Minutes for the regular National Finance Committee meeting October 13, 2015.
Meeting convened at 8:33 PM (ET) a quorum being present, the Chair and
Secretary being present.
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Attending: Lydia Brazon, Adriana Casenave, Bill Crosier, Brian Edwards-Tiekert
(Chair), R. Paul Martin (Secretary), Tony Norman, Michael Novick, Nancy Sorden,
also attending were John Profitt, Executive Director, Efren Llarinas, National
Office Financial Planning and Analysis Manager, KPFT General Manager, Duane
Bradley, WPFW General Manager Gerald Paris, Pacifica Radio Archives Director
Brian DeShazor and KPFT Business Manager Markisha Venzant Sampson.
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Agenda:
Call to Order (5 minutes)
Agenda Approval (5 minutes)
Minutes Approval (5 minutes)
Minutes of September 15, 2015
Minutes of September 22, 2015
Minutes of September 29, 2015
Budget Review and Approval
KPFT - time certain 8:45 PM (ET) (30 minutes)
WPFW - time certain 9:15 PM (ET) (30 minutes)
PRA budget - time certain 9:45 PM (ET)
Check-in re: status of outstanding budgets: KPFK, WBAI, National Office,
Archives (15 minutes)
Cash Flow/Liquidity (15 minutes)
Adjourn 10:15 PM (ET)-----------------------------------------------------------
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Motion: (Brian Edwards-Tiekert) "To approve the agenda." (Passed without
objection)
Amendment: (Brian Edwards-Tiekert) "To add item 4Bi 'PRA budget' time certain
9:45 PM (ET). (30 minutes)" (Passed without objection)
Amendment: (Bill Crosier) "To set the adjournment tome to 10:15 PM (ET)."
(Passed without objection)
Minutes Approval 8:39 PM (ET)
There were no minutes to approve.
Budget Review and Approval 8:40 PM (ET)
KPFT 8:40 PM (ET)
The committee established which version of the KPFT draft FY16 budget was the
latest.
The KPFT General Manager said that this version of the draft budget was the
consensus of the KPFT Staff. He said that personnel costs are increased in this
budget due to increases in health premiums expenses. KPFT's minimum wage will
go from $10 an hour to $15 an hour. The station's 100 kW transmitter is
operational, and they expect that to help with on-air fund raising. They are
getting good press and having successful off-air fund raising events; they are
working with outside promoters and expect to see an increase is Community
Events revenue. They expect a Spring music festival to help bring in more
revenue, although they have not included that projected revenue in the draft
budget. The station is leasing studio space to NPR and others for $200 an hour.
They are negotiating leasing their second HD digital broadcasting channel for
more than they'd gotten in previous years. Car donations have increased and
they expect them to increase more.
The committee discussed the KPFT draft FY16 budget proposal. The KPFT General
Manager said that the station is leveraging Community Events with partners to
lessen the station's expenses for those events. The KPFT General Manager said
that their Development Director is confident that they can significantly
increase their Major donor revenue in FY16. There was some disagreement over
the viability of the increased revenue numbers. Some members wanted to see the
station's results from the Summer on-air fund raiser before voting on this
budget proposal.
Motion: (Adriana Casenave) "To refer the KPFT draft FY16 budget to the KPFT
local Finance Committee." (Fails 2 for, 2 against, 4 abstentions)
The committee discussed the motion.
Amendment: (Brian Edwards-Tiekert) "To refer the KPFT draft FY16 budget to KPFT
Management with instructions that they redraft it with more realistic revenue
numbers or produce support from current revenue numbers based on FY15 actuals.
The committee discussed the amendment.
Amendment: (Lydia Brazon) "To insert 'by October 27, 2015' at the end of the
amendment." (Passed without objection)
Amendment as amended: "To refer the KPFT draft FY16 budget to KPFT Management
with instructions that they redraft it with more realistic revenue numbers or
produce support from current revenue numbers based on FY15 actuals by October
27, 2015." (Fails 3 for, 3 against, 2 abstentions)
Point of Order: (R. Paul Martin) Call for the orders of the day.
Pacifica Radio Archives Director Brian DeShazor announced that he was on the
call but had to leave now.
WPFW 9:42 PM (ET)
The WPFW Treasurer reported that the WPFW draft FY16 budget proposal has been
updated. They expect to get revenue from a mail drive; they have no actual
figures from last year's mail drive, but they will plug those into the budget
when they get those numbers. They are raising Community Events revenue to
$25,000 from $18,000 because they feel that they've had a good track record
this year in raising money and they're repeating their efforts. They will also
do a lot more Community Events in FY16. They will get $1,500 a month rent from
a sub-lessor. This is up from $0 last year.
The committee discussed the WPFW draft FY16 budget proposal. The WPFW General
Manager said that Consultants expenses will be reduced by about half. The
interim Executive Director pointed out that there's a hiring freeze throughout
Pacifica and consultants can't be kept permanently. Repairs/Maintenance
expenses will go down monthly, but there will be a $23,000 expense in December
2015, when the station will put in a new transmission line to replace the old
one that's been giving them trouble; the station is securing financing for that
new transmission line now. Since they are operating at full power now their
annual utilities bill for the transmitter will go from about $54,000 to about
$60,000. The WPFW General Manager said that he is looking to change the
station's programming, to reach out to a more diverse, younger audience. The
WPFW General Manager said that WPFW's current on-air fund raiser has a goal of
$350,000 and is nearing its mid-way point, so far it has raised about 25% of
the goal. In the course of the discussion it was found that the budgeted goal
for the Fall WPFW on-air fund raiser is $400,000. WPFW's catch-up Central
Services payments were discussed.
Motion: (Michael Novick) "To extend the time for this item for two minutes"
(Passed without objection) 10:28 PM (ET)
The committee continued to discuss the WPFW draft FY16 budget proposal.
Adjourned 10:32 PM (ET)
Submitted by R. Paul Martin, Secretary.