CD ROM of of 12/01 and 1/02 meetings Compiled by Gary D. Evans
(MP3 files originally recorded by Christopher Zguris)
email: gde@ringnebula.com

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[ This a quick sketch done on the fly. - Roger M. ]   

The conference call started a little late (scheduled for 12:00 noon est). Missing from the call were Bertram Lee, Marion Barry, and Wendell Johns. Election of officers proceeded until interrupted when an angry Lee joined the meeting claiming that he and the other missing members had been informed that the meeting had been cancelled. Once all 15 interim board members were on the line the meeting was re-started with much disruption from Lee on and off. KPFT LAB appointee Barney Goodman voted with "our side" on the election of officers but against us on issues. (There is concern regarding his vote.)

Participating:
(From the LABs)
Barney Goodman - kpft
Carol Spooner - kpfa
Dave Fertig - kpfk
Ray La Forest - wbai
Jabari Zakiya - wpfw
(Board members appointed from the free-Pacifica side)
Leslie Cagan - wbai
Rob Robinson - wpfw
Pete Bramson - kpfa
Janice K. Bryant - wbai
Teresa Allen - kpft
(Board members appointed from the hijacker's side)
Wendell Johns - Wash DC
Marion Barry - Wash DC
Bert Lee - Wash DC
Dick Gregory - Wash DC
James Ferguson - Wash DC

Joanne Meredith - acting executive director

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First agenda item: Election of interim officers.
Result:
Chairman - Leslie Cagan, NY
Secretary - Carol Spooner, Berkeley
Treasurer - Jabari Zakiya, DC

Second agenda item: Location of next national board meeting.
Result:
The interim Pacifica National Board will meet
in New York City the weekend of January 11, 12, 13.

Third agenda item: Formation of committee to select new executive director for the Pacifica network.
Result:
A committee was formed with representatives from all factions of the board as well as from all the listener areas. Marion Barry will chair the committee.

- Somewhere's around here there is a motion passed to bring in a parliamentarian at future meetings in order to keep Robert's rules in order.

The fourth agenda item: To set up a committee to deal the WBAI situation.
Bertram Lee's motion to table the item fails though there is confusion at first about this and then much discussion of the agenda item proceeds. A key issue is whether or not the committee would have power to implement policy. Lee continues with his outbursts and ignorant statements and is generally disruptive. The board votes by a simple majority to amend the original proposal to the reduce the committee's power to that of recommendation only. There also is a concern that the proposed make up of the committee, which includes Cagan, La Forest, and Bryant, would be unbiased.

The vote is 9 to 6 in favor of the now amended motion but it is not a balanced majority or 2/3 vote so it will it come before the judge early next week.

A motion to adjourn the meeting at this point does not carry.

Fifth agenda item: Democracy Now!
Democracy Now! will return to the air provided that Pacifica agrees to:
back pay for DN staff, to enter into negotiations for a contract for DN to work as independent production , that DN will not participte in fundraising until the fired and banned are returned to WBAI and the strike by the Pacifica national news stringers is settled.

(?) expresses concerns that various board members don't have much information as to what's going on with DN nor understanding as where DN gets the kind of leverage to make these demands. [ Of course this is extremely ignorant and telling of how little these various hijackers care about Pacifica. The information has been in circulated in abundance. ]

A motion to amend the proposal by the removal of the item regarding back pay is defeated.

The motion to bring back Democracy Now! under the above conditions passes.

Sixth agenda item: Resolution to remove the gag rule
Motion proposed by Dave Fertig.
[ Whereas, forthwith, therefore resolved immediately eliminated. Second, program changes no programmer can be taken off air without a specific process to exec dir, then appealed to program review committee of 4 pnb. if 3 of 4 pnb say they abused air, etc.. Organized on air discussion of interim agreement. Callers can comment, be made aware of web sites. - Cannibal on goodlight board ]

Bert Lee loudly calls the question which is rejected.

There is discussion as to the national board mandating specific programming time for a report to the listener on the Pacifica restructuring at the 5 stations. It's agreed to tone down requirement but that only a specific requirement will insure that airtime will be provided.

There is a provision in the motion that abusive and slanderous content is still subject to removal. This is discussed.

The motion provides programmer in question with appeal procedure. (This means employee handbook will be amended.)

The vote is 9 to 5 in favor but it is not a balanced majority or 2/3 vote so it will it come before the judge early next week.

Seventh agenda item: Status of litigation lawyers (proposed termination of Williams and Connely)
Motion presented by Carol Spooner to terminate the hijacker's lawyers and making Pacifica now neutral in matters between directors.

The vote is 9 to 6 in favor but it is not a balanced majority or 2/3 vote so it will it come before the judge early next week.

Motion to adjourn by Lee does not pass.

Eighth agenda item: Democracy Now! goes back on air as soon as possible"
Motion by Dave Fertig passes.

James Ferguson makes another motion to adjourn which fails to pass.

Ninth agenda item: Station managers required to make state of their station report at next national board meeting.
Motion by Dave Fertig for such reports to be available to the board members 2 days prior the upcoming January 11-13 national board meeting in NYC. Included would be as much as possible fund drive information for the last few years. Explanation as to why information not provided was unavailable would also be required.

Friendly amendment to include arbitron ratings as part of report is accepted.

The motion passes.

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Meeting is adjourned...

[ yow ]