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Intended AGENDA [ was radically altered to facilitate
more bylaws discussion ]
10:00am - 3:30pm Special bylaws revision session.
6:30 pm Review and Adoption of Meeting Agenda
6:45 pm Adoption of Minutes from previous meetings
7:00 pm Report from Board Chair
7:15 pm Affiliates Proposal
7:45 pm On Air Editorials
8:15 pm General Community Comment
9:30 pm Adjourn for the evening
------------
EVENING MEETING NOTES LOWER ON PAGE
Friday, Sept.,20 10:00am - 3:00pm
Meeting convenes 10:20 am
Directors present:
David Fertig, Carol Spooner, Teresa Allen,
Pete Bramson, George Barnstone, Leslie Cagan, Robbie Robinson,
Janice K Bryant, Ray LaForest, Jabari Zakiya
Not present: Bert Lee, Marion Barry, Dick Gregory
Chair Cagan opens meeting
iPNB chair Cagan - This is not a formal meeting where
votes will be taken,but for hearing reports and
sorting information from the current Pacifica
bylaws revisions process to lay ground work for
the formal bylaws session later in the weekend.
Bylaws revision committee chair Carol Spooner:
There has been an intense 6 months of meetings
in the 5 areas. Is inspired by a lot of the output.
Dismayed by a lot of the friction taking place
in the subcommittees . Wonders if
Brief presentation concerning power sharing and voting
mechanisms:
Gerald Torres (co-author with Lani Guinier of
"The Miner's Canary", from U of TX law school dept.) makes
a brief presentation concerning power sharing and voting
mechanisms:
Democracy is meant to manage the process of collective action.
How do we maximise the number of people who decides?
In the U.S. "winner take all" method assumes that the winner
actually represents the people that didn't vote for her/him.
Also important to maximise the representation of the values
of various groups. The vision of Pacifica is critical to the
democratic process of Pacifica. That the system for casting
the votes is the
system that animates the mission of that body.
We want to challenge the system in which collective decisions
are made.
Today's meeting needs to focus on what the network is,
and asking if the process reflects what the mission/vision
is. That Pacifica is committed to a towards a more democratic
country.
The 2 main things:
-increase the number of people involved
-how does the process reflect the mission
Questions:
Bryant - How do you define democracy? Has your definition
evolved?
Torres - The basic definition stays the same.
Spooner - What meant by the largest number of people
involved?
Torres - A mechanism that give the people the reason
and means to participate.
Bylaws revision subcommittee reports:
[ find the various bylaws drafts and proposals
on the bylaws revision page
and the governance proposals page ]
KPFA bylaws revision subcommittee report
John Sheridan - We need to knit the national and local
boards together. Local boards need to have members on
the national board. Local boards should be the body that
implements powers of the national: hire station manager,
budgets, programming policy. Local authority would of
prevented the take-over by the PNB hijackers.
Local authority is important to stimulate local voter
turnout. Need to reconvene bylaws revision process
regarding power sharing.
Mary Berg - More power sharing imperative to successful
governance, including staff. Disagrees that staff in
governance is a conflict of interest. All board members
must regard the same mission in making decisions.
The track record at KPFA supports that staff inclusion
works and is important
Steve Conely - Part of KPFA diversity committee.
Speaks to diversity rules. Strong diversity strengthens
the station and improves the democratic process.
Chandra Hauptman - 4th priority point: no direct election
of national board representatives. The KPFA subcommittee
feels that the local board is best informed and equipped
to determine national board.
KPFK bylaws revision subcomittee report
Margalo Ashley-Farrand - 3 main themes:
-Maximum democratic participation
from members - support direct election for PNB members;
candidates would have to have served on the local board for
a year.
-New bylaws would be voted on annually by the members.
Legally, the members should be voting on bylaws,
- Concerned with transparency - support widespread broadcasting
of meetings, posting of finances and other documents
on the web etc.
