April 2, 2007

PUBLIC RADIO IN MID-AMERICA (PRIMA)

Board Conference Call
April 2, 2007
2:30 ET

Minutes

Present: Patty Wente,  KWMU (President); Cleve Callison, WMUB (Vice-President); Christina Kuzmych, WFIU (Secretary); Tim Eby, (WOSU) (Past President), Al Bartholet, WKSU (Board Member No. 1); Jon Schwartz, Wyoming Public Radio, (Board Member No. 3); Dorie Vallillo, WIUM (Treasurer), Dan Skinner, Texas Public Radio, (Board Member No. 2); Rachel Augustine, Assistant to President; John Crigler, Guest

I. Meeting began at 2:30 E.T.

II. The Chartock Resolution

Alan sent out e-mail to A-Reps proposing two resolutions to be presented at Membership meeting in Washington. 1) Perform a national search for President, 2) Resolve membership make-up of NPR Board.  Tim Eby was on the call and clarified a few points.  1)  Ken Stern was not a temporary hire. 2) A consultant was hired by NPR o assess the optimal make-up of the NPR Board and recommend directions.  Report should be finished in time for May meeting.  The consultation is going through the through the Governance Committee – Rob Gordon is the point person.  Is there a move to decrease station membership on Board?  Tim Eby:  All options are being considered.  Any change in Board constituency would require a membership vote.
Will there be a quorum at the NPR Business meeting?  Tim Eby:  There is a small chance that there will be a quorum to pass resolutions.

III.  PRIMA meeting in D.C. 

PRIMA will meet at 1:30, even though many members may not be able to attend.

IV. SRG Filing

Should PRIMA join other member organizations asking the FCC to cap at 10 the number of applications any one applicant can submit in NCE October window? The draft letter from John Crigler was read.   John Crigler joined the conversation.  If we bump the number up,  we’ll need to go back out to other signatories for consensus.  The number we agree on may affect several stations. Wyoming Public Radio, for example, may file more than 10 applications.  What is the timetable for filing this?  John Crigler, there’s no absolute deadline, however, it’s best to move this process along.  We know that the window is going to open in October

RESOLUTION: Motion to cap at 15 the number of applications any one applicant can submit made by Cleve Callison.
Seconded by Jon Schwartz.
Unanimously passed.
Tim Eby recused himself as Chair of the NPR Board.

VI. Other
Hotel bill from hotel in Austin still hasn’t arrived.

Report from Ohio Legislature hearings.  One legislator was getting concerned about “commercialism” on public radio.  This was referring to underwriting messages.

NPR Board:  Tim Eby invited all to come to D.C. to help chart new directions.

 VII. Meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m. E.T.

Respectfully submitted,
Christina Kuzmych, Secretary

 

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