Minutes
WPFW Regular LSB Meeting
December 12, 2018
Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library
4450 Wisconsin
Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20016
Robert Simms, Chair
Ellen Williams Carter Secretary
I. Call to
order
Robert Simms chair called the meeting to order at 6:35 pm. Quorum was established at 6: 50pm.
II. Roll
call
15 - Members were present at roll call: Maskeelah-Myrtle Washington, Ellen Williams Carter, Donald Williams,
Robert Simms, Nick Arena, Eileen Rosin, Julie Hewitt, Martha Peterson, Jim Brown, Gloria Turner, Louis Wolf, Nancy
Sorden, Benito Diaz, Ron Pinchback,Meredith Cordisco
6 - Excused Absences: Cliff Smith, Lona Alias, Sabooh Hakim,
Eric Ramey, Tony Leon, Vicki McGill
2 - Unexcused: Campbell Johnson, Jay Winter Nightwolf
There was one
resignations/removal.
1 - Resigned: Christine Cotter in October
The GM Jerry Paris was present.
The IPD
Katea Stitt was present.
Timekeeper: Meredith Cordisco
Sergeant at Arms: Maskeelah-Myrtle Washington
III.
Approval of Agenda
The Agenda was approved.
IV. Approval of the Minutes
The November 14, 2018 WPFW LSB regular
meeting minutes were reviewed and approved.
V. Management Reports
The General Manager, Jerry Paris stated the
following:
All monthly obligations are paid. We are one payment behind on Central service payment. A payment was made
for the Pacifica archives thumb drive for fundraising thank you gifts. WPFW still owe $5,000 for the thank you gifts.
The thumb drive have been sent out.
The first week of January we will probably go to low power during the
transmitter construction. We will be at reduced power for two or four weeks. The station will use the back-up
transmitter. The construction will cost $100,000. Transmitter went down last Sunday.
WPFW received a bequest. The
donor hasn’t disclosed the amount.
The General Manager, Jerry Paris requested that we have an executive session to
discuss personnel matters.
Interim Program Director, Katea Stitt stated:
The theme for the Pledge is “Give a
Gift of Pacifica Music and Public Affairs”.
Morning Monday QB new program that is doing well.
The Jazz and
Justice program Pa'Lante hosted by Daniel Del Pielago will air on Sundays instead of Thursday.
Jazz and justice hosts
on Thursday maybe Jannell Gill and Amy Bormet who are pianist.
The Italian Embassy and African American Museum will
produce a program that WPFW maybe participate.
On Sunday the station will partner with the Informer newspaper and
Peoples Congregational for a town hall meeting.
In April the station will air the Kennedy Center NEA
Honors.
Sophie’s Parlor with partner Goethe for special programming.
VI. Finance Report
The Treasurer, Nick
Arena’s report stated the following:
The Bank balance as of 12/10/18 was less than $30,000 with all bills current
except for health insurance and two Central Services payments. A December mini-drive is needed for cash flow until the
Winter Membership drive set to begin in January.
Off-air fundraising was successful in Nov/Dec with the U Street Jam
providing over $7,000 net of expenses. Other off air events are needed for January. The Station was ahead of plan
FY’19 YTD thru November.
The end of the year Pledge Drive begins December 15th and ends on the 22nd.
VII.
Community Comment
Tony Norman stated that the station experiences financial issues when there is no one oversee and
the finances required to present an event. An objective analysis needs to be done in development department.
Roman
Gramalde asked a question about the funds WPFW will use for the American University tower construction which houses our
transmitter. He stated, “Why is the station paying $100,000 for a tower that we don’t owe? Why are so many things
done in the dark?”
Tom O’Rourke asked the General Manager does the WPFW plan to move? Was the balloon rent payed?
The General Manager replied that the balloon rent was paid and we have a new 5 year lease.
Arthur McCloud stated
that the Interim Program Director, Katea Stitt has not addressed the allegations that she made against him 4 years ago.
In addition, he stated that a program used inappropriate explicit expressions on that air unbecoming of WPFW inclusive
of FCC violations. The IPD said that notice should be sent in an email. The IPD said it probably wasn’t the regular
host. She stated that people are suspended for one week. Arthur question why he was suspended for 6 weeks. The IPD said
that he was suspended for making racial comments on the air. Arthur stated this is the first time that he heard the
statements about a racial comment.
VIII. PNB Report
Benito Diaz stated:
The NES resigned and suggested that
Pacifica postpone the election. The membership list are difficult to verify. An executive session is needed to discuss
the Bylaw amendments that were submitted by the PNB. The amendments are not public yet.
Nancy Sorden stated:
The
WBAI empire state Pacifica liability is $ 2.3 million that is due at the end of 3 years. We are making interests
payments now. The Strategic Planning committee is discussing plans for payment.
IX. Program Committee
Donna
Grimes stated that the committee focused on the LSB approved Resolution on Programming Roles and Responsibilities. The
PC has been in dialog with the General Manager for several months regarding this document. It is their position that
the Resolution which was passed in 2015, requires more specificity.
In addition she stated that the GM agreed to
provide the PC access to programming related comments from the community submitted to the online survey and
Info@wpfwfm.org portal. They haven’t received the information.
X. MASC Committee
No report was
submitted.
Resumes were collected for the Program Director position. No written report was submitted.
XI. Outreach
and Development
The U Street Jam fundraiser occurred on December 1, 2018 raised approximately $7,050. The amount
will be updated.
XII. New Business
Lou Wolf suggested that WPFW could work with the REAL NEWS NETWORK as a mode to
partner with them when it would fit in the programming.
XIII. Adjourned Regular Meeting at 8:00pm
Reconvened for
the Executive Session 8:05
Robert Simms, Chair adjourned the meeting at 8:17pm
Minutes submitted by: Ellen
Williams Carter