PACIFICA FOUNDATION
POLICIES GOVERNING
LOCAL STATION ADVISORY BOARDS
2/10/97 approved by Governing Board
4/11/97 incorporating suggestions from Council of Chairs

BACKGROUND

Pacifica's Local Advisory Boards play an important role in the life of each station. The LABs are in place in order to carry out necessary support work at the station. Minimum compliance are in place in order to carry out necessary support work at the station. Minimum compliance with the federal law mandates that the Governing Board establish a community board to provide management with a sense of community needs and issues. The LAB serves under the direction and guidance of the Pacifica Governing Board. The LAB serves at the will of the Governing Board and is monitored by the Chair and Executive Committee of the Governing Board which has the authority to recommend recognition, reorganization or dissolution of the LAB to the full Governing Board. The Governing Board shall annually review the LABs and certify that they are performing according to Policies Governing LABs. If at any time it is determined that the LAB is out of compliance and has not carried out its assigned functions, the Governing Board can recommend reorganization, reconstitution, dissolution or other action.

LAB PURPOSE/FUNCTION

FEDERAL LAW - CPB. The Local Advisory Board shall carry out such functions as are assigned to it by the Pacifica Foundation Governing Board and shall otherwise comply with the requirement of Section 396(k) of the communication Act.

Minimum compliance with the Act mandates that the Governing Board must:

1. 1. establish a community advisory board
   2. undertake good-faith effort to assure that:
      1. its advisory board meets at regular intervals;
      2. the members of the board regularly attend the meetings of the advisory board;
      3. the composition of the community advisory board is reasonably representative of the diverse needs and interests of the communities served by the station.

   Responsibilities of the LAB are:

2. 1. review the programming goals established by the station
   2. review the service provided by the station
   3. review significant policy decisions rendered by the station
   4. advise the governing board of the station whether the programming and other policies of the station are meeting the specialized educational and cultural needs of the communities served by the station, as determined by the advisory board. The advisory board may make recommendations to the governing board to meet those specialized needs.

3. The governing board of each community license, if it desires, may delegate other responsibilities to the advisory board to assist the governing board or station personnel. The responsibilities that can be delegated to a community advisory board, however, are limited. The law states: "In no case shall the community advisory board have any authority to exercise any control over the daily management or operation of the station."

   LOCAL ADVISORY BOARD POSITION DESCRIPTION

   1. To annually review the programming goals of the station and inform the Governing Board if they are being met. This annual review will be done in conjunction with the Governing Board annual program review meeting.
   2. To annually review the service provide by the station and inform the Governing Board of the results.
   3. To annually review the effectiveness of the station policies regarding special educational and cultural needs of the communities served by the station and to inform the Governing Board of the results.
   4. To recommend to the Governing Board a process that will allow the station to meet its educational and cultural needs.
   5. To annually advise the Governing Board of the LAB performance and the roster of the LAB.
   6. To be prepared to represent the station before the community.
   7. To apply professional acumen and expertise on behalf of the station, performing such functions as requested by the Governing Board.
   8. At the direction of the Executive Director, to participate in the evaluation of the General Manager
   9. At the direction of the Executive Director, to participate in the search for the General Manager.

   LIMITS OF AUTHORITY

   1. In no case shall the LAB have any authority To exercise control over the day to day management or operations of the stations
   2. Harmony with the Governing Board:
      1. The LAB shall have duties, responsibilities and powers as derived from the Pacifica by-laws, policies or other statements of the Governing Board. No actions may be taken by the LAB that would pre-empt, in whole or in part, the authority or responsibilities of the Governing Board.

   MEMBERSHIP

   NUMBER OF MEMBERS The LAB will consist of not fewer than twelve (12) nor more than twenty four (24) members. These members are recruited by the LAB through the Nominating Committee process and should be representative of the communities the station serves. To be eligible to serve on the LAB, a candidate must be a current active subscriber to the station.

