A den of thieves...

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And then there was Mister Microphone, all alone...

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT BECAME OF WBAI'S PROFESSIONAL STUDIO EQUIPMENT?

Many of us have, including former iED Bill Crosier:

During my first trip to WBAI last March after I became iED, I told Berthold I'd like to see what was in storage. He said WBAI got behind on paying the rent for the storage units, and lost it all. I asked if it was possible to catch up on the past-due rent on those facilities, so we could get it out and even ship it to other stations if they did not have enough space in WBAI's offices in Brooklyn, and he said it was too late. I was told there was indeed some expensive equipment there, and I don't know why it was not offered to other Pacifica stations (for them to use or store) before it came to that point.      —Bill Crosier

Think about it. If what Reimers said is true, an honest answer would not only be a first for him, it would signal a time to finally round up the usual suspects.

What other insiders are saying:
Jim Dingeman seems prepared to blame it on poverty and let it slide:

I think whatever blame game happens all these problems are caused by a overwhelming amount of debts and fixed fiscal obligations versus a limited amount of cash to deal with it

That is a wider issue than fixating on 1 to 3 individuals. There are dozens involved in the low cash flow issues. That is why I hammer away at the content problem which is the source of our cash flow 

If we had a bigger space to move into we could have moved that equipment easily and utilized it. We are currently in a space many times smaller than 120. Theoretically. We need the entire building and ideally should have had a space like that a long time ago.  —Jim Dingeman

Mitchel isn't buying it:

Disagree, Jim.
Lack of money is not the cause of failures to communicate problems when they arise (and hopefully before they arise), especially on things as significant as losing everything in storage. The month by month there was not onerous IF WE KNEW ABOUT IT. Where are the reports. Who benefited?

ALSO, remember around 2005 or so when LaVarn Williams and Patty Heffley reported to the PNB in Executive Session that over $60K in computer equipment was ordered by the then-GM, and sent to his relative's business? WBA/Pacifica was never paid back, and the JUC members on the PNB at the time buried it. PNB members should resurrect their report and follow up on it, even now.    
—Mitchel

Carolyn Birden gets right to the point:

Jim, let’s not be too quick to ignore the possibility of illegal removal of WBAI equipment.  It happened before (remember the GM’s transferral of computers to his family’s office in New Jersey, and the PD’s collection of “tributes” and cash from the pier parties, for starters)?  Enough already:  we have enough troubles caused by less direct “failures to thrive” so that we cannot afford to ignore the disappearance of more equipment and money. All of these problems are not “caused by” the imbalance of debts vs. available cash.     —Carolyn 

THE FOLLOWING WAS POSTED AT PACIFICARADIO-WAVES Feb. 7. 2018:

I was involved with truck delivery to the storage and the truck move to bklyn ... i talked about this with bill c just before the atlantic antic last september.

i do not believe the value of the stuff in storage was considerable. mostly old, broken and second hand electronics, a turntable, speakers etc... files, tapes and other stuff.

i worked to release then pull out from under the floor... and so salvage... from 120 wall st days before mlk day that year a the 16 lead main cable connecting master control/  when the station moved office to world financial and studio / transmit from city college.

spools of wire, hardware and all/ but not anything of use or value i thought. i believe the working electronics needed...a crown power amp and cd player went off to harlem in a taxi with tony r and btold. or that was my impression as i shared with bill c. the storage facility is on atlantic ave near bedford ave.

however moving as we did with little plan or goal in mind seemed to cause desks, conference table and other unmovable or not so salvageable stuff to be trashed or given away.

a very large fine 20 foot oval wood conference table was trashed. sad and upsetting.

Jack A DePalma
Brooklyn, NYC