Comment on the Proffitt dilemma

Pacifica's Executive Director, John Proffitt willingly stepped into what can arguably be described as a management nightmare. We have heard him speak to WBAI staffers with a measure of optimism and we have heard him report to the Pacifica Finance Committee with less than that. Has he spotted a ray of hope that somehow eludes us mortals?

Here are sober thoughts on the matter from 'Indigopirate'

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As masks are lifted... Last night's futile PNB Meeting

August 6 2015

Majority on Pacifica Board Refuse To Discuss Secret Corporation to Acquire KPFA Broadcast License

Berkeley - In a shameful display, the majority on the Pacifica National Board refused to discuss the public matter of the 2013 secret incorporation of the KPFA Foundation by Margy Wilkinson and Dan Siegel for the purpose of acquiring KPFA's broadcast license. 

Addressing first a motion to censure Margy Wilkinson for the creation of secret incorporation she did not disclose for the past 22 months, majority members voted as a block not to move the item up on the agenda with WPFW board member Benito Diaz stating that the issue was "not timely and pie in the sky".

The second motion, to immediately sever legal representation of the Pacifica Foundation by Siegel and Yee, including representation in front of California's Attorney General that specifically addresses Pacifica's noncompliance with state nonprofit law and could result in the loss of Pacifica's nonprofit status, was also jettisoned.

Chair Brazon insisted the matter would only be discussed in an executive session closed to foundation members and referred to mysterious "contracts" with Siegel and Yee unknown to the rest of the board of directors.  Wilkinson was allowed to vote on the matter despite her obvious involvement in it.

The indifference of the Board of Directors compares unfavorably with the outpouring of distress from the network's members who have objected to members of the board and attorneys representing the Foundation making preparations to acquire Foundation assets without notifying the board, the executive director, the corporate counsel and the Registry of Charitable Trusts.

A late motion to ask ED John Proffitt to "investigate" the incorporation of the KPFA Foundation was, again, voted down by the board after chair Brazon broke a 7-7 tie by voting no.

The failure to disclose constitutes a breach of the duty of loyalty by Wilkinson and a violation of the California State Bar Code of Professional Conduct by Siegel.

The board spent their open meeting time expanding the bylaws amendment notice period by 8 days.

Board chair Lydia Brazon proposed canceling the upcoming board election by not mailing ballots until October, which would render the elections invalid per California Corporations Code which requires election ballots to be mailed no less than 60 days after the published date of record (July 14), which is September 14, 2015.

  

(c) The bylaws may provide or, in the absence of such provision, the board may fix, in advance, a date as the record date for the purpose of determining the members entitled to cast written ballots (Section 5513). Such record date shall not be more than 60 days before the day on which the first written ballot is mailed or solicited.

Pacifica in Exile readers may write to the board at pnb@pacifica.org.

Now that you have read Tracy Rosenberg's excellent summary, hear the confusion for yourself. Click on this link:  August 6 PNB meeting.

And, hanging around in the background, we come upon a member of this August body's Brown suit... Ahh, it's at 120 Wall St., so you may have missed it!

An economic update of sorts...

Over there, in the Blue Pit, inquiring minds have also wondered what became of the promised Financial Report. They asked again, and here is R. Paul Martin's reply. As predicted, its bad days at black rot—note that even a saturation of Nullies has failed to generate listener interest, or did it simply fail to bring in an audience altogeher? R. Paul wrote:

The Treasurer's Report will be out next Wednesday. They always come out the morning of the LSB meeting.

I can note that the current Summer 'thon is not doing so well. It's averaging about $8,597 per day. The last day's tally isn't in yet, but I don't see that one day making a big difference. And prepare for the PRA one day mini-thon from 5 AM to either 10 PM or midnight today.

To which a poster known for his erudition, wit and keen insight replied:

Thanks.

I assume you realize that next Wednesday *follows* the PNB meeting of the 11th at which WBAI's finances which were announced at the previous PNB meeting as being a principal if not indeed *the* principal subject of the PNB meeting of the 11th are to be discussed, and at which Mr. Reimers was to speak. Which is then to be followed by a special Double-Secret-Extra-Private-And-Confidential Special Session to discuss 'negotiations' with ESRT and other matters.

All this, at least according to the previous PNB Special Meeting.

A question: Are you and/or any other members of WBAI/Pacifica at all uncomfortable with the enormous debt now owed ESRT being withheld from the public under the veil of confidentiality on the basis of its being 'under negotiation'?

All this while there are various 'procedures' and 'elections' and 'open meeting' requirements – all of which appear to be fatuous and utterly meaningless formalities?

How is this in any meaningful way different from the governments and corporations that Pacifica supposedly reviles?

How is WBAI/Pacifica not in fact a sort of 12th-rate bush-league version of a governmental 'Black Budget'?

Oh... of course... WBAI/Pacifica is the Good Guys.

That's it.

Forgive me, I'm slow 

Delusions at Dawn

I think "dummy" is putting it mildly in the case of Michael Haskins, the inarticulate WBAI morning fixture. They all sound as if they are trying to convince themselves that WBAI is a great station and that it will survive.

The fact is that you cannot tell listeners that what you are broadcasting is not for them and then expect them to not only stick around, but also pay for the crap you are offering. How dense are these "community" fools? Listen to Haskins' desperate pitch, made just before he left on a week's vacation. Is this racism, or not? Is he an imbecile, or not? And bear in mind, his is only one voice in this chorus of dummies.

As the seemingly permanent fund drive continues along its unscheduled path, turning listeners even more against the likes of Gary Null, Natalie, "Dr." Gwen Scott, The Amine (now Iodine) Sisters, and the racist speakers du jour, there no longer remains a light at the end of the tunnel. We are still not given any real figures as to how bad the financial crisis is, but what little we hear of via rumors paint a a picture of gloom and doom. Even R. Paul's WBAI Treasurer's Report, which he said he would post this morning, has not appeared.

It's all falling apart. Reggie Johnson arrived late yesterday morning, so the station was unmanned as one infomercial ended and 10 to 15 minutes of dead air followed. Then he suddenly showed up, out of breath and confused. Here's another instance of his confusion from this morning—imagine this sort of thing if there were any intelligent listeners left! I wonder what Null thought.

Of course, the word from Reimers' wastebasket tells us otherwise, but the mere fact that the begging continues supports a calamitous reality. In the meantime, it's mismanagement as usual, so they prepare for another election of LSB members. History veritably hollers for an abandonment of the current system, which wastes a good amount of money on elections and traditionally puts in place a voting majority of bumbling bozos. 

If you go here, you will find the list of candidates, so far, and their individual statements of desires and intents. It is quite disingenuous and depressing. Note, for example, that Kathy Davis thinks she can contribute to WBAI's welfare with her presence on the Board—was there ever a time when you heard her say anything that made sense? And how about Frank Lefever, a perpetual candidate with years of submitting naïve ideas, a huge ego, and an inability to owe up to his own shortcomings, such as being instrumental in the selection and hiring of Berthold Reimers. He used to brag about opening the door for Reimers, but you won't find that effort listed among Lefever's alleged accomplishments as he seeks another election to the LSB.

Here are six valid points made by Tex, a BlueBoard poster, after reading the statements made by this crop of LSB hopefuls:

1) Not one candidate addressed the root cause of Pacifica's dire financial situation: Declining listener support because the message is no longer relevant and the programming sucks.

2) The staff candidates think the problem lies with management and are blind to the fact that they are the ones producing an irrelevant message and programming that sucks.

3) Most do not care about the health of the Foundation as much as they care about promoting their particular faction's agenda and slate of candidates.

4) Only one single candidate has put forth a proposal which remotely accomplishes the goals outlined in the Pacifica Mission Statement.

5) Quite a few candidates are members of other "activist" organizations and it seems they are running for the sole purpose of promoting the goals of these groups.

6) Most of the listener candidates are from the JUC. The foundation is truly fucked if these are the only people willing to run for the LSB.

Looks like another bumper crop of cluelessness.

I think Tex's evaluation is shared by more people than WBAI has left in its audience.

Luxury in the eyes of the beholders.

WE'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN THE WALLS HIT THE CEILING!

They do a good show, but listen to what the Morning Dew hosts have to say about the WBAI audio closet. Mitchel Cohen must have given them each a pair of Reimers' rose-colored glasses, or that morning dew got into their eyes!