Minutes for the regular National Finance Committee meeting July 10, 2012.<br />
<br />
Meeting convened at 8:37 PM (ET) a quorum being present, the Chair and Secretary being present.<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
Attending: Ken Aaron, Jim Boyd, Bill Crosier, Marcus Jetter, Campbell Johnson, Kim Kaufman, R. Paul Martin, Tracy<br />
Rosenberg, Alex Steinberg, Barbara Whipperman, also attending was Executive Director Arlene Englehardt.<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
Agenda:<br />
<br />
1. Roll Call<br />
2. Approve agenda<br />
3. Approve pending minutes<br />
4. Budget Check-ins - all 5 stations<br />
5. Motion on community events record keeping. See attachment - Aaron<br />
6. Forbearance<br />
7. Check-ins on financial transparency<br />
8. Inter-station transfers<br />
9. Audit Discussion<br />
10. Syndicated programs and fund raising (unresolved from previous meetings)<br />
11. Next meeting date<br />
12. Action items<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Motion: (Bill Crosier) “To approve the agenda.” (Passed without objection as amended)<br />
<br />
Amendment: (Ken Aaron) “To add ‘action items, and next meeting.’” (Passed without objection)<br />
<br />
Amendment: (Ken Aaron) “To add ‘inter-station transfers.’” (Passed without objection)<br />
<br />
Amendment: (Campbell Johnson) “To add ‘forbearance agreements.’” (Passed without objection)<br />
<br />
Approve pending minutes 8:46 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Motion: (R. Paul Martin) “To approve the minutes of the June 12, 2012, meeting.” (Passed without objection as amended)<br />
<br />
Amendment: (Bill Crosier) “Change ‘at them in the past’ to ‘at the meetings in the past’.” (Passed without objection)<br />
<br />
Motion: “To approve the minutes of the June 28, 2012, meeting.” (Passed without objection)<br />
<br />
Budget Check-ins - all 5 stations 8:49 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
WBAI - The local Finance Committee has now looked at some of the largest numbers in the draft FY13 budget. Meeting space<br />
for the committee at the station is an issue as the Conference room is being used for the on-air fund raiser and the<br />
Performance Space has been booked by an acting troop. The WBAI LSB meets on August 8, and it is expected that it will<br />
consider the draft FY13 budget then. WBAI’s lease expires on December 31, 2012.<br />
<br />
WPFW - Nothing to report, the General Manager has not yet presented the local Finance Committee with a draft FY13<br />
budget. WPFW’s lease expires on December 31, 2012.<br />
<br />
KPFT - They have been considering their draft FY13 budget. The KPFT LSB meets tomorrow and if the draft budget is<br />
approved it will be ready to present to the NFC. The May Income Statement showed Listener Support less than budgeted.<br />
<br />
The committee discussed when to meet to consider the KPFT draft budget. Since the committee’s meeting scheduled for July<br />
24, 2012, has had to be cancelled due to its proximity to the PNB meeting, it was agreed that the committee would meet<br />
next on July 30, 2012.<br />
<br />
KPFK - The KPFK Treasurer reported that she hasn’t gotten the budget from KPFK Management and she doesn’t know when she<br />
will. The local Finance committee met last week. The KPFK LSB meets on July 28.<br />
<br />
The committee discussed the lateness of the draft budgets at some of the stations.<br />
<br />
Motion: (Ken Aaron) “The NFC recommends that the Executive Director file reprimands in the personnel folders of General<br />
Managers and Business Managers who are more than 60 days late in providing budgets.” (Passed 5 for, 3 against, 2<br />
abstentions)<br />
<br />
Amendment: (Kim Kaufman) “Replace ‘60 days’ with ‘30 days.’” (Fails 0 for, 6 against, 4 abstentions)<br />
<br />
Motion on community events record keeping 9:39 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Motion: (Ken Aaron) “That the NFC recommend that the PNB adopt the following policy,<br />
<br />
Monitoring of Public Events<br />
<br />
In order to promote transparency and improve monitoring of station activities the following protocol will be followed<br />
for all events conducted by stations whether done independently or in coordination with another entity:<br />
<br />
<br />
13. A pre-event checklist shall be completed and presented to the LSB and National Office at least two weeks prior to<br />
the event and prior to any contractual commitment being made by the station.  The checklist will include a description<br />
of the event, a budget, a list and description of the principals involved and intended ownership of any copyrighted<br />
material that may be produced. 	<br />
14. A post-event checklist shall be completed and presented to the LSB and National Management no later than 30 business<br />
days after the event ends This -checklist shall include a reconciliation of funds received or disbursed, all items sold,<br />
gifted or lost, and tickets sold or gifted.	<br />
<br />
