Between the Minutes

by Daniel Borgström

January 2009

There's an authoritarian left, and there's a democratic left. KPFA's Local Station Board is where the twain meet, but not always in good faith.

For the democratic left at KPFA, public board meetings have been an essential part of the hope for transparency and accountability. These meetings were held monthly, but that has now changed. Only 7 meetings will be held in 2009.

That decision was a significant blow to listener and staff participation in KPFA governance, especially in the wake of the management take-over or elimination of 3 other by-law-mandated routes for community input: the Program Council, the UnPaid Staff Organization, and the Community Advisory Board. The reduction of monthly board meetings was enacted at the January 10th meeting of the Local Station Board (LSB), held at the Humanist Hall in Oakland. But it wasn't the only strange item on the agenda of that meeting. There was also to be an "investigation" of a flyer written by Tracy Rosenberg, a prominent KPFA activist, board member, and whistleblower.

Tracy Rosenberg had offended the dominant faction of the board, the Concerned Listeners (CL), by criticizing their upcoming fundraiser. The Cl'ers had publicized the fundraiser as a benefit for their own slate, but when criticized claimed that was erroneous, and that the benefit was actually for KPFA itself. The benefit was canceled when confused performers pulled out due to the lack of clarity about the purpose of the benefit. This displeased the CL'ers, and so it looked like this board meeting of January 10th would be GET TRACY day. Another board member, Noelle Hanrahan, was also in the CL's crosshairs.

22 board members were present, 13 of them CL'ers & allies. The opposition was in the minority, only Tracy and 8 others. The CL'ers and opposition sat facing each other across a U-shaped configuration of tables, exchanging looks that were not always friendly.

The very first thing the CL'ers did, after the meeting was called to order, was to unseat board member Noelle Hanrahan on the "technicality" that since she had recently joined the KPFA staff, she could no longer be a listener rep. However, Pacifica by-laws do not support removal of a board member on those grounds; in fact, there've been at least two precedents to the contrary. So the technicality was invalid. But the CL unseated her anyway, over objections from the opposition. The CL'ers replaced Noelle with one of their own, John Van Eyck, who ran on the CL slate in the last election.

The next significant item on the agenda was public comment. In each meeting half an hour is set aside for the audience to speak from the floor. There was an audience of 25 or more observers--KPFA listeners and staff, nearly all of them there in support of Tracy. A dozen signed up to speak at the open mike; each got 3 minutes.

They spoke to express support for Tracy and castigate the CL for its scheduled investigation, or voice dissatisfaction with the management and the way the station was being run. Nick Alexander, a KPFA staff person, criticized the management's de-recognition of the UnPaid Staff Organization (UPSO).

Several speakers expressed support for Nadra Foster, the KPFA staff person who was arrested inside the radio station last August; Nadra still faces criminal charges in Alameda County Court. Her arm was so badly injured in the arrest that she is also awaiting at least one operation to recover use of it. Many of the staff were outraged that KPFA management brought police into the station, but the CL is backing the management on that issue--as they do in everything. A leading CL'er, Sherry Gendelman, has said she tipped her hat to KPFA management for calling the police on Foster.

There are also people who don't support Nadra but nevertheless feel that management handling of the situation showed an arrogance and incompetence which shows itself in other matters as well. If Nadra had been dealt with properly in the first place, the entire incident could have been obviated with no resultant schism between staff and management. It was a case of over-reaction as well as a lack of communication.

Most speakers commented on several matters. One woman pointed out that the CL didn't need to hold benefits to raise money; they had two millionaires sitting right there on the board who could fund their slate. She also criticized the fact that with Pacifica facing the worst crisis in its history, they would waste time holding an investigation. Another listener thanked the opposition members for continuing to be there, for persisting through these difficult times.

Max Blanchet, a former LSB member, pointed out that he and others have devoted years of their lives and put an enormous amount of work into building KPFA/Pacifica. He criticized policies of the current management. Apprenticeship Director Rainjita Yang-Geesler reproached the board for "trying to unseat people," and Lisa Dettner, part of the Women's Magazine Collective, also spoke in support of Tracy.

Other speakers included Nicole Milner, Richard Phelps, and Stan Woods. Former Pacifica election supervisor Les Radke said, "Anyone who investigates someone for free speech should be removed from this board."

Each of the speakers was warmly applauded by the rest of the audience--all except for Jim Weber. Jim is the CL's ever-present, unfailing mass audience of one. He praised the CL'ers and harshly denounced their critics. "Let's call it what it is," Jim said, "revolutionary fascism." Jim received no applause.