- Prioritize accountability - recall powers
- Support single transfer voting
- Prioritize diversity
Raphael Renteria -
Only one class of voting members
Proposes programming councils
Strong provisions: for Recall, Diversity,
against selling station, board duties, workplace democracy,
division of national labor
Strong support for future bylaws convention for
review.
Supports delaying the current adoption of bylaws.
Local/national boards would have 2 primary committees;
administration and programming. Replication of this structure
at local and national levels will foster better communication
and function.
The main reason for this structure is to support the
protection of Pacifica and the mission.
KPFT bylaws revision subcommittee report
Greg Gieselman - Tried to blend drafts A, B, C.
All their drafts had their strengths etc.
- KPFT didn't complete their draft. Supported by
the iLAB.
-__________supports: decentralized power, transparency, 2
classes of members (listener, staff), proportional
representation, no appointed seats, no grandfathering,
filling LAB vacancy by appointment rejected, staff and
affiliate reps on national board, local/national members
recallable by members, committees of boards would include
members and staff.
Ted Wiesgal - Concerned with a degree of narcissism on iPNB.
Committees of boards need to be inclusive and facilitate
bottom-up participation.
Ken Freeland - Minorty report:
Reads statement. There are conflicts in decision making on KPFT
bylaws subcommittee.
A few people responsible for compiling various proposals acted
independently of the committee and published drafts that didn't
properly represent the committee.
Doesn't support quotas.
Request that the iPNB disregard the section of the KPFT draft
not supported by the majority of the sub-committee.
_________ - The process and the dialogue.
KPFT process was flawed. Not enough structure.
Dialogue - needs to be more airtime at KPFT for
coverage of bylaws etc.
WPFW bylaws revision subcommittee report
Rob Robinson - Reports that presenter not present.
WBAI bylaws revision subcommittee report
Brad Taylor - Basically a report of strawpolls. No bylaws draft was
produced, yet the work and ideas of the WBAI subcommittee has contributed to the
national effort.
The committee supports strong station boards working closely with national board.
Greatest disagreement was over election procedures. This spawned
the "Unity Caucus" to work towards insuring leadership roles
for oppressed peoples.
Eve Moser - The WBAI subcommittee accomplished a lot less due
to lack of harmony. Should of done a lot better.
The strawpolls were the results of votes of 30 - 40 people
at meetings and are not insignificant. Describes the meetings
process... Needed more on-air coverage. Very little staff
involvement. Chair Cagan attended occasionally.
Four basic elections methods presented over time.
The constituency/inclusion presented only 3 days ago
and there was no time for response from subcommittee, so
it is not a proposal from the subcommittee, but from
the "Unity Caucus"
Brad Taylor - gives results of various strawpolls.
Eve Moser - Despite conflicts, the WBAI subcommittee
was united very much with a lot of what KPFA and KPFK
came up with; strong local and national boards...
Pacifica accountability committee (KPFK area)
-Tom Camarella - KPFA LAB and Pacifica accountability committee
Reads report.
Priorities:
-Transparency - full financial disclosure, meetings broadcast,
unscreened
-Accountibliltiy and democracy
-Local and national program committees
-Shared powered between local and national board: No excessive committees.
- members bill of rights and principals
- request delaying bylaws adoption
Unity Caucus (WBAI area) [ proposal ]
Rhyme - Pacifica has a political mission to empower voices
of the progressive community.
People of color need to be part of the decision making body.
Pacifica needs to function on a statement of principals.
Cerene Roberts - Unity Caucus principles:
-Feels UC has most inclusive proposal
-There needs to be statement of principals
-All constituencies should have a voice in running the
station that they listen to
- need thorough "in-reach", reaching into the constituencies
- diversity requirements for staff and board composition
- supports a future bylaws convention
Margaret Dominique - Composition of station board
- Station board would have 36 seats:
[ see proposal ]
- from "mission constituencies"
- oppressed and marginalized, geographic, listener-sponser
- at large seats
- staff
Rhyme - appointees need to have a progressive track record
Cerene - registration nomination process.
Everyone registers in 2 constituencies.
