 |
|
|
| iPNB meeting DAILY REPORTS and Documents
Process for creating new bylaws 3-3-02 |
Friends, This proposal, sent to the iPNB March 3rd, will be taken up at the session on bylaws and elections at this weekend's meeting of the Board, in Los Angeles. The proposal addresses fairness in the process of creating new bylaws and election procedures and full participation by all interested members of the Pacifica community. It was written cooperatively by several of us in New York, Berkeley, and Los Angeles. In bringing it to the meeting we will include the names of all who wish to endorse it. Please join the supporters listed below. Send us your endorsement by email before Friday, March 8. Thank you.
Bernie Eisenberg ursa1@linkline.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The following people, to date, endorse the proposal below:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Proposal for Independent Commissions to Create New Bylaws of the Pacifica Foundation and its Local Station Boards Preamble The struggle to regain Pacifica succeeded because of the efforts of listeners, Local Advisory Board members, activists, staff, and producers. To prevent a future takeover of the network, the new Pacifica National Board and station boards must be accountable to the Pacifica community through democratic election by staff, producers and listeners. To safeguard the mission of Pacifica, national and local board members and the process created to elect them must represent and activate the diverse communities of listeners they serve. To prevent conflict of interest, the work of the commissions must be completely independent, because the interim Pacifica National Board and the Local Advisory Boards are subject to the new bylaws and election procedures. The commissions described in this proposal are structured to ensure that these goals are met by maximizing the participation of listeners in an open and transparent process. Proposal A. Structure of the Commissions 1. Purpose. A commission will be formed in each signal area to draft bylaws and elections procedures for the Pacifica Foundation as part of the consultative process described in Section 3b. of the Settlement Agreement. 2. Formation. Commissions will be formed by putting out general calls to the listeners, staff, and producers throughout the signal area. These calls will be announced on air at each station, on activist lists, and by mail to listener-subscribers. Commission meetings will be open to all interested. 2a. iPNB Liaison. The interim Pacifica National Board (iPNB) members will elect from among themselves five representatives to the commissions, one for each signal area to serve as liaisons. 2b. LAB Liaisons. The Local Advisory Board (LAB) members in each signal area will elect from among themselves two representatives to their commission to serve as liaisons. 3. Initial Orientation Meetings. The iPNB liaison will facilitate brainstorming, gathering of information, and presentation of ideas for the formulation of bylaws and elections procedures. 4. Membership of Permanent Commissions. After approximately two months, those listeners who wish to continue working on each commission will become its permanent-voting members. Station staff and producer participants will elect a total of two voting members from among themselves. The iPNB liaison and the two LAB liaisons will serve as non-voting members of their respective commissions. Commissions will have no appointed members. 5. Officers. The iPNB liaison will facilitate the election of a chair, recording secretary, and other officers, as needed, from among the voting listener-members of the commission. 6. Rules. Each commission will construct its own rules of procedure. 7. Meetings. Commissions will conduct their work in meetings that permit open discussion and collection of information. 8. Progress Reports. The commissions will give periodic updates to the iPNB and LABs. Reports will also given to the listeners, staff and producers on the radio and on a specially created website. Additionally, relevant issues concerning governance will be presented and discussed on the air. 9. Reconciliation of Draft Bylaws. The commissions will reconcile, as necessary, differences among their draft bylaws and elections procedures on a specially created listserve for all commission members. 10. Enactment. The iPNB and the LABs will either accept or reject the proposed bylaws and election procedures drafted by the commissions. If the iPNB and at least three LABs do not accept the bylaws and election procedures, the commissions will consider revisions based on the reasons for rejection. No bylaws or election procedures shall be adopted, amended, or rejected without the approval of the commissions. B. Suggested Timeline for Creation and Ratification of Bylaws and Election Procedures 1. Formation of the commissions will be announced at the March iPNB meeting and the commissions will hold their initial meetings by March 30, 2002. 2. The initial orientation meetings and the formation of permanent commissions, including election of officers, will be completed by May 31, 2002. 3. Completed bylaws and elections procedures will be sent to the iPNB and LABs by September 1, 2002 for ratification. 4. Once the bylaws and elections procedures are ratified, the election process, including candidate nominations and voter registration, will begin immediately. 5. Elections should be held in late January or early February, 2003. An extension of the deadline stipulated in Section 2 of the Settlement Agreement should be requested so that the elections can be held after the holiday season. 6. After the new bylaws and elections procedures have been in place for two years, conventions of the Pacifica electorate will be held in each signal area and nationally to review the bylaws and the procedures to propose amendments. These bylaws and procedures will be put before the listeners for ratification at the next local elections. |
top of page | governance proposals | bylaws etc | home iPNB meeting DAILY REPORTS and Documents |