[Kzyxtalk] BALES LAST HURRAH (MAYBE) MEC Newsletter Attached in PDF Format

[Mary Massey]

To the Editor:

Didn't know if you saw this.  It's Alicia Bales' last newsletter as "Prez"
(her words) for the MEC.  I noted two things.  Two board members were
leaving which leaves a total of two women; and, that Bales intended to help
with new talent during the transition after securing herself a spot at
KZYX..... she couldn't secure new talent as president of the MEC in the two
or so years she was there.  In fact, she personally removed board members
who were not like her in thought, word or deed.
In her final MEC letter, President Alicia Bales writes " When people
wandered over to our booth, I proudly told them the MEC is a local
grassroots resource center in Ukiah that provides support to activists and
groups working for social and environmental justice in Mendocino County.
That we operate a Low-Power FM radio station at our Standley Street
storefront, provide a monthly newsletter to amplify the work of local
organizations, and offer meeting space and outreach support for local
organizing efforts. And isn’t that what really changes the world, local
people joining together to build grassroots movements?"

The Mendocino Environmental Center, thanks to Bales, has been reduced to
two board members, no money, no mention of a determined volunteer pool to
work towards the MEC's mission, no short or long range plans for the MEC,
and 'rents' its space from BOS John McCowen while "offering the space" as a
meeting room for local groups.  One has to ask:  what have the MEC
volunteers actually* changed in the world. * How many people have had their
lives directly made better through the MEC. And, what real tangible
resources for Mendocino residents does the MEC have in place under outgoing
"prez" Alicia Bales?  Mostly, there are poorly made signs cluttering the
space McCowen owns. Easy peasy. Simple.  Nothing.

About the low-power radio station:  My national news and public affairs
program was removed from the program schedule by Sid Cooperrider, *a very
close personal friend of Bales*. Cooperrider is such a close a friend that
he didn't bother to tell Ms. Bales that he unilaterally decided to remove a
well-received program.  Cooperrider was/is not a board member and he purged
my program (without board knowledge) that he himself quit two years ago. He
quit the program out of anger because he thought he should be paid.  NO ONE
is paid at the MEC.  NO ONE.  So, my well-received program was removed by
Cooperrider with Bales approval and support.

BTW an interesting link:
https://mugshots.com/US-Counties/California/Mendocino-County-CA/Sidney-Allen-Cooperrider.70785291.html
.

If the MEC is to survive, and I hope it does, there needs to be a clean
sweep of the gatekeepers that have been around for years.

The MEC needs to:

recruit volunteers who are truly open to the ideas and needs of ALL
community members
actively fund raise and not just bang pots on the court house steps
recruit viable board members who have non-profit management experience
develop the radio station into a real voice for the county with programs of
real content and substance.  Foregoing the self-interest and ego boosting
playlists.

Mary Massey
Ukiah, CA
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