Minutes for the regular National Finance Committee meeting December 1,<br />
2009.<br />
<br />
Meeting convened at 8:44 PM (ET) a quorum being present, the Chair and<br />
Secretary being present.<br />
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Attending: Grace Aaron, Brian Edwards-Tiekert, Campbell Johnson, Luzette<br />
King, Alberto Luera, R. Paul Martin, Jamie Ross, Lavarn Williams, Susan<br />
Young, also attending were Executive Director Arlene Engleheart and<br />
Berthold Reimers.<br />
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Agenda:<br />
<br />
1. CPB report<br />
2. WBAI budget<br />
3. Other budget items<br />
4. Heath payback<br />
5. Motions from Young<br />
6. Matter of having someone on the NFC who is not a Treasurer<br />
7. Adjourn at 11:00 PM (ET)<br />
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<br />
Motion: "To adopt the following agenda:<br />
1. CPB report<br />
2. WBAI budget<br />
3. Other budget items<br />
4. Heath payback<br />
5. Motions from Young<br />
6. Matter of having someone on the NFC who is not a Treasurer." (passed 7<br />
for, 1 against)<br />
<br />
Point of Order: R. Paul Martin - members need to speak to the item on the<br />
floor.<br />
<br />
The Chair rules in favor of the point of order.<br />
<br />
Amendment: (Campbell Johnson) "To remove 'Matter of having someone on the<br />
NFC who is not a Treasurer' from the agenda." (Fails 3 for, 5 against)<br />
<br />
Amendment: (Susan Young) "Add 'adjourn at 11:00 PM (ET).'" (Passed without<br />
objection)<br />
<br />
CPB report 8:57 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Grace Aaron reported that the CPB was sending Pacifica a check for<br />
$704,253 which we should receive by the end of the week.<br />
<br />
WBAI budget 9:02 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The committee discussed the proposed WBAI FY10 budget.<br />
Motion: (Susan Young) "For those budgets that have not been passed by<br />
LSBs, that they go forward through the NFC to the PNB for action, subject<br />
to subsequent possible revisions proposed by the LSB." (Passed without<br />
objection)<br />
<br />
Motion: (Susan Young) "The National Finance Committee recommends that the<br />
following contingency plan be adopted as part of the FY 2010 WBAI station<br />
budget:<br />
<br />
Budget initiatives requiring special diligence as they entail greater<br />
risk:<br />
<br />
	* Fulfillment -- $17,000 estimated uncertainty<br />
	* Lapsed-donor telemarketing -- $86,100 net estimated uncertainty<br />
	* Phone expense reduction -- $50,000 estimated uncertainty<br />
	* Community events revenues -- $25,000 net uncertainty<br />
<br />
Contingency initiatives to be implemented if budgeted cost or revenue<br />
targets are not met without offsetting improvements over target:<br />
<br />
	* Defer capital expense:  up to $38,500 savings<br />
	* Delay/eliminate repayment of Heath bequest borrowing:  up to $21,500<br />
	* Delay/eliminate budgeted surplus:  up to $28,000<br />
	* Delay/eliminate initial installment of $1 million+ Central Services<br />
debt repayment:  up to $10,000.<br />
	* Do not implement enhanced Arbitron service:  $10,000 savings."<br />
<br />
Amendment: (Brian Edwards-Tiekert) "To add 'We ask the PNB to direct WBAI<br />
Management to identify additional cuts that can be made if WBAI under<br />
performs." (Passed without objection)<br />
<br />
Motion as amended: (Susan Young) "The National Finance Committee<br />
recommends that the following contingency plan be adopted as part of the<br />
FY 2010 WBAI station budget:<br />
<br />
Budget initiatives requiring special diligence as they entail greater<br />
risk:<br />
<br />
	* Fulfillment -- $17,000 estimated uncertainty<br />
	* Lapsed-donor telemarketing -- $86,100 net estimated uncertainty<br />
	* Phone expense reduction -- $50,000 estimated uncertainty<br />
	* Community events revenues -- $25,000 net uncertainty<br />
<br />
Contingency initiatives to be implemented if budgeted cost or revenue<br />
targets are not met without offsetting improvements over target:<br />
<br />
	* Defer capital expense:  up to $38,500 savings<br />
	* Delay/eliminate repayment of Heath bequest borrowing:  up to $21,500<br />
	* Delay/eliminate budgeted surplus:  up to $28,000<br />
	* Delay/eliminate initial installment of $1 million+ Central Services<br />
debt repayment:  up to $10,000.<br />
	* Do not implement enhanced Arbitron service:  $10,000 savings<br />
<br />
	We ask the PNB to direct WBAI management to identify additional cuts that<br />
can be made if WBAI under performs." (Passed as amended without objection)<br />
<br />
At 9:58 PM (ET) the Secretary assumed the chair.<br />
<br />
At 10:02 the Chair resumed the Chair.<br />
<br />
Motion: (Grace Aaron) "That we approve the WBAI budget at this time."<br />
(Passed 7 for, 2 against)<br />
<br />
Other budget items 10:17 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
The committee discussed the WPFW, National Office and affiliates FY10<br />
budgets.<br />
<br />
Heath payback 10:41 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Motion: (Brian Edwards-Tiekert) "That all units suspend repayment of the<br />
Heath endowment until there is a national cash management plan approved by<br />
the PNB and request that Pacifica national Management produce such a plan<br />
by February 2010." (Fails 4 for, 5 against)<br />
<br />
Call for the orders of the day (R. Paul Martin) 11:09 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Adjourned 11:13 PM (ET)<br />
<br />
Submitted by R. Paul Martin, Secretary<br />