Minutes of the KPFK Local Station Board Meeting of November 7, 2007

A regular meeting of the KPFK Local Station Board was held on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 at the Peace Center, 8124 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles 90048. Jack VanAken served as Chair and Don White served as Secretary Pro-Tem. Minutes of the LSB meetings of September 12, 2007 and October 6, 2007 were distributed and approved.

Twenty Members were present: Grace Aaron, Dave Adelson, Yolanda Anguiano, Rodrigo Argueta, Lydia Brazon, Israel Feuer, Sherna Gluck, Ian Johnston, Kimberly King, Jim Lafferty (iGM non-voting), Tracy Larkins, Ali Lexa, Reza Pour, Margaret Prescod, Jack VanAken, Steve Weatherwax, Don White, Gabrielle Woods, Yosh Yamanaka, Lamont Yeakey.

One Member was excused: Jan Goodman.

Four Members were absent: Bill Gallegos, Terry Goodman, Arturo Lemus, Fernando Velazquez.

Also absent: Secretary Adriana Gomez.

Authority and Notice:  This meeting was authorized by the LSB by a motion approved at its meeting of February 10, 2007. Specific notice was posted on the KPFK website beginning on October 31, 2007 (see Appendix A).

I: Call to Order, Welcome & Acknowledgements, Call of the Roll, Motion for Excused Absences, Review and Approval of the Agenda, Approval of Minutes

The meeting was called to order by the Chair, Jack VanAken, (at 8:38 p.m.). Don White was appointed Secretary Pro-Tem, who called the roll.

Motion by Gluck: to excuse the absence of Jan Goodman.
Motion approved by roll call vote. (Y  13, N  1, Ab  2)
Y: Aaron, Adelson, Anguiano, Argueta, Feuer, Gluck, King, Lexa, Prescod, Weatherwax, White, Yamanaka, Yeakey.
N: Pour.
Ab: Johnston, Larkins.

Motion by Gluck: to approve the agenda as amended (see Appendix B).
Motion approved without objection.

Motion by Gluck: to approve the minutes of the meeting of September 12, 2007.
Motion approved without objection (at 8:52 p.m.).

Motion by Gluck: to approve the minutes of the meeting of October 6, 2007.
Motion approved without objection (at 8:55 p.m.).


II: Comments By The Chair

The Chair pointed out that this would be his last meeting as Chair and he mentioned that it has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience and much better than he had anticipated. The body and the audience gave the chair a round of applause. He mentioned that the sound system is a task he will hand off to someone else but will help with the transition. Outgoing LSB members stood for applause as well.

Gabrielle Woods announced a Board fundraiser for Saturday, Nov. 17, '07 at the home of Board member Jan Goodman. Flyers for this event were handed out.

III. Elections Report by KPFK Election Supervisor and/or National Election Supervisor

Election supervisor Casey Peters made a report (at 8:58 p.m.) on the network-wide LSB elections now in progress.
A few observations:  * some signal areas had trouble recruiting candidates and some signal areas have minimum candidates running.  * alleged violations connected to commercial use of the network's resources are being investigated.  * Slate mailings, while legal and consistent with non-profit corporate law, have caused some concern in the network.  * If a station gives an event [such as our upcoming fundraiser] Casey pointed out that all candidates must have absolutely equal access to any campaign component or none can exist at the event except for one-on-one contacts and a literature table, open to all.  Entrance fees would have to be waived for candidates if any campaigning component was planned.
   Casey, citing a recent PNB motion, announced that the deadline for voting at KPFK would be extended into December, with the exact date to be determined Friday in a conference call involving the four signal area Directors, the iGM, and the Election Supervisors.
   Rodrigo Argueta raised the issue of translation of all materials into Spanish. Casey said many steps toward that goal have been taken but there is still a ways to go, largely due to lack of funds.
    A full discussion on the pros and cons of "slate mailings" took place.
 
Public comment was heard at 9:39 for ten minutes, much of it directed at the issue of slate mailings.

IV. iGM Report]/ICE Raids/ with Q & A
 
Interim General Manager report:   iGM Jim Lafferty reported (at 9:57 p.m.) on his first three days as iGM and said he felt forward momentum was already taking place.  He reported on a series of meetings with various in-station groups and that these groups [paid and unpaid programmers, management, staff, etc.] were compiling a list of projects, issues and problems which the iGM will address in collaboration with all stakeholders.

He commended staff and management for their tenacity and dedication. 

He explained that the National Lawyers Guild [where he is Exec Dir.] is fully supportive of his role as iGM and encouraged him to take it.  He reported on issues he is addressing, including the ICE RAIDS project which the Board has been working on.  He explained that one current difficulty is that the PNB passed a motion calling for remedies around slate mailings and the uneven playing field they present.  The iGM called for ideas on how such remedies can be made in the middle of an election, in addition to extending the voting time.


V. GMSC Report/Motion to add At-Large Seats to GMSC

A report of the General Manager Search Committee was not delivered due to time constraints.

Motion by Lexa:
Whereas the election of at-large seats to the KPFK GM Search Committee on October 6, 2007 occurred without sufficient notice to the staff and community,
BE IT RESOLVED that the constitution of this committee shall be changed to add two additional seats, which will be at-large paid staff representatives to be selected by the  members of the paid staff.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that broadcast, e-mail and website notice of these additional seats on the Search Committee shall begin immediately under the coordination of the LSB staff representatives and the station union stewards, and that an election by staff for these additional seats shall be held on or about November 16, 2007.
 
Amendment by Gluck: to add 3 listener members, mandating that these three seats are specifically designed to increase diversity of the General Manager Search Committee." 
 
Amendment approved by roll call vote:  (Y  9, N  1, Ab 5)
Y: Anguiano, Argueta, Feuer, Gluck, King, Larkins. Prescod, White, Yamanaka.
N: Johnston.
Ab: Aaron, Lexa, Pour, Weatherwax, Yeakey.

Motion by Lexa approved as amended, by roll call vote (2/3 required): (Y  12, N  1, Ab  2)
Y: Aaron, Anguiano, Feuer, Gluck, King, Lexa, Pour, Prescod, Weatherwax, White, Yeakey, Yamanaka.
N: Johnston.
Ab: Argueta, Larkins.

A committee to conduct the three additional Listener At-Large Seats election was appointed: Yosh Yamanaka, Lawrence Reyes, Steve Weatherwax, Doug Barnett.


VI.

 
IX. Standing Advisory Committee Reports, PNB Directors’ Reports, New Business, Public Comment postponed due to adjournment.


X. Announcements/Adjournment
King announced a KPFK LSB Town Hall Meeting on December 1 at Cal State L.A. on a theme of Black-Brown Unity. Flyers for the event were distributed.

Motion: to adjourn the meeting.
Approved without objection.

Meeting adjourned at 11:03 p.m.

Submitted by Don White, Secretary ProTem.
These minutes were approved 12/15/07.

 


Appendix A- Meeting Notice

CORRECTED NOTICE: KPFK LSB meets Wednesday Nov 7, (closed and open) [posted November 2, 2007]
 
The KPFK Local Station Board will meet in executive session to review budgeted General Manager transitional costs, and a confidential personnel matter, on Wednesday Nov 7, at 7 p.m. at the Peace Center, 8124 West Third St., Los Angeles, CA 90048.

This closed session will be followed immediately by an open session scheduled for 8:15 p.m. This constitutes notice that a motion may be introduced to add two additional At-Large seats to the General Manager Search Committee. The public is invited and public comment will be heard.

Limited parking is available directly behind the Peace Center.

Jack VanAken, KPFK Local Station Board chair
661-755-2590     jackv@123mail.org