   STATION PERSONNEL language to be determined

   GENERAL MANAGER With the LAB Chair, the GM coordinates and supports the work of the LAB.

   ELECTION Each new member shall be elected by a majority vote of the attending members of the LAB for a term of three years. No member shall serve more than two successive terms.

   LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP A member who is absent from three consecutive meetings will lose membership, unless such absences are excused by the LAB chair. A member who fails to remain a current, active subscriber (donor) to the station will automatically lose membership.

   REMOVAL of a LAB member shall be either by the Executive Committee of the LAB or by a 2/3 majority vote of LAB members present and voting at a regular meeting of the LAB. Written notice shall be given at least 15 days before the meeting to all LAB members specifying the proposed removal and stating, in general terms, the grounds for dismissal. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES There shall be at least a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary. The standing committees of the LAB are the following: Community Needs Assessment, Development, Membership/Nominating. Chairs are appointed by the LAB Chair with approval of the LAB. Each LAB Chair will serve on the Council of Chairs which will be convened at least three times a year by the Pacifica Governing Board Chair prior to regular Governing Board meetings.

   NOMINATING PROCESS The membership/Nominating Committee recommends candidates for membership on the LAB as needed. It nominates officers as well. Candidates will be selected from the station signal area. The Membership/Nominating Committee will assure that the composition of the LAB nominees reasonably reflects the diverse needs and interests of the local communities served.

   Guidelines for LAB Recruitment

   1. Each LAB will have a Membership/Nominating Committee - the General Manager will be a member.
   2. The LAB will regularly establish its criteria for membership. Financial, development, legal, and management experience as well as ethnic, economic and geographic criteria will be considered during recruitment. 50% of the membership must be people of color.
   The committee will:
   • evaluate names and list in priority preference
   • decide how to approach individuals
   • request a resume and statement of interest
   • evaluate the experience and skills of proposed members
   • may interview the proposed members
   • present new members to the LAB for a vote
   • keep a waiting list of potential members
   • stagger tenure
   • use as many methods as reasonable for the recruitment (public announcements, personal reference, on-air announcements, etc.)

   OFFICERS

   The LAB shall bi-annually elect officers whose terms will coincide with the Foundation's fiscal year.

   NOMINATION TO THE GOVERNING BOARD

   The LAB may nominate one member to the Governing Board. A governing Board term is three years with a limit of two consecutive terms. The National representative's term on the LAB can be extended to allow for two terms on the National Board. LAB chairs may not serve on the Governing Board. EX OFFICIO MEMBERS Current members of the Pacifica Governing Board residing in the station's signal area are ex officio non-voting members of the LAB. The station manager is a non0voting ex-officio member.

   MEETINGS

   MEETINGS The LAB shall meet on a regular basis no less often than quarterly, as called by the Chair. The meeting shall consist of a quorum which consist of 50% of its members. OPEN MEETINGS The LAB shall hold open meetings. Reasonable notice to the public, shall be given either on air, on bulletin boards or in station publications. All persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the LAB.

   Guidelines for open meetings

   • LAB meetings should last no longer than two hours. An agenda allocating a reasonable amount of time to complete each item should be prepared by the Chair.
   • Public comment is a regular part of each meeting and should be scheduled last. A set, limited amount of time will be placed on the agenda for public comment. All persons wishing to speak must sign up in advance. Each person may have a maximum of 2 minutes to address the board and less if a great many people wish to speak.

   EXECUTIVE SESSIONS

   The lab may, by majority vote, call an executive session to consider matters relating to personnel, litigation or matters involving confidential relationships or proprietary matters. In the event that an executive session is held, the reason shall be announced and noted in the meeting minutes.

   COUNCIL OF CHAIR REPRESENTATION

   The LAB chair in the signal area where the Governing Body is holding its meeting will participate in the meeting on behalf of the Council of Chairs as a non-voting participant.