WBCR-LP 97.7FM, Great Barrington Community Radio

Board Minutes: November 28, 2007

Board Members Present:
Frank Tolopko, Don McGrory, Jan Seward, Phil Tierney, Ben Shalles, Nick Ring, Judy Eddy

Board Member Absent:
Paul Rapp

Public in Attendance:
Leslie Gabriel, Ananda Timpane, Richard Malick, Laura Chekow

Agenda
Adoption of agenda
Adoption of 10/17 minutes
Public Comment
Treasurer’s Report
Reports from Committees
Review of Tasks from 10/17
Accountability Policy
Publicity & Fundraising Committee(s)
Election of Officers
General Email List Protocol
Thank You Letters for Fund Drive Committee Chairs
Public Thank Yous
Volunteers
Full Power Update
Other Business
- Programmer Holiday Party
- Committee chair list serve

Adoption of Agenda
Motion to adopt.  Unanimous.

Acceptance of 10/17 Minutes
Motion to accept.  Unanimous.

Public Comment
Leslie Gabriel: Winter Solstice Festival. Friday, December 21 @ Econo Lodge, Lenox.  Flyer distributed.  Tabling opportunity as well as WBCR-LP being a recipient of fundraising from the event along with Manos Unidas, Bridges & Healing Winds.

Treasurer’s Report
Report presented by Judy Eddy.  Motion to approve. Unanimous.

Reports from Committees
- Programming: Program descriptions on website are up-to-date.  Prepared for Dec. 6 membership meeting on commercial speech and related policies.  Working getting the program schedule and studio use calendars on the website—now in tech committee hands.  Working on reviving listener comment line, programmer policy comprehension quiz.  New member of committee Judy Rosley.  Reviewed one programmer policy violation—an issue with the alarms not being set (self-reported).  Looking at the application deadline, programmer training, new schedule term, move to the new space.  New Applications: New applications will be accepted until February 1st and required to fit into existing openings on the schedule. There will be graduated start dates and training for those programs/programmers set over the course of the term with the commitment that all new programs will be up and running no later that June 1, 2008.  Reapplications:  The schedule will not be revised for the Feb-May term and thus no program changes other cancellations will be accepted from programmers reapplying for on air access.  Reapplications will be due January 7th.  Current programmers will still need to complete the 6 hours required during fall term for continued on air access.
Workgroup of technical trainers for programmers has been formed.  It will be under the oversight of the programming committee, but with connections to the tech and facilities committees.  Ongoing and coming up: streamlining use of the on-air list serve; reviewing hate speech and sensitivities guidelines (working group to review and bring back to the committee, including is this just on-air or also relevant to an organizational-wide approach to hate speech and sensitivities); revising/clarifying PSA guidelines; peer reviews for programmers; possibly music director and news and public affairs director; podcasting of N&PA programming; updating programmer guide; upcoming schedule.  Committee report, along with minutes of their meetings, are available on programming committee page of website.
- Facilities: First layer inspection occurred 2 weeks ago.  Drywall company did 2nd layer on ceiling.  2nd layer inspection next week.  Beginning interior partitions after that.  Down payment for plumber: $7K. Waiting for commitment on exterior work for the ramp.  Quote from Webster Ingersoll for drainage: $2.7k and ~$1K for forms. Electrician amount: $?K.  Seasonal concerns for forms.  Estimated move date: January. Secondary plans if we do not have finances on hand at times.  Request from the Board that the Facilities committee provide a tiered cost estimate including a bare-bones operational level.
- Tech: STL briefly out today; rebooted.  Call-in line out for several days and fixed itself. Computer mouse in Studio 2 is wireless and the batteries do run out—need to be replaced. No new purchases or other significant issues.
- Membership: Meeting on Nov. 1.  Fund drive info; Discussion of restructuring general email list (currently known as rise-up list); Discussion of old business; Volunteerism.  Next meeting Dec. 6 with focus on Programming Committee concerns, volunteerism, and more at Berkshire South Regional Community Center.

Review of Tasks from 10/17
Items are already addressed at other points in this agenda.

Accountability Policy:
Programming Committee policy points of late.  Previous: BCRA policy allows for programmers to remain anonymous or use pseudonyms on-air;
New: if guests are using pseudonyms it must be disclosed on air; for syndicated shows, local sponsors should be indicated via program wrapper.  Policy is “subject to approval by the board” as per the bylaws—does this require positive affirmation by vote or notification and acknowledgement by the board?  Autonomy and Accountability.  When should the board step in? When there is concern the policy decisions may violate the mission or risk the health of the organization.  Timely notification of policy decisions by committees should be provided to the Board with the Board acknowledging receipt and potential review at the next board meeting. Policies may be implemented in absence of objection from the Board.
Specifically the board acknowledges and approves of the policy clarifications and modifications by the Programming Committee regarding on-air anonymity and accountability.

Publicity & Fundraising Committee(s)
Congratulations to Laura Chekow and Serene Mastrianni for steering the fund drive so well.
Should the committees be one or two separate committees working closely together?  Currently the committees are joined because of requests by previous committee members-most of whom are no longer actively involved. 
Motion: We recognize two separate committees for Fundraising and Publicity? unanimous.  Committee charges are as detail in the bylaws adopted at the 2006 annual meeting. 
Task: Leslie to put out call for membership of Publicity and Membership Committees.

Election of Officers
Motion: The Board will elect officers at the next meeting (Dec. 19).  Prior to that date a slate of candidates will be agreed upon and presented at that meeting.  Absent members may vote by proxy.  unanimous.
Task: Jan will send call for nominations to the board.

General Email List Protocol
Primary topic of discussion at last membership meeting.  General consensus that something could/should be done. 
Task: Motion will be developed by the Membership Committee to present at next (Dec.19) Board Meeting.

Thank You Letters for Fund Drive Committee Chairs

Public Thank Yous
Thank you ads have been put in the Shopper’s Guide.  Programmers have been active in providing on-air appreciation.

Full Power Update
The application was filed by Paul Rapp and Nick Ring.  We did the follow-up public notice with the public file available at the Mason Library during business hours.  Two other organizations filed for the same frequency in our area:  Home Improvement Ministries based in Stockbridge, and UMass, presumably as a repeater for WFCR.  The FCC has a “point smackdown” system in which we look to be on solid footing; however this will extend the timetable for resolution.

Volunteer Requirements
Programmers are not keeping up with volunteer requirements for on-air access (6hrs/4 month term).  Solicitation by email is a barrier.  Todd Lewis, as the Volunteer Coordinator, does not have the time to address programmers on an individual basis.  We need to provide a positive structure to encourage and track volunteer hours, so that those who have not performed volunteer hours have done so by their own choice.  Tasks have been recommended to volunteers.  Communications issues between VC and the programmers.  Intra-organizational communication between committees. 
Sense of privilege by some pre-existing programmers. 
Task: Judy Eddy will write up a Volunteer Coordinator job description to better define what is expected. 

Other Business
- Programmer Holiday Party
- Committee chair list serve
- Board vacancy.

→ Posted by Janice on 12/19/2007 at 02:58 PM. Filed under "minutes".