It must be lonely and dispiriting for the CL'ers who sit on the board month after month, in front of an adversely critical audience, especially one so well informed. That's perhaps why they decided to stop holding monthly meetings. Partly, at least. Another important reason may be the fact that KPFA/Pacific is now in a serious financial crisis. How is this to be handled and resolved? Not in open monthly meetings, apparently. The CL undoubtedly feels that the less transparency the better, particularly at a time like this.

The first item of business following comments from the public was not the investigation. It was the meeting schedule for 2009. The motion was made to end monthly meetings and meet only every other month.

The non-CL members of the board opposed that motion. Monthly meetings were necessary, they felt. "We're not ahead in our work, we're behind in our work," Tracy pointed out.

But that didn't seem to concern the CL'ers. A roll call was taken, with the CL'ers & allies all voting yes, and the opposition all voting no. CL'ers were in the majority and had their way. Monthly meetings are done with, and the next meeting won't be till March.

Interestingly, the public investigation of Tracy's flyer was put aside, left to be dealt with in executive session after the open meeting. Presumably the CL'ers had at this point concluded that the topic was not something they wanted to deal with, at least not in front of a less-than-supportive audience. What happened in that closed session has not been revealed.

This board meeting of Saturday, January 10th offered a pretty good look at the CL'ers in action. They call themselves the "Concerned Listeners," and, as candidates during board elections, they had promised to end strife and promote more amicable working relationships on the board. But in practice they've done precisely the opposite, and their real function has been to shield the less-than-competent KPFA management clique from scrutiny and accountability.

The ongoing struggle at KPFA has been between the authoritarian top-down left who operate in secrecy and the democratic left who want transparency and accountability.

Daniel Borgström

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ALSO PLEASE SEE:

Casey Peters, the 2007 national election supervisor, has published his report and an appendix including local election supervisor reports:

http://www.pacificaelections.net/

KPFA Election Violated Rules and Bylaws by The Committee on Fair Elections (01-11-08)

http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/article.cfm?issue=01-11-08&storyID=28910

******

& please note --

THE COALITION FOR A DEMOCRATIC PACIFICA (CDP)

is back by popular demand

to host a series of meetings to consider many critical issues facing

KPFA and The PACIFICA Network:

financial, programming, management & more.

First meeting:

Monday, February 9, 2009, 7:00 pm

Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists

[Corner of Cedar & Bonita, Berkeley]

Wheelchair Accessible

Refreshments

Next meeting:

Monday, April 20, 7:00 pm, BFUU, Cedar and Bonita

For more info: 510-644-1937

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Responses and comments on "Between the Minutes"

FROM LES RADKE

One addition to the minutes relates to the reason CL stated that LSB meetings
should only be held every 2 months. Warren Marr gave the only reason for the
cessation of LSB meetings - he stated that the LSB members needed more time to
activate the KPFA committee structure.

As this is the only reason that I can
recall was given for the change, I would
like to know:

1) What committees is Warren activating? I've seen no meeting schedule,
and can't find one on the LSB site.
2) What committees are the folks who voted for the proposal activating? What
committees are they on? I can't find any information on this.
3) How are they notifying folks about the work of the committees?
4) Or was this a vote pure and simple to dismantle KPFA?

Les

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FROM TRACY ROSENBERG--(responding to Les Radke):

1) What committees is Warren activating? I've seen no meeting
schedule, and can't find one on the LSB site.

I'm on the LSB and I don't have a meeting schedule! Warren isn't
activating any committees and there is no schedule. The only
committees I'm aware of meeting this year were GM Hire until Nicole
asked it to commit suicide, governance which met 3 times with BET,
Lewis, Anthony and me and I am responsible for activating it and
personnel which is being activated by Chandra. I believe Warren's only
committee responsibilities were as an LSB rep to the program council.

2) What committees are the folks who voted for the proposal
activating? What committees are they on? I can't find any information
on this.

Neither can we and any they were on expire this month and we won't
make new assignments to March. The only one currently meeting is
personnel, Warren isn't on it nor is his wife - and governance may
meet if I make an effort.

3) How are they notifying folks about the work of the committees?

They aren't. Nobody has a clue and they haven't done much anyhow.
Governance had the LSB fill out a self-evaluation questionnaire.
Personnel is trying to do a GM evaluation six months late. GM Hire
disassembled itself in the hope Nicole was trying to do something
helpful.

4) Or was this a vote pure and simple to dismantle KPFA?

It's a go at the LSB now that program council and UPSO are flattened.

I hear however they may have lost Dan Siegel today in Los Angeles, and
that will be a problem for them ....

