[Kzyxtalk] Fwd: [KZYX-Board]- Questions for pledge drives

[sako4 at comcast.net]

Subject: Re: [KZYX-Board]- Questions for pledge drives 

Hi Board, 

In thinking about this subject of "questions to ask members during the Pledge Drive", I'd like us to consider my proposal to abolish all salaried positions, and to instead invest the money in hiring a really capable chief engineer for MCPB and to also invest in buying new broadcast equipment. 

Lately, our signal is down a lot. This is unacceptable. Totally unacceptable. We're in the radio business. We're not a jobs program for otherwise unemployable people. 

With the money that's left over after hiring a station chief engineer and buying new equipment, I'd like to see us open a Ukiah studio. To that end, I think we can be cost-effective by partnering with KMEC Radio, despite what Coate says to the contrary. 

Going forward, with that pot of money formerly budgeted for salaries, I'd like to see all volunteers who so desire to be reimbursed for their time. This would include the station's programmers. 

Ask the membership what they think during this Pledge Drive. It's their station. We're just the caretakers. 

I also think the subject of Dennis O'Brien proposed ""sunshine policy" is a fertile area for questions. Please refer to Mr. O'Brien's email below. I am not alone in observing that MCPB gets low marks for full disclosure, that we get low marks for transparency and accountability. 

Thank you. 

John Sakowicz 
MCPB Board (2013-2016), Board Treasurer (2014) 

from Dennis O'Brien: 

"Norm De Vall has suggested that building trust is essential for any candidate in this election. I believe it is also important for KZYX itself, and that it can start with a sunshine policy. 
"I attended my first annual membership meeting in 2013. All comments were deferred till the “Members’ Comments” item on the agenda. At that time, a man stood up and asked, “Could you please give us an update on the Ukiah studio?” He left the remainder of his three minutes for the board and management to respond. Instead, the chair announced that, although comments would be allowed, there would be no responses. That was the moment I realized that there was something essentially wrong in the way the station was being run. 
"decision to withhold information remains the policy of the current board, which has announced that its role is to support and protect the management of MCPB/KZYX. The policy has continued through this month’s board meeting in Fort Bragg. At first the board would not allow any comments on items on the agenda, and comments on items not on the agenda were deferred till near the end of the meeting. It took a revolt be the membership present and a switch by three of the board members to change the policy and allow comments and questions about items on the agenda. 
"Even then, the board limited how much information it would share. Most people seemed interested in the salaries paid to management and staff, yet the board would only reveal that the General Manager was paid $54,000 for the year ending June 30, 2013, as reported on the tax return for that fiscal year. Disclosure of the returns is required by the FCC/CPB. However, they would not reveal any information from the 2014 fiscal year tax return, even though the General Manager confirmed it was recently filed. I have submitted a written request for the return, as is any member’s legal right. Both the General Manager and the board have refused to release it. 
"The current policy is that information will be disclosed only if it is required, and even that is being ignored. We must reverse that. All information must be shared unless its confidentiality is specifically protected by the law. Adopting such a sunshine policy may be the most important single change that KZYX can make. For it is only by having all relevant information that the members and the public can make informed decisions about their public community radio station. Conversely, keeping information secret results in an improper concentration of power, less essential feedback, and bad decisions. It is the first policy I would change as a director." 



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