<br />
3/09/05 WPFW LSB Meeting - Minutes<br />
March 9, 2005, 7:00 p.m.<br />
Josephine Parks Butler Building, 2nd floor<br />
2437 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009<br />
<br />
Call to Order: 7:15 p.m.<br />
1. Board members in attendance:<br />
Acie Byrd<br />
Ayo Handy Kendi<br />
Billy Ray Edwards<br />
Cade Campbell<br />
Carol Wolfe<br />
Dan Logan<br />
Gloria Turner<br />
Hakam Takash<br />
Jane Gatewood<br />
Jim Brown<br />
Joe Chiara<br />
Joni Eisenberg<br />
Kalonji Olusegun<br />
Luzette King<br />
Mark Roberts<br />
Norberto Martinez<br />
Rob Robinson<br />
Sarah Bittle<br />
Thomas Ruffin<br />
Zarinah Shakir<br />
Ron Pinchback, WPFW General Manager and non-voting LSB member, was also in<br />
attendance.<br />
Ambrose Lane, Katea Stitt, Mark Berman and Steve Hoffman were absent and<br />
excused.<br />
2. Review and Approval of Agenda.<br />
Thomas Ruffin moves to add several items to the agenda, as previously suggested<br />
by e-mail. The motion is accepted. Items appear below under New Business. With<br />
those additions, the agenda is approved.<br />
3. Review and Approval of Minutes.<br />
Jane requests that proposal distributed at previous meeting be attached to the<br />
minutes. Carol requests clarification from the parliamentarian who notes that<br />
only items discussed, motions, votes, and actions should be part of the<br />
minutes. Minutes of the 2/9/05 meeting are approved with one correction.<br />
4. Retreat Follow-up<br />
The retreat summary, consolidated goals, and goals recorded at individual<br />
tables are distributed for review by the LSB and discussion at the next LSB<br />
meeting.<br />
5. Treasurer's report is submitted and accepted.<br />
6. General Manager's report is submitted and accepted.<br />
7. LSB Committee reports<br />
Report of the LSB Program Committee was submitted and accepted.<br />
MASC committee oral report: Thomas is elected chair, Jonie, if she accepts is<br />
elected secretary and Steve Hoffman is elected Vice Chair. No other committee<br />
reports submitted pending convening of their first meetings.<br />
Development and Outreach meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 23 at<br />
station at 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Station promoting the DC Independent Film Festival.<br />
Flyer for films distributed. On March 23, can we have a screeing of one of the<br />
films to explore partnering possibilities. Voices of War may be screened at<br />
March 23 meeting.<br />
Billy Ray asks why the Community Advisory Board (CAB) is being formed without<br />
LSB involvement. Jim answers that a CAB is required to receive CPB funding of<br />
$270,000. The requirement stipulates that the CAB be completely independent of<br />
governing bodies like the LSB. CAB must be in place by March 31 to meet funding<br />
requirements.<br />
Motion made by Jane to ask Outreach and Development Committee to work with Jim<br />
to form CAB.<br />
Motion amended by Thomas to have the Committee on Inclusion work with Jim to<br />
form CAB.<br />
Amended motion is seconded by Norberto.<br />
Amended motion carries with 13 in favor and 2 opposed.<br />
8. PNB Committee reports<br />
9. Community Comment<br />
Community Comment opens at 9:20 p.m. and closes at 10:05 p.m.<br />
10. Old Business<br />
a. Motion is made by Hakam, previously provided to LSB in writing. Hakam reads<br />
the motion:<br />
"The WPFW LSB acknowledges that the DC Radio Coop is a collective set up by<br />
FSRN, WPFW, DC Indimedia and WBIX to produce news and public affairs content<br />
that could be used by WPFW's news division, FSRN, programmers at WPFW and<br />
others.<br />
The LSB recognizes that the DC Radio Coop needs to access the stations<br />
facilities to produce content and train local activists in reorting and to<br />
conduct meetings as necessary.<br />
The LSB recommends that the station manager do all that is necessary to make<br />
the above possible in a collaborative and friendly atmosphere."<br />
Motion is seconded by Noberto.<br />
Ron opposes motion. WPFW did not set up the Radio Coop. Collective formed on<br />
its own and that's fine. There are other community organizations that would<br />
also like to have unfettered access to WPFW. Radio Coop does have access, which<br />
is not contingent on RC membership. The station needs to be accessible to all<br />
groups. The station cannot accept a codified relationship with one outside<br />
entity unless it does the same for others. Yet, we need to protect WPFW assets.<br />
Coop is welcome anytime within the parameters of necessary security and safe<br />
use of equipement (e.g. recent computer virus clean-up that cost several<br />
thousand dollars). I support the Coop, but I don't support this motion. If they<br />
want to use sation resources, they use them for the benefit of the station, not<br />
another entity. And, WPFW should be acknowledged for offering access.<br />
Cade misses their voice. It was one of the most progressive shows. Gave a voice<br />
to young people. They need to be back on.<br />
Zarinah supports having Coop on the air. Proposes to revise motion. Delete "set<br />
up by FSRN." It's not clear what "others" refers to.<br />
Hakam agrees that if this is a sticking point, he will consider amending it.<br />
Motion revised to read:<br />
"The WPFW LSB acknowledges that the DC Radio Coop is a collective set up to<br />
produce news and public affairs content that could be used by WPFW's news<br />
division, FSRN, programmers at WPFW, and Indimedia.<br />
The LSB recognizes that the DC Radio Coop needs to access the stations<br />
