COUNCIL OF CHAIRS -- Revised Memo 4/5/97 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

RECOMMENDATIONS

1) The Council is very pleased to have the opportunity, through the Council of Chairs and stronger focus on local programming, to participate in a more formal and structured involvement with Pacifica. The Council of Chairs appreciates the effort to include us formally in the ongoing efforts to improve Pacifica programming, and looks forward to having a real role in shaping the discussion.

• We will be holding regular conference calls sometime before each Board meeting, and more often if we think there are issues that must be discussed.
• We look forward to having the Chair of the LAB in the town in which each Board meeting occurs represent the Council of Chairs and being given time to report our concerns to the Board.

We welcome the raised level of importance and visibility being given to the Council of Chairs, both to encourage discussion among ourselves and to engage in dialog with the Governing Board. However, the communications process needs great improvement. It is crucial that communications be improved in both directions -- from the Governing Board and the National Office to the LABs, and from the LABs back to the national bodies.  It is unacceptable to be sent materials supposedly speaking on our behalf or advising us what to say, but in which we actually had no such input (such as the Glass/Bunce memo.) Instead, to support an improved climate, we expect national staff and board members to speak with us directly and relevant issues and positions before they are presented or circulated -- both inside and outside the organization -- so they honestly reflect our positions.

2) The Council is pleased with the provisions that LAB responsibilities specify a clear focus on programming including :

• Reviewing the programming goals established by each station
• Advising the Governing Board on how each station is meeting these goals.

At the same time, it would be extremely valuable to provide the LABs with training on how to meet these goals and develop some guidelines which would help the LABs implement an assessment locally. The LABs would like to work with the Governing Board to devise and adopt a set of suggested procedures which can be used with some consistency between stations. [Discussing suggested criteria and procedures for how we might conduct a program review will be on our agenda for the next Council of Chairs conference call.]

3) The Council strongly urges the Board to let stand the existing policy which allows limited representation of station personnel to serve on the LAB. The Council of Chairs UNANIMOUSLY rejects the prohibition of station personnel on the LABs because "their presence is a useful and valuable service." If CPB should issue guidelines about this issue, the position can be reviewed at that time.

4) The Council recommends that the Governing Board devote one meeting a year to an annual program review, just as it now conducts an annual financial review. This will allow each LAB to present its report to the Governing Board on a regular basis.

• Since the LABs are being asked to conduct an annual local program review, we expect this review to provide the central basis for framing the Governing Board deliberations of programming issues in the context of programming plans presented by each station.
• We will work closely with the Governing Board to create an appropriate format for how best to present and discuss our assessment as part of the regular open meeting process.

5) Since the LAB will be undertaking an annual local programming assessment for the Governing Board, we also recommend that this same report be presented to our local stations on an annual basis. This should be part of the charge to the LAB. [Discussing different methods which we might use for making a report to the community will be on our agenda for the next Council of Chairs conference call.]

6) The Council is not opposed to the mandate to participate in fundraising, but it cannot be the first point in the "Position Description." It belongs further down as point 7 or 8.

7) It is misleading and dishonest for Pacifica to infer that fundraising by LAB members is required by federal mandate. In the first paragraph of the BACKGROUND section, the Working Document states "...that Federal Law ...mandates that a LAB carry out support...including raising money..." This is simply wrong. The law says nothing about the LAB being required to raise money, and Pacifica should make it clear that this is its own mandate for the LABs.

8) There is real concern that the LAB be permitted to maintain some fiscal oversight and participation in reviewing station finances and budgets. While creating a Finance Committee is not prohibited in the new structure, it is not specifically mentioned as a Standing Committee. The Council would like to maintain a Finance Committee as a standing committee in light of how important they are in developing station budgets and monitoring local fiscal activity.

9) The Council believes there is too much staff influence outlined in the process for nominating the representative from the signal area. The Council thinks there is a strong potential for conflict of interest if the Station Manager and the National Development Director are both be [sic] involved with selecting nominees, and that this process is better managed by LAB and Governing Board Members themselves.

10) The Council urges the Governing Board to adopt reasonable guidelines and procedures for putting these changes in place.

• Policy positions are not sufficient to change the bylaws. Some of these changes cannot be implemented legally without following the process specified on the Bylaws to amend them, and these have not yet been followed.
• This includes adequate lead time for language to be circulated and for local discussion and comments.
• There are no procedures for reconciling these changes with Local Bylaws, which are the governing rules by which the LABs now operate. There should be a formal process for review which includes the Council of Chairs.

respectfully submitted by N. Rubin

Council of Chairs - Revised Memo 4/5/97