-Trace

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FROM MICHEL COHEN:

Thanx for this report. If I can be of any help, please let me know.

I have a couple of questions:


>These meetings were held monthly, but that has now changed. Only
>7 meetings will be held in 2009. <

A motion to change an already-passed item needs to be properly noticed, with specific directions for doing so in Roberts Rules. Was this done?

>The opposition was in the minority, only Tracy and 8 others. The
>CL'ers and opposition sat facing each other across a U-shaped
>configuration of tables, exchanging looks that were not always friendly.<

Sounds like the WBAI LSB, with the JUC and the Indys.

>The very first thing the CL'ers did, after the meeting was called to

>order, was to unseat board member Noelle Hanrahan on the
>"technicality" that since she had recently joined the KPFA staff, she
>could no longer be a listener rep. However, Pacifica by-laws do not
>support removal of a board member on those grounds; in fact, there've
>been at least two precedents to the contrary. So the technicality was
>invalid. But the CL unseated her anyway, over objections from the
>opposition. The CL'ers replaced Noelle with one of their own, John
>Van Eyck, who ran on the CL slate in the last election. <

Noelle should refuse to leave the table, and continue participating as she is still on
the Board, whether the majority likes it or not. Let them call the cops on her, too!

Technically, if a person quits or is removed, the seat goes to the next highest
vote-getter from that category, in this case a listener. Was John Van Eyck the next in
line?

Also, to remove someone from the LSB requires a 2/3rds vote of the body.

And, also, the LSB is a COMMITTEE OF THE PNB. The PNB can overrule this. I hope they do so, this weekend.

>Interestingly, the public investigation of Tracy's flyer was put

>aside, left to be dealt with in executive session after the open
>meeting. Presumably the CL'ers had at this point concluded that the
>topic was not something they wanted to deal with, at least not in
>front of a less-than-supportive audience. What happened in that
>closed session has not been revealed. <

There is no basis for going into Executive Session, here. Also, Tracy could waive the
"secrecy" requirement if it's a personnel matter about her.

What a bunch of thugs. Very important: Don't give up!!!!!


Mitchel Cohen, member of the
Tracy Rosenberg - Noelle Hanrahan fan club! Wahoo!

Fulcrumsofchange mailing list

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FROM TERRY GOODMAN:

On Fri, 30 Jan 2009, Daniel Borgström wrote:

>The very first thing the CL'ers did, after the meeting was called to
>order, was to unseat board member Noelle Hanrahan on the
>"technicality" that since she had recently joined the KPFA staff, she
>could no longer be a listener rep. However, Pacifica by-laws do not
>support removal of a board member on those grounds; in fact, there've
>been at least two precedents to the contrary. So the technicality was
>invalid.

The technicality isn't invalid until the PNB interprets a bylaws
ambiguity on whether or not a change in membership category is a
disqualifying condition. The LSB must do its best to interpret the
ambiguity in the meantime, but this unseating, along with any prior
disqualifications using the same interpretation, may well be errors
that should be reversed by the PNB. Since the LSB's interpretation
would allow management to unseat any staff representative on the local
or national boards by firing them for a day and then rehiring them (or
to unseat any listener-sponsor representatives by hiring them for a
day and then firing them), my opinion is that the interpretation is
incorrect.

>But the CL unseated her anyway, over objections from the
>opposition. The CL'ers replaced Noelle with one of their own, John
>Van Eyck, who ran on the CL slate in the last election.

The replacement was automatic, based on the results of the previous
election, so it's not quite accurate to say that "The CL'ers replaced
Noelle with one of their own." John Van Eyck was presumably the
current first alternate and will return to that position if the LSB's
interpretation is ruled null and void. The LSB itself could rule its
action null and void if a member raises as a point of order the
existence of a continuing breach and the point is ruled well-taken.
KPFA station management could help the process along by announcing the
short-term hire of all the listener-sponsor representative Delegates,
making the LSB unable to achieve quorum except by changing its
interpretation; but management would probably prefer to keep its
newly-granted option to remove Delegates at will as a hole card for
use when a management evaluation is coming up. Under the Pacifica
Bylaws, when an actual disqualifying condition occurs, the Delegate is
considered to have resigned and his or her replacement is "automatic,"
except that somebody (presumably the Secretary) has to track down and
notify alternates in sequence to determine the highest ranked one who
is still available.

>The ongoing struggle at KPFA has been between the authoritarian
>top-down left who operate in secrecy and the democratic left who want
>transparency and accountability.

Though Daniel's reporting was certainly opinionated, I found it useful
and informative and I encourage him and any others who attend LSB
meetings to publish their impressions.

--Terry Goodman

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