Registration packets distributed throughout community
Maryann Dumont - This is a one-time opportunity at
Pacifica. Feels that the constituency model is best for protecting
Pacifica due to it's greater diversity.
Defends Unity Caucus having closed meetings, that it was
necessary to get work done and would make a good example
for other processes at Pacifica/WBAI
Affiliates
Steve Pierce - Grass Roots Radio Coalition
-Pacifica has been an important part of grassroots radio
community.
The affiliates helped to re-claim Pacifica and should now
be part of the process of governance.
Including the affiliates would greater improve diversity at
Pacifica.
Important for the health of Pacifica that the affiliates be
better heard by the boards of Pacifica etc.
KFCF (Fresno)
Ted Freeman (Deborah Speer not here yet)
-KFCF broadcast most of KPFA programming greatly
increasing broadcast area. Funded independently of Pacifica.
Was instrumental in reclaiming the network. Got important
programming out when regular Pacifica stations couldn't.
Proposes a special "Associate" status for stations such
as KFCF.
Clarifying questions:
Spooner - When are PAC and KPFK subcommittee proposed elected
program committees are elected?
Tom, Raphael, Margalo - non-board (listener)PC members elected at
the same time as station board.
Janice Bryant - Appointed regent(KPFT) of bylaws subcommittee?
Ken -
Bryant - Ted(KPFT), what is the narcissism of the iPNB?
Ted Wiesgal - That non-board people (listeners/staff etc.)
haven't been considered for participation on various committees.
Teresa Allen - To KPFA subcommittee; what happens if staff on
station board had a grudge against the station board?
Mary - grudge could come from anyone, shouldn't happen if
if station board chooses the station manager.
Daved Fertig - question hours requirement for staff in order to vote
Ray LaForest - how to resolve any conflicts in definition
between bylaws requirements for voting and union agreement
definitions?
Mary - not a conflict because 2 different issues.
Chandra Hauptman - KPFA is trying come up with
a universal protocol for staff etc definitions
across the network.
Robertson - the proposed procedures seems bureaucratic,
he is concerned with the roll of creativity
from the programmers
Mary Berg - the proposed process seems dry, but frees up people for
more creative activity.
Ray LaForest - to Unity Caucus: about the voter picking
2 constituencies and
how do you guarantee candidates are progressive?
Rhyme - and election board would coordinate the
candidate info
Bryant - how do you stop the Moonies from having
a constituency and taking over?
Cerene - there isn't a category for them
Spooner - how is a applicant determined to be
qualified to be a candidate?
Cerene - Candidates write statements, but won't be screened out
Rhyme - candidates must get 50 signatures from a constituency.
- 12:52 brief lunch break -
- 2:24 re-convene bylaws meeting -
Chair Cagan makes various announcements
Spooner - summarizes bylaws revision goals for the weekend:
To determine controversial and non controversial items in
order to get items to a lawyer for refinement
and to the LABs for response within the month in order
to move forward.
The goal is to be able to vote on the bylaws by the next
iPNB meeting (December).
LaForest - wants to LAB chairs present to express as to
whether this if feasible.
Susan (KPFA) - yes
Miguel Maldanado (WBAI) - yes
Mary Martinez (KPFT) - yes
Tom (KPFK) - yes
Marion Borenstein (WBAI) - NY needs more time
Chair Cagan - is there consensus on Spooner's
proposed process? - no objections
General iPNB comments on bylaws:
Zakiya - Urges that the bylaws be concise and that much
of the proposed details for procedures be put in various
operating manuals.
Bryant - the iPNB is only a transition team and that
the upcoming PNB should be who works on the bylaws
further.
Supports idea of future bylaws convention to review and
further revise.
Concerned about "non-radio" people who are without radio
experience being on programming councils.
Cagan - A lot of bylaws revisions thinking has been reactive
(to defending against another takeover) when it might be
better to be pro-active.
LaForest - Programming councils don't just deal with technical
items but community needs as well.
Spooner - Feels that programming councils are not a bylaws issue
(governance) but a management issue. But, that the programming
is mission compliant is a governance issue.
