted by Benito Diaz:
(A) The 5/10/17 'PFW-LSB-Approved Motion (See the May 10, 2017
minutes) was Put Before The PNB On 5/11/17 along with previously approved motions to support our GM and with regard to
the repeater station threat, and related documents.
1) Nancy presented a motion, based on the one approved by our
LSB (see below). The vote was 7 yes, 7 no and 6 abstentions. This means 13 PNB would not commit to saving Pacifica,
much less supporting 'PFW or 'BAI. The motion was nevertheless worthwhile because it forced PNB members to take a
position.
*There was a motion presented during the PNB meeting regarding possibly disbanding of Pacifica
Stations.
7 members were in favor disbanding of some Pacifica Stations.
7 members were against the motion
6
members were abstained.
2) Robb sent copies of his 3 letters and those related motions in his possession to ALL of
the PNB members, as we all had agreed.
Motion regarding PNB LSB representatives:
The election for the PNB
Governance Committee should be held at the next meeting when Fair Vote can attend.
Vote: 16 in Favor, 1 Against, 3
Abstentions
Candidates:
Lona Alias, Donald Williams and Louis Wolf
VII. Community Comment
Joe Brown
(Community individual)
He would like to see coverage of the news on the weekend. He would also like to see a Friday
News Roundtable with Askia. He is concerned about the October rent. We need to start an escrow account for the rent. He
would like to see more coverage of the Anti-nuclear peace vigil. The individuals doing the vigil should be invited to
the station.
Pete Tucker
He thanked the LSB members for helping with the Spring Fling.
Tony Norman
Thanked
everyone who helped with the Spring Fling.
Responses from the General Manager and the board:
GM stated that our
LSB understands that we need to raise funds.
Robb Simms stated that we are working on news on the weekend.
Louis Wolf requested a moment of silence for Andrea Bray.
VIII. Finance Report by Treasurer - submitted a written
report
Louis Wolf Motion:
I move that we set aside five (5) percent of what was raised during our recent
successful Pledge Drive to be put in an escrow account for the purpose of paying the rent in October, and that the LSB
approve a monthly set-aside payment for this purpose to an escrow account. I call for a vote by the Local Station
Board.
The LSB decided to postpone a vote until they do more research.
Treasurer stated:
The summer months are
the toughest months for cash flow. How can we raise money to keep us from falling behind?
General Manager:
We
will have to do off air fundraising.
There was a request for volunteers to call lapsed donors and mail reminders.
Several LSB members volunteered.
There was an update on the Pacifica recovery plan.
Attached to the Report was the
Pacifica Foundation – WPFW Statement of Activities (P&L) for seven months ending April 30, 2017 (With Prior Year
figures)
IX. Outreach and Development Committee
• A committee is needed to work on the 40th Anniversary Gala.
• Maskeelah indicated that $125. is too much to charge for the Gala.
• Ron entered a motion:
I move that we
hold a meeting in the next two weeks with those interested individuals who have ideas to acknowledge the 40th
Anniversary and meet at the station on the 27th of this month.
18 in Favor 1 Against 0 Abstention.
X. MASC
Committee
The committee did not meet.
XI. Programming Committee – submitted a written report
• No issues were
voted on since there was not a quorum.
• The group discussed the programming proposal (Cliff Murray’s proposal see
the May 2017minutes) which the PC passed unanimously at the special meeting held by conference call on May 5, 2017.
XII. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn: There was no objection.
Robb Simms adjourned the regular meeting at 9:49
pm
Meeting adjourned at 9:49 pm
Minutes submitted by: Ellen Williams Carter