Minutes for the regular National Finance Committee meeting August 28, 2012.<br />
<br />
Meeting convened at 8:38 PM (ET) a quorum being present, the Chair and Secretary being present.<br />
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Attending: Jim Boyd, Bill Crosier, Marcus Jetter, Campbell Johnson, Kim Kaufman, R. Paul Martin, Tracy Rosenberg, Alex<br />
Steinberg, Barbara Whipperman, also attending were WPFW General Manager John Hughes and WPFW Business Manager Robert<br />
West.<br />
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Agenda:<br />
<br />
1. Roll Call<br />
2. Approve draft agenda<br />
3. Approve pending minutes<br />
4. WPFW Proposed Budget<br />
5. If time allows (4th quarter forecasts for California stations)<br />
<br />
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<br />
Motion: (Tracy Rosenberg) “To approve the agenda.” (Passed 6 for, 0 against, 2 abstentions)<br />
<br />
Approve pending minutes 8:48 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Motion: (Bill Crosier) “To approve the minutes of the August 21, 2012, meeting.” (Passed as corrected without<br />
objection)<br />
<br />
It was pointed out that the minutes should reflect that the WBAI LSB did not vote to approve the FY13 draft budget<br />
proposal, and so it being past the deadline the NFC took up consideration of the budget. It was agreed to add this to<br />
the minutes.<br />
<br />
WPFW Proposed Budget 8:55 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
WPFW General Manager John Hughes told the committee that Management had done a thorough and realistic analysis of the<br />
station’s revenue, and that his goals for FY13 were to stay on the air, to do off-air fund raising and reduce expenses.<br />
He said that personnel cuts must be made.<br />
<br />
The Treasurer and Director from WPFW said that they had had no substantive involvement in the development of this<br />
budget. They cited problems with the earlier drafts of the budget. The WPFW LSB has not approved this draft budget<br />
proposal, but the Chair of the WPFW LSB is interested in approving it.<br />
<br />
The committee discussed the WPFW FY13 draft budget proposal. There were some parts of the spreadsheet that appeared to<br />
be blank. The WPFW General Manager said that the station needs to reinvent its programming grid. The station must move<br />
by the end of the year. The WPFW General Manager said that there is currently no signed agreement for a new facility for<br />
the station. The station has $200,000 in its capital campaign for the move and the General Manager said he believes that<br />
they can move for that amount if they can move to a location that is as of right now fundamentally a broadcast facility.<br />
The necessity of factoring the move and its effects into the draft FY13 budget proposal was discussed.<br />
<br />
Motion: (Campbell Johnson) “That the NFC approve the WPFW FY13 budget proposal with the addition of the figures that<br />
have been requested by members of the NFC. List to follow.” (Fails 2 for, 4 against, 3 abstentions)<br />
<br />
Motion: (Tracy Rosenberg) “The NFC requests that the WPFW General Manager, Business Manager, Treasurer and Director make<br />
the changes requested to the WPFW FY13 budget proposal and add the information requested by members of the NFC (see list<br />
below) and resubmit the proposed budget to the NFC for reconsideration by September 11, 2012.” (Passed 6 for, 1 against,<br />
2 abstentions)<br />
<br />
List for above motion compiled by the Secretary:<br />
<br />
<br />
6. How will the $200,000 capital campaign fund be used to facilitate the move?<br />
7. How is the move projected to impact on-air fund raising?<br />
8. How are the lines for Web site income, car donations and major donors justified?<br />
9. Is the new lease expected to be higher than the old amount? If so by how much?<br />
10. What will the size of the CPB penalty to be included in the FY13 budget be?<br />
11. How much is being projected for the overlap in rent expenses when WPFW is paying for two locations?<br />
12. Is $3,540 the correct amount of depreciation for FY13?<br />
13. Please explain why the following revenue lines are expected to be more than in FY12:<br />
a. web site income<br />
b. corporate match<br />
c. major donor car donations<br />
d. community events.<br />
14. Please explain why if community event expenses are planned to be less in FY13 revenue is projected as much higher.<br />
15. What are the projected Payroll taxes-SUI for FY13?<br />
16. Why is the utilities-tower line lower for FY13 when it was higher in FY12?<br />
17. Premium packaging/shipping is less than one third what it was for FY12. Is this realistic?<br />
18. Are legal expenses adequate in this FY13 budget?<br />
<br />
<br />
Adjourned 11:04 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Submitted by R. Paul Martin, Secretary.