Cagan - Another main concern is the balance between local and
national power. There can be a balance. We benefit from having
both a strong local and national.
David Fertig - Bylaws need to flexible enough to allow for the
creative work to done at Pacifica. Is this to be a listener run
network, or a listener sponsored network? A polarity of power
would be destructive.
Zakiya - The foundation needs to also expand outside of doing
only radio.
Susan Desilva - suggests that the iPNB prioritize that the 3 bylaw
articles that concern the LABs so that they can sent to the
LABs for response so as to keep the process moving forward.
Andrea Fishman(NYC) - asks that the result of today's iPNB
list of controversial and non controversial items by distributed
to the public asap.
Zakiya - suggests closing off bylaws input in the interest of manageability.
Spooner - There has plenty of public input.
It's time to prioritize the input of the LABs.
The iPNB proceed article by article down the grid taking informal
sense(straw polls) of the body regarding items:
Article 1: Identity and purposes
section 1: name - fine
section 2: purposes - prefer shorter version
section 3: collaboration - defer to later when Unity Caucus proposal can be read
Zakiya - suggests prioritizing more key items
Article 2: Location
section 1: - fine
Article 3: members of the foundation
section1: how many "classes"? (legal term)
-one class or multiple:
consensus - 2 or more
-2 classes or 2 plus(constancy model):
consensus - 2 classes (listener-member/staff)
part A: defining listener-sponsor members
consensus - members defined by donors, volunteers and
people (disabled) who are granted exemptions
Part B,C: defining staff members - not controversial
Part D: waiver of requirements:
consensus - yes on the general idea of waivers
4:45 run out of time and wrap up bylaws meeting, perhaps to
to picked up again later, possibly taking time from the evening's
public comment period.
Directors present:
David Fertig, Carol Spooner, Teresa Allen,
Pete Bramson, George Barnstone, Leslie Cagan, Robbie Robinson,
Janice K Bryant, Ray LaForest, Jabari Zakiya, Marion Barry
Not present: Bert Lee(will not be in Houston), James Ferguson, Dick Gregory
Chair Cagan - Gives meeting broadcast information.
Gives overview of this afternoons' bylaws meeting.
Review and Adoption of Meeting Agenda
Amends agenda to make more room for bylaws discussion:
-Move minutes adoption to Sunday
-shorten archives presentation
-shorten various presentations on Saturday
Some discussion regarding revised agenda.
Zakiya supports discussing issues that
affect the budget.
Adoption of Minutes from previous meetings
(moved to Sunday)
Report from Board Chair
Thanks various people working on producing
the meeting.
Democracy Now! contract revision not on the agenda
for this meeting. Still in process, organizing lawyers
and legal review of contract.
Continues to be concerned about the way people people in
the Pacifica commentate are treating each other while working
on the various processes of rebuilding Pacifica.
We need to focus more on the serious current issues outside
of Pacifica. [ applause ]
We need to work on the processes used with-in Pacifica in
order to make Pacifica more effective internally and in
the Peace and justice movement in the world.
A tremendous amount of work to be done this weekend.
This is a public meeting, but it is a meeting for
the iPNB to get business done.
Archives report
Brian Deshaser - reads report
A lot of work done been done.
A NEA grant written to bring on more expert help.
An archives board will formed.
KPFA helped raise $8000 to replace air conditioner
in archives room. Successfully repaired for only
$500 after all.
This past year broke all records in income.
Projected $90,000 in tape sales.
On air promotion and web activity credited.
New 800 number greatly increased orders of
Democracy Now! tapes. DN had been very helpful.
The condition of the archives is still at a
crisis level.
Need to set up cataloging system is cause for
delays in restoration.
Staff has been working hard and morale is good.
The archives staff produced a feature with
Helen Caldicot using new and classic segments.
Other grants being written.
Overhauled archives website [www.pacificaarchives.org ]launched.
Plans for better archive development.
Zakiya - What is timeline for digital
conversion?
