RadioPoetics.org

*To: Pacifica National Board and KPFA LSB*
*From: Chandra Hauptman *
*Re: Proposed Bylaws Amendment reducing the # of in-person PNB Mtgs*
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*What price governance?*

I am not in support of reducing the number of in-person PNB mtgs. I know many people feel these contribute to the deficit within Pacifica but the meetings do not have to be so costly. There are many ways to save on meeting costs and there are also many ways to save on other expenses that have nothing to do with the governance structure. I think this is a ploy aimed at reducing democratic participation in the Pacifica governance process. The less in person meetings that occur the less chance there is for the public to see and interface with the PNB and the less chance the PNB itself has to interface with each other

I know Nicole Sawaya and others have bemoaned the cost of Pacifica’s governance but I do not think that the cost of governance is what is driving the Foundation to the brink of bankruptcy. The cost of the lawsuits, the WBAI financial crisis, the cost of some weak management, with poor oversight on expenses, and an incompetent 2007 National Election Supervisor are all factors that have had far greater cost impacts on the Network overall.

*Non-governance cost factors*

1) While the estimated cost of the 2007 LSB elections is in the amount of $300,000 the cost of the many lawsuits filed against Pacifica has far exceeded this cost and is well in the millions. One lawsuit alone has already cost the Foundation over $500,000.

2) WBAI currently owes the Foundation over $500,000. WBAI needs a forensic audit to identify why they are in such great debt. They also need to revise their programming grid to bring back listener/donors and to fire the staff that are incompetent and/or responsible for driving up the costs.

3) There needs to be transparency with the CFO’s own financial office budget. Lonnie Hicks’ expenditures are never reported out or revealed in the National Office budget.

a) There is no break down of the number of staff nor of their salaries, which are all in excess of $65,000;

b) There is no explanation of the jobs performed by the National Office’s Finance Staff nor justification for why so many are needed;

c) There is no explanation of the over $300,000 annual costs for the CFO’s bi-annual mail drive. This information is buried within the WBAI recovery plan and provides no explanation as to where or how this money is spent.

d) Last year the CFO spent over $25,000 to attend the Media Reform Conference in Atlanta, GA, to make a video. Who approved this expenditure? Where is the video? Why was it never produced? What purpose did this serve the Foundation?

*2007 LSB Elections*

The 2007 Pacifica elections fiasco was/is not the fault of a cumbersome governance structure. It is the fault of an incompetent National Election Supervisor. It is also the fault of the several Station Managers who would not comply with the Pacifica Bylaws, regarding LSB election requirements with regard to on air publicity, resulting in endless delays, appeals and more lawsuits, which cost the Foundation more money. There were also several additional mailings that raised the cost of the elections. If the Bylaws had been adhered to and the national supervisor had been competent the elections would have run smoothly and saved the Foundation a lot of money, time and energy.

*PNB In-Person Meetings*

The in-person meetings do not have to cost upwards of $60,000 per meeting if:

· National board members were placed in cheaper accommodations and/or in people’s homes as was done in the not too distant past;

· Meals were not catered but food was ordered in by local vendors;

· Airline reservations were booked at least two weeks in advance and not at the last minute at higher rates and if the PNB reps personally bore the increased costs of late bookings; and

· If PNB members and staff reps in attendance shared hotel rooms.

These are just a few examples of cost cutting measures that could be implemented that would save the Foundation a heck of a lot of money.