5/29/19 Membership Board Meeting Agenda

MENDOCINO COUNTY PUBLIC BROADCASTING

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

MAY 29, 2019 - 5:15 PM

FORT BRAGG SENIOR CENTER

AGENDA

A.   CALL TO ORDER                                                            5:15

B.   AGENDA APPROVAL                                                      5:15

C.   APPROVAL OF MINUTES – APRIL 24, 2019                           5:20

D.   BOARD PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS                               5:25

E.  GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT                                