A: Currently digitizing undamaged tapes.
Problem items will have to wait for the funding.
Reel to reel is still the archival standard.
(cds can deteriorate after 10 yrs)
General Community Comment
Raphael Renteria, KPFK area
-Request that there be a bylaws convention
a year after new bylaws adopted.
Bob Lederer, WBAI area
-Gives overview of "Unity Caucus" presentation
on the constancy/inclusion model
given earlier in the day. Mainly concerned that
certain communities are guaranteed seats on various boards of
Pacifica
Fernando Velasquez, KPFK area
-Supports equal treatment of people
with regard to policy.
Supports self determination.
Rhyme, WBIX (NYC)
-Supports constituency's rights
to select their own representatives.
David Addelson, KPFK area
-Had hoped that the approach for governance
at Pacifica be more like a town commons as opposed
to the more corporate model we seem still be
following.
Also concerned about the idea that Pacifica
needs to priories acquiring more stations.
If Pacifica gets it's act together, stations
will naturally join up.
-Cerene Roberts, WBAI area
Supports constituency proposal, that constituencies
select their own reps.
-Brad Taylor, WBAI area
Reports on the plight of WBAI reporter Farouk Abdel-Muhti
who has been detained by the INS since April
-Ken Freeland, KPFT area
Reads statement from yesterday's workshop
at the Pacifica Now! convention
the race baiting maneuver being used in
the Pacifica community.
-Steve Brown, WBAI area
Would like to see the iPNB take real
action regarding race baiting.
-Rick Pothoff, KPFT area
Concerned with upcoming appointment
of new director from Houston to the
iPNB
-Chair Cagan clarifies:
Old board majority lost one of their
entitled seats early this year and now
has decided to fill that seat which is
their right under the settlement.
-Ted Freidman, KPFA area
Talks about the successful KPFA elections.
Supports that the the KPFA model be
retained in the bylaws.
-Susan Lee, WBAI
Speaks about proportion of gender representation
at WBAI and Pacifica.
Women under-represented.
Some progress at WBAI.
[ WBAI gender makeup report ]
- Margalo Ashley-Farrand , KPFK area
Supports direct election of PNB board and
that members be able to propose and vote on the approval of bylaws.
[ transcript ]
-Mansour Sabbagh, KPFK area
Thanks bylaws subcommittees for hard work.
Supports detailed, concise language in new
bylaws. Supports bylaws convention
-Maria Galardin, KPFA area
Props to Jane Jackson who got arrested when trying
to block the move of the Pacifica office from
Berkeley.
Summarizes KPFA LAB 9-4-02 resolution.
[ "The KPFA LAB recommends that KPFA management suspend
all future transfers of "shortfall" funds to the Pacifica
National Office until KPFA and its listener community
receives a full accounting of all monies spent by the
Pacifica National Office between February 1, 2002 and
August 31, 2002. In addition, we request that the Pacifica
National Office provide an accounting of the "midnight move"
expenses incurred in 1999 when the Pacifica
National Office was moved to Washington, DC." ]
[ transcript ]
-Patty Heffley, WBAI area
Reports KPFA LAB's resolution regarding the Democracy
Now! contract.
[ "The KPFA LAB demands that the iPNB, after its special
meeting of September 8th, make public any new draft
contract between Pacifica and Democracy
Now! and open it for comments from listeners
before any vote to approve it.
The complete draft should also be made available
to all LABs for review at the same time when it is
presented to the iPNB, and should not be signed
until three of five LABS approve." ]
Gives overview of DN contract and objects to the
lack of wisdom in it's composition. The iPNB gave up
assets of Pacifica that it hasn't the right to give up.
[ transcript ]
-Miguel Maldanado, WBAI area
He refuses to live in a black and white world.
- Bill ,
Was an activist in El Salvador.
Tells the iPNB to have the courage in the
difficult political times.
-Leslie Radford,
Supports more governance power in Pacifica going
to the local stations. It will help empower Pacifica.
-Adrian Lauby, KPFA area
Thanks everyone for coming.
