The iED's September 14, 2017 Summary

This is all public, so you can share with anyone.

* The Pacifica Foundation FY2015 audit was completed and accepted by California's Attorney General's office before the Aug. 27 deadline given by the AG, and also accepted by California's Franchise Tax Board - Pacifica is in good standing with them! I uploaded the FTB's letter here and and the audit is posted at http://pacifica.org

* Pacifica's FY2015 amended 990 (federal income tax return) and the 990 for FY2016 (based on unaudited figures), and the corresponding California and New York state tax returns were filed last month.

* Rina Accountancy has begun the audit of the Pacifica retirement plan, and after approval by the PNB, they will begin the audit of the separate 403(b) plan.

* Preparations for the FY2016 audit underway, but considerable time and attention is now being spent by the Pacifica National Office on the unfunded pension liabilities from past years. Our N.O. financial staff are working with the retirement plan administrator and Rina to resolve the unfunded pension liability from prior years, which was also noted in the FY2015 Foundation audit.

* FY2018 Budgets are being prepared and reviewed by all stations. I have been stressing to the management and Treasurers of all stations the importance of planning for a surplus for FY2018, as we need to do more to pay off the debt that has accumulated over the years, including the unfunded pensions. Some stations, especially WBAI, WPFW, and KPFT, are still struggling, although KPFT's recent reduction in payroll and work to resolve some internal issues has already helped. WBAI's cash flow has become critical and increased attention will be devoted to that station.  I have started discussions with GMs about the importance of audience growth/increasing listenership, and what's needed for that - good programming plus promotion of our programs. I encourage PNB and LSB members at each station to help to get more volunteers for that. Remember that helping with station fundraising is one of the responsibilities of LSB members - it's even listed in the Bylaws.

* Pacifica Radio Archives is looking into options to partner with one or more outside organizations to help speed up the digitization and preservation of the historic PRA tapes. PRA has been doing wonderfully in helping Pacifica stations with fund drives this year, helping them to bring in over $1.5 million so far this year. But they need to get outside help to get the tape processing expanded, both to preserve the tapes before they deteriorate too much due to age, and to make the content available to everyone.

* I've been working with volunteers at WBAI who have set up a major donor fundraising committee, which is especially needed because of theESRT lawsuit. I hope such committees can be set up at other stations, too. I am also working with technical staff to provide additional telephones at WBAI, which can be used for contacting donors plus taking calls during fund drives and other purposes after it's all set up.

* The Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT) lawsuit is still looming over us, with the next court date scheduled for Oct. 4. We have retained a PR professional to help get more attention to how unreasonable ESRT has been. We have asked the judge to schedule oral arguments and to hear an unconscionability defense which we have filed, as well as schedule a settlement conference with ESRT before the judge. At the last meeting (in July) that was requested by ESRT, in which we expected them to make a counter-offer, they declined to do so.

* Pacifica's response papers were submitted earlier this week in the Sharon Brown-Efia Nwangaza-Adriana Casenave lawsuit that they have filed against Pacifica. Next week, the court is expected to provide tentative rulings on the motions before the court, followed by the next court hearing date on Sep. 21.

* Finally, in these days of continuing disdain for the Constitution, civil rights, the environment, workers' rights, immigrants, and more, I'm asking all of you to keep telling people about the importance of Pacifica and your station - how we provide the real news, independent music and culture, and information that other stations won't let people hear. Please work this into your conversations - in person and online, via social media, and more. Please encourage others at your station to tell their friends about their favorite shows. This is important not only to help our stations grow and to help Pacifica, but to help fulfill our educational mission. We need to let people know that our country and our society do not have to keep making the same mistakes as before.

 

Another world is possible - let's work together to create it.

Bill Crosier