[Kzyxtalk] Last Chance to Join/Renew at KZYX&Z, Be Eligible to Vote/Run in Spring Board Election

[Dennis OBrien]

This Wednesday, December31, is the deadline for becoming a member of KZYX&Z and being eligible tovote and/or run in next spring’s election for the board of directors.  Many of us believe that new directors must beelected in order to bring about essential changes.  Doug McKenty and I have committed to running forthe At-Large and Fifth District seats, respectively.  We are now looking for a candidate from theSecond District, mainly the city of Ukiah.  Members have until January 30 to decide if they want to run.
 The last post, a legal/policy analysis, promptedsuggestions that the changes be specified, with fewer words.  Thus the following: Proposed Policy Changesfor Mendocino County Public Broadcasting, aka KZYX&Z Programming: A ProgramAdvisory Council will be established, as required by the attached policyadopted by the Board of Directors in December 2008.  Programmers will be provided adequateresources and support, with the least possible restrictions on freedom ofexpression, in order to maximize their creative energies.  There will be freedom of communication betweenand among the Programmers, Staff, Management, Directors, Members, and the Public. Personnel: Authority forhiring and firing will be returned to the Board of Directors, as it was until2006.  The News Director will be afull-time position, independent of editorial control by Management.  Any disciplinary action can be appealed to theBoard of Directors.  No one will be disciplinedfor expressing their opinion about the organization, though legal restrictionsconcerning offensive language and defamation of character will still apply. Community Outreach: TheGeneral Manager, Program Director, News Director, and Station Engineer willattend all Board meetings.  The Board andStaff will respond to questions and comments as time permits.  The audio/video file of any meetings and/oroutreach events will be posted on the website.  The Community Advisory Board will bereconstituted so that it is independent and reflects the diversity of the listeningcommunity, with regular meetings that are open to the Public. Members: Allow anyMember to inspect and copy any and all records of MCPB/KZYX, other thanconfidential personnel records.  Sendwritten notice of the annual Membership Meeting to all Members with theirballot.  Allow Members to put a Bylawamendment on the annual ballot if they obtain the signatures of at least fivepercent (5%) of the Membership on a petition in support of the proposedamendment. Directors: All policydecisions will be made by the Board of Directors.  Directors will be given access to any and allinformation and documents.  The duty ofeach director to oversee and evaluate the operations of the organization will notbe restricted. All of these policychanges can be made by the Board of Directors. However, any of them could also be submitted to the Members for a voteas a bylaw amendment, which would bind any future boards if adopted. Attached are the currentbylaws and policies of MCPB/KZYX, along with the lengthier legal/policyanalysis previously posted.  They and the proposed changes are the basis of future discussion.

Anyone interested in supportingthese changes and/or running for a seat on the Board must be a member byDecember 31.  Simple living membershipsof $25 per year are still available, even though they are not publicized.  The quickest way to join is by using thewebsite donation page: http://kzyx.org/index.php/donate-or-join “MCPB is amembership-based organization dedicated to serving the entire community ofMendocino County and contiguous counties. The primary purpose of MCPB is toengage in providing high-quality, independent, community and public radio andother media products and services.”  That is our mission, as stated in our bylaws 25 years ago.  A membership nonprofit that operates a publiccommunity radio station with taxpayer money must be open and accessible.  Otherwise it will defeat the efforts ofgenerations who have sought to make the airwaves a resource for thepeople.  And it will fail.  Only by making essential changes canMCPB/KZYX achieve its best destiny, to be a shining city on the hill for acounty, and a nation, that so desperately need one. Dennis O’BrienDecember 2014
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/kzyxtalk/attachments/20141227/7156a189/attachment-0001.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: MCPB BYLAWS Adopted 12 July 1010.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 149708 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/kzyxtalk/attachments/20141227/7156a189/attachment-0007.pdf 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: handbook.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 227099 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/kzyxtalk/attachments/20141227/7156a189/attachment-0008.pdf 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: FINAL MCPB Programming Policy approved by Board on 09	December 2008 2006.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 435877 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/kzyxtalk/attachments/20141227/7156a189/attachment-0009.pdf 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: MCPB Policies & Procedures Manual 1-10-2006.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 99243 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/kzyxtalk/attachments/20141227/7156a189/attachment-0010.pdf 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: MCPB Elections Policy 11-14-2006.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 117810 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/kzyxtalk/attachments/20141227/7156a189/attachment-0011.pdf 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Personnel Policies 1995.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 121464 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/kzyxtalk/attachments/20141227/7156a189/attachment-0012.pdf 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: FinancialPolicies.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 202258 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/kzyxtalk/attachments/20141227/7156a189/attachment-0013.pdf 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Legal-Policy Analysis.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 55296 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/kzyxtalk/attachments/20141227/7156a189/attachment-0001.doc