Gives overview of Race and nationality
proposal to presented more fully
later.
-Maryann Martinez, KPFT area
Ask board when looking over the bylaws proposals
to remember who they represent and to have faith.
Focuses on parts of drafts: conflict of interest,
nepotism, executive sessions (against them).
Be precise with language.
-Rhonda Garner, KPFT area
Despite strife in Houston Pacifica community
the programming has improved.
Angry that there is no dissident iPNB
representative from Houston. Gives
suggestions for candidates.
Is very angry with Barnstone.
Chair Cagan cuts in towards the end of comments (for time).
[ transcript ]
-MaryAnn Dumont, WBAI area
Believes that the "Unity Caucus" (NYC)
has transcended the problems of identity
politics by bringing many diverse people.
-Jane Jackson, KPFA area
Points out that Pacifica is still in
violation of many civil rights.
-Carolyn Birden, WBAI area
Speaks against the constancy/inclusion model (from
the Unity Caucus).
Who decides who the representative groups will be.
Against grouping people as the proposal does.
Proportional representation would work much better
at achieving diversity and fairness.
If the Unity Caucus would apply their hard work in outreach
on the air it would go much further towards improving the diversity
issue.
[ transcript ]
-Earl Gerhard, KPFT
-Michael Pimental, KPFT area
Against exclusionary methods
at Pacifica. Supports much of
KPFK draft.
-David Moore, Montana
The time has come for Pacifica to evolve
from central control towards the wider
involvement.
That programming alone will do it alone
is a full dichotomy
-Adrea Fishman, WBAI area
Echoes Addelson and Cagan that
Pacifica be structured more like
a commons. Supports Cagan's suggestion that
national discussions
over process be made systematic
and broadcast. Broader involvement
of the Pacifica community in it's
governance is what will protect Pacifica
and increase our effectiveness in the world.
The process at Pacifica has fallen short as to
involving the community.
-Chandra Hauptman, KPFA area
Supports KPFA outreach model which has been
successful at KPFA. Resulted in balanced
local board and extensive local community
assessment and programming policy.
-Dan Jones, KPFT area
Impressed with the bylaws process so far.
Wants to draw attention on the policy
regarding the station management's.
The more people involved, the better the
decisions made by the KPFT manager.
-Errol Maitland, WBIX -NYC
Props to ailing Anthony Sloan. [ applause ]
end of community comment
Bylaws discussion resumes
Continued from bylaws drafts comparison grid
[ iPNB bylaws straw polls summary here ]
...ARTICLE THREE
Section 2 - Rights of members:
Part A: election and removal of directors
Discussion about recall methods
and who the listener members will elect
(local boards, national boards?) referred to
in the drafts on the comparison comparison grid
Leads to discussion of Local station roles.
Zakiya focuses discussion and enables straw polls
- consensus: that the local board, not the
listener-members will elect the national board
- consensus: that members may remove local station
board member that they elected and that that board
member also is automatically removed from all offices
of the Foundation.
Part B: amendment of bylaws
- consensus: to move this listeners' right to article ___
Part D: membership has approval rights over
acquisition or disposition of major Foundation assets
- consensus: that members will NOT have approval rights regarding
major assets
- 9:47pm meeting is running long and stations may have to break off
broadcast, but meeting will continue
-Rhyme suggest separating acquisition and dispositions.
General agreement. Will be done later.
Part D: (draft d) openness of meetings(closed meetings)
- consensus: that executive sessions be allowed but that
public explanation must be made
Part D: (draft e)Listener-Sponsors and Staff
Members for each station shall have the right to serve
and vote on committees of the station.
- consensus: that non-elected members of committees by allowed
Section 4: Quorum
- consensus:s on 10% listener, 1/3rd staff required for quorum
Section 5: Record Date for determination of membership
- consensus: 45 days before mailing ballot.
MOTION TO ADJOURN
10:00 pm meeting adjourns
[ iPNB bylaws straw polls summary here ]
Reception downstairs
Roger Manning, NYC
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