2009-01-30 PNB Meeting Minutes

Grace Aaron moved to start the meeting before training to elect a pro tem chair and to resolve the election issues of WPFW.  Seconded

Nia Bediako offered a substitute motion to do the legal training first and to follow it with the guest trainer’s presentation.

The chair said that the public session must be noticed and the meeting could not convene until 6PM.

George Reiter made an amendment to Nia’s motion, to allow everyone present to vote on this question without prejudicing the question of who is a member.  Seconded by Susan Young.
The amendment passed without objection

Nia’s substitute motion failed unanimously, as the trainer had arrived.

Nia Bediako moved to divide the original motion into two motions.

The motion to elect a pro-tem chair passed with no objection.  George Reiter, Sherry Gendelman and Jim Brown were nominated.  Sherry Gendelman declined. 
The vote was taken by anonymous ballot; the secretary collected and counted the ballots.  George Reiter received 12 votes, Jim Brown received 9 votes.

Andrea Turner called the question regarding the WPFW election.
The motion to resolve the WPFW election passed by 10 in favor, 8 against
The chair suggested a 20 minute limit for this discussion.  No objection
 
Joe Wanzala presented the following resolution:
 
RESOLUTION (Luzette-Joe Wanzala)
SUBMITTED TO: The Pacifica National Board - Meeting of January 30, 2009
SUBJECT: Legitimacy of Recent WPFW Election of PNB Representative
PROPOSED BY:

Acknowledging that the fairest interpretation of Pacifica bylaws as amended 2003 Article 5 Section 1B which states "Any Delegate who is currently serving as a Delegate and has served at least one (1) year as a Delegate is eligible for election to the office of Director by the Delegates for his/her radio station area subject to Section 3 of this Article of the Bylaws" can only be 1 year equals 365 days or 12 calendar months; and
Noting also, that at least one other Delegate Assembly (KPFT) has interpreted the mandatory one-year requirement for election to the Pacifica National Board to mean 365 days or 12 months; and
Declaring, therefore, that a continuing breach of Pacifica’s bylaws was created in qualifying Campbell Johnson for election as PNB Director;
This PNB
     1. Disqualifies with immediate effect Campbell Johnson as a PNB director;
     2. Instructs WPFW Local Station Board to re-tally the votes from their election for PNB director; and
     3. Instructs WPFW to inform the Pacifica National Board of the change in candidate elected in place of Campbell Johnson.

Grace Aaron seconded the motion.
Luzette King proposed that members from WPFW not be allowed to vote.
The chair said only Mr. Johnson was ineligible to vote.

Counsel asked the chair to rule the motion out of order.
The chair decided not to do so.

The chair called the question.

Bonnie Simmons said the portion of the motion regarding a “re-tally” was out of order.
The chair overruled the objection and  ruled the motion in order.

The resolution passed 11 in favor, 6 against, 1 abstention, as follows:
In favor: Grace Aaron, David Beaton, Carolyn Birden, Kathryn Davis, Luzette King, Efia Nwangaza, Sean Casey O’Brien, Jamie Ross, Rico Ross, Wendy Schroell, Joe Wanzala
Opposed: Nia Bediako, Jim Brown, Acie Byrd, Sherry Gendelman, Andrea Turner, Bonnie Simmons
Abstention: Susan Young
 
The chair charged WPFW with sending the ballots to the Fair Vote organization for retabulation.

At 2:33PM the Training Session began with the trainer from Milestone Consulting. It ended at 3:20

At 3:21 Dan Siegel presented the legal portion of the training.
Mr. Siegel made his presentation after which he resigned from the board, as of the end of this weekend meeting.

6:30 PM  Public meeting.
Sherry Gendelman welcomed participants, thanked the organizers of the meeting and thanked the 2008 board and the General Counsel. 

1. Acknowledgments.  The body observed a moment of silence in memory of Juan Rafael Santos;
 
2. Approval of agenda.
Grace moved to accept the draft agenda for tonight; and the rest of the agenda to be taken up Saturday.
Nia  Bediako proposed to amend tonight’s agenda to discuss Susan’s proposal and affiliates director election before the KFFK presentation.  George Reiter suggested taking them separately.

a. whether to put the motion to ask Dan Siegel to rescind his resignation on the agenda.  Failed by show of hands.

b. Discussion of affiliates’ election.  Motion failed 9 against, six in favor by show of hands.

Grace’s motion on the draft agenda for tonight; and the rest of the agenda to be taken up Saturday passed with a show of hands with 12 in favor.

3. Sean Heitkemper gave a report on KPFK

4. 40 minutes of public comment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30pm Pacific time.