facilities to produce content and train local activists in reporting and to<br />
conduct meetings as necessary.<br />
The LSB recommends that the station manager do all that is necessary to make<br />
the above possible in a collaborative and friendly atmosphere."<br />
Ron and Hakam agree to accept.<br />
The question is called.<br />
Vote taken to stop discussion and vote. 11 vote yes. 3 vote no. Discussion is<br />
closed.<br />
Amended motion is put to the vote. 12 vote yes. 2 opposed. 1 abstention.<br />
Amended motion carries.<br />
Luzette request that the record be clarified. A statement needs to be<br />
corrected.<br />
New Business<br />
Elect representatives for the National Committee on Inclusion and the Election<br />
Review Committee.<br />
Carol volunteers if no one else will be on national Election Review Committee.<br />
Two are needed. Jane volunteers. Rob is national rep on committee. Gloria<br />
Turner later accepts nomination to take Carol's place.<br />
Committee on Inclusion: Kalonji volunteers. Noberto Martinez volunteers.<br />
National rep is probably Ambrose Lane. Jim Brown volunteers as no one else<br />
does. We need 3 LSB members.<br />
Cade asks any Board members who are not on committees to put themselves on<br />
committees. We need list of Board members to who is on which committees.<br />
Luzette is recognized to clarify some points. Luzette wrote to Night Wolfe<br />
twice. He did not respond. GM said ED still dealing with matter. Luzette later<br />
spoke with Night Wolfe and it is resolved. Needs to clarify point in the GM's<br />
report. Luzette was not involved in Caribbean festival. She arrived at the<br />
carnival and began to talk to Vaughn. That is how she got on the air. She was<br />
not part of the planning. Requests that we receive GM's report in advance of<br />
meeting. Wants this point corrected for the record.<br />
11. New Business<br />
Thomas asks that we delegate the items he added to the agenda to committees<br />
since time will not allow addressing them at the meeting. Items below are<br />
referred to committees as noted.<br />
1. Jane Gatewood: Set up fair and even-handed process for effectively enabling<br />
members to place issues, motions, or items on WPFW Board agenda (how to<br />
improve, and how to institutionalize improvements in, current system)(Probably<br />
refer to appropriate committee for brief, written report by April 4) Referred<br />
to ad hoc Governance Committee and Technology Committee.<br />
2. Joe Chiara: Consider scheduling Saturday WPFW Board meetings that would take<br />
place either every other month or every month, but for up to six hours, and<br />
would supplement (or every other month replace) our regular three-hour monthly<br />
meetings that take place on the second Wednesdays of each month (Probably refer<br />
to appropriate committee for brief, written report by April 4) Thomas suggests<br />
referring to Development & Outreach or Committee on Inclusion.<br />
3. Steve Hoffman: Consider procedural agreement whereby, with every motion, the<br />
WPFW Board considers the essential or "component parts" of each motion so that<br />
the board considers thoroughly each motion before it, without adopting a motion<br />
without full consideration of the object and the consequences of each motion<br />
(Probably refer to appropriate committee for brief, written report by April 4).<br />
Referred to ad hoc Governance Committee.<br />
4. Luzette King: Reconsider proposed modifications of the Mark Berman-Tom Gomez<br />
Rule about delimiting WPFW Board members' opportunities to host radio shows,<br />
whether specials or regular shows, so as to prevent some elected listener<br />
members from acquiring unfair advantage over other listener board members who<br />
never host a WPFW radio show (Probably refer to appropriate committee for<br />
brief, written report by April 4) Referred to Programming Committee.<br />
5. Thomas Ruffin: Proposal for sending complex motions to a WPFW committee for<br />
a four-to-six-week review wherein the committee would deliberate upon the<br />
motion or idea, decide upon a written but brief recommendation to the whole<br />
board, and report back to the WPFW Board the committee's recommendation about<br />
the motion; and at that time, after this deliberative process, the board would<br />
debate the motion or idea and vote upon whether to adopt it (Probably refer to<br />
appropriate committee for brief, written report by April 4) Referred to ad hoc<br />
Governance Committee.<br />
6. Thomas Ruffin: Proposal for mandatory review by WPFW Board of appeals of all<br />
committee issues regarding interpretation of bylaws and interpretation of WPFW<br />
Board resolutions, and of discretionary review by WPFW Board of appeals of<br />
other committee issues which the committees cannot workably resolve (Probably<br />
refer to appropriate committee for brief, written report by April 4). Referred<br />
to ad hoc Governance Committee.<br />
7. Hakam Takash: Proposal regarding the D.C. Radio Coop (this motion should be<br />
disseminated immediately so that we can vote on it). Already addressed.<br />
8. Joe Chiara: Proposal for taking Verna Avery-Brown's office space and using<br />
it for station manager or other local station purposes while allotting Verna a<br />
smaller but acceptable space (perhaps for rent to Pacifica Foundation)(Probably<br />
refer to appropriate committee for brief, written report by April 4). Referred<br />
to ad hoc Governance Committee and MASC. Jim will obtain documentation so it<br />
can be discussed on the basis of facts.<br />
Motion made to adjourn. Motion seconded.<br />
Meeting adjourned at 10:50 p.m.<br />