15. Nothing in this protocol requires LSB or National Office approval for events.  The LSB at the station and the<br />
National Office are expected to monitor event activity and exercise their authority to guarantee fiscal prudence.	<br />
<br />
16. This protocol applies to any events requiring an expenditure or obligation of $500 or more.  This protocol will also<br />
apply to a series of events scheduled over a period of time <br />
<br />
17. The accuracy and timeliness of the checklists are the responsibility of the General Manager of the station who is<br />
also responsible for the ongoing success or failure of events held under the auspices of the station.	<br />
<br />
18. The attached checklists may be amended from time to time by the National Office.<br />
<br />
<br />
Pre-Event Checklist<br />
<br />
Please fill out the following items and attach sheets as necessary.  This checklist must be presented to the LSB and the<br />
National Office at least two weeks prior to the date of the event and prior to any contracts or commitments being made.<br />
<br />
Title of the event:<br />
<br />
<br />
Main Talent:<br />
<br />
<br />
Nature of Event:<br />
<br />
<br />
Date(s) & Time(s):<br />
<br />
<br />
Venue(s):<br />
<br />
<br />
Person in charge of Event:<br />
<br />
<br />
Station person liaison  / in charge<br />
<br />
<br />
Anticipated Total Net Income:<br />
<br />
<br />
Full cost exposure:<br />
<br />
<br />
Anticipated attendance:<br />
<br />
<br />
Backup if talent doesn’t show:<br />
<br />
<br />
Please attach a full budget including all expenses, staff hours’ required, insurance costs, and premiums being sold.<br />
<br />
<br />
Please attach any contracts regarding sharing of receipts and/or expenses, commissions or stipends, and ownership of<br />
copyrighted material created.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Who filled out this form?<br />
Print:________________________ Sign:________________________________  Date:___________<br />
<br />
<br />
Please fill out the following items and attach sheets as necessary.  This checklist must be presented to the LSB and the<br />
National Office no later than 30 business days after the final date of the event.<br />
Title of the event:<br />
<br />
<br />
Main Talent:<br />
<br />
<br />
Nature of Event:<br />
<br />
<br />
Date(s) & Time(s):<br />
<br />
<br />
Venue(s):<br />
<br />
<br />
Person in charge of Event:<br />
<br />
<br />
Station person liaison  / in charge<br />
<br />
<br />
Total Net Income:<br />
<br />
<br />
Actual amount banked by today:<br />
<br />
<br />
Any outstanding payables or obligations:<br />
<br />
<br />
Attendance (total/talent/paid/comped)<br />
<br />
<br />
Hours of copyrighted material recorded with some or all rights available to the station:<br />
<br />
<br />
Number of new member or renewal signups.<br />
<br />
<br />
Please attach a reconciliation of all income and expenses, staff hours required, insurance costs, premiums being sold,<br />
in comparison with the budget including all expenses, <br />
<br />
<br />
Please attach all signed contracts regarding sharing of receipts and/or expenses, commissions or stipends, and ownership<br />
of copyrighted material created.<br />
<br />
<br />
Who filled out this form?<br />
Print:________________________ Sign:________________________________  Date:_________”<br />
The committee discussed the motion.<br />
Motion: (R. Paul Martin) “To postpone the motion.” (Passed without objection)<br />
Forbearance 9:59 PM (ET)<br />
The possibility of asking some major creditors to agree to a forbearance on Pacifica’s debts to them was brought up. The<br />
committee discussed the topic. The Executive Director noted that the conversation was getting into contract issues that<br />
would need to be discussed only in an executive session.<br />
Check-ins on financial transparency 10:06 PM (ET)<br />
The Chair reported that this working group has not met, but will meet on July 12.<br />
Inter-station transfers 10:07 PM (ET)<br />
The Executive Director reported that this report is not ready yet because the CFO is away.<br />
Audit Discussion 10:07 PM (ET)<br />
The recently completed Pacifica FY11 audit was brought up. Concerns were voiced about the auditor’s note that said, “...<br />
substantial doubt remains as to the ability of the Foundation to continue as a going concern as of the date of this<br />
report.” The committee discussed the concerns raised by the audit and a recent article in Current about it.<br />
Syndicated programs and fund raising (unresolved from previous meetings) 10:30 PM (ET)<br />
The committee again discussed the issue of programming from one station airing on another during an on-air fund raiser<br />
and how the money from such a pitching shift should be allocated.<br />
After the discussion the committee agreed to refer this issue to the FRAT and not have it on future NFC agendas.<br />
Action items 10:38 PM (ET)<br />
There were no action items.<br />
Motion: (R. Paul Martin) “To adjourn.” (Passed without objection)<br />
Adjourned 10:39 PM (ET)<br />
Submitted by R. Paul Martin, Secretary.