Question Three: What can be done to improve the dynamics and effectiveness of the Local Station Board?

 

 

WBAI Listener-Sponsor candidates

Marian Borenstein

I believe our board’s effectiveness within the Pacifica mission can be vastly improved by directly addressing the most critical issues and problems facing the station, and identifying and implementing solutions to these specific concerns in conjunction with our station’s management. These areas of concern include economic, technical and programmatic concerns where viable solutions have not been achieved to date.

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Rolando Bini

By concentrating everyone's resources into expanding our listener base instead of infighting.

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Tibby Brooks

Just as we see in New York City politics how a landlord-mayor protects his class interests, so we must analyze the composition of the Local Station Board. It’s important that listeners look at the political involvement and opinions expressed by those who are to keep this station alive and well. WBAI is a peace-and-justice organization, and the Board should be a reflection of that sensibility. Anti-racism training empowering members to examine long-held assumptions could be a useful mechanism for improving the dynamics of the Board. We conduct our Board and its meetings in accordance with the Pacifica Bylaws, which really doesn’t allow much wiggle room outside of Robert’s Rules of Order, stifling probing discussion and brainstorming and encouraging filibustering and endless motions and votes on parliamentary questions.

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Omowale Clay

We must stop the endless use of “Robert’s Rules of Order” to perpetuate meaningless filibusters that prevent any real conversation and political understanding of what we are doing to sustain and maintain the station. We must make a decision to let majority rule govern our work and agreements. WBAI’s membership must be clear about what kind of station they want. One that allows millionaires to use their financial influence to move the station backwards politically, or a station that champions the justice and the rights of working people and oppressed neighborhoods of color. That is the question to be decided in casting your vote.

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Carla Cubit

I would like to create a more democratic board with equal input into the decision making process for WBAI.

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Lisa Davis

I think it is very important for listeners to carefully examine the politics and views of the people they are electing to the Board to see if they are in line with the Pacifica Mission statement. I also think that Pacifica should examine other ways to conduct orderly meetings besides Robert's Rules of Order, which are extremely bureaucratic, and do not allow for robust discussions. I also think there needs to be training in interpersonal relationships, communication and anti-racism/sexism.

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Wellington Echegaray

If I’m elected, I will be positive and help to coordinate in the most democratic way. Being able to listen to everybody, I will encourage my fellow board members to stick to the point, so that the Board can accomplish more.

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Sara Flounders

It is essential to always keep in mind that WBAI is a non-profit, community resource. We need to change the way in which a few people are able to use arcane technicalities of Robert’s Rules to drag out every LSB agenda and frustrate many committees. Also, there needs to be an end to unprincipled attacks on station management. We need to work cooperatively with management, staff and producers rather than harass, attack, and undermine their work. Commitment to both unity and diversity based on race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, and disability is essential for both the station staff, the LSB and its committees.

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Robert M. Gold

I would hope that I could help the board to reach compromises instead of shouting at each other.

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Seth Goldberg

Given the current JUC control, very little I'm afraid. Given LSB control by independent people who are more interested in saving the station in than rigidly pursuing other, to me more narrow agendas, a great deal. At that point the terrible paralyzing acrimony which characterizes current LSB meetings might lessen somewhat. The LSB could begin to really do its job of helping in outreach, fundraising, and oversight.

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Jennifer Jager

A board that discuses issues openly and fairly, giving both the board members and the public an opportunity to speak, instead of one faction creating the agenda and then ramming the contents through with very limited or not any discussion at all, would improve the dynamics and effectiveness of the board. Fair and impartial application of Roberts Rules by the chair would be helpful i.e. recognizing all raised hands in sequence, and allowing discussion of agenda items by all parties, no matter their faction. The prevention of the use of Robert’s Rules by a majority faction of the board to constantly block discussion of issues might even prevent fantasy budgets from being passed multiple times by a single faction.

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Kenneth Laufer

The LSB should be allowed to answer the questions and comments made by audience members during the Public Comment periods.

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Pat Logan

To improve the effectiveness of the LSB we must elect delegates who are willing to fully utilize the powers granted to the Board by both the Bylaws and the California Code, which has jurisdiction because Pacifica is a California corporation. These include oversight of finances and consideration of the relevance of programming to the listeners we serve.

The Board has to recognize that it must not be a rubber stamp for WBAI Management or for the proposals of the Pacifica National Office. Along with staff and management, it is part of a system of checks and balances. Constructive criticism and even resistance are as important in this case as they are for good citizens and residents of the US when considering government policies.

We love our station and our country but must serve neither uncritically.

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Don Mathieson

no answer submitted

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Lee McClure-Come

To improve the effectiveness of the LSB, I would encourage realistic budget evaluation and budget planning.

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Stefan S. Neustadter

We ought meet as a newly constituted group in an atmosphere of mutual respect. We need to draw up an agenda of issues and goals. This must be the beginning of a successful group.

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Bok-keem Nyerere

My focus would be concentrated in trying to create methods to get the Board working in a productive manner that is not bogged down in bureaucratic obstacles that defeat the energy to achieve results.

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Bernardo Palombo

no answer submitted

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James Ross

Most of all, we need people who want to do the work the LSB is supposed to do. Right now we have the opposite. Under Justice and Unity control, the LSB has farmed out its most important responsibilities, management evaluation and selection, to groups that are not answerable to the board.

And we need people who are willing to compromise. Justice and Unity NEVER incorporates suggestions from the rest of us into the policies the board passes, even though we make up 11 out of the 24 seats on the board. They just railroad through what they want. This is a recipe for conflict. We can do better.

Also helpful would be to spend more time in informal, open-ended discussion, so we can learn where everyone is coming from.

This year's budget process was absurd. Fully three times the LSB passed budgets that were rejected by Pacifica national, for obvious reasons - unrealistic income assumptions and large deficits. Yet the majority pushed them through. We need LSB members that will face financial reality.

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Marianella Trioche

On the board we need members who are ready to act in good faith, and who are willing to be respectful towards one another. Board members should be able to put aside their prejudices and work solely for the good of the station. We need board members who do not spread false rumors about management. Board members should undergo training in interpersonal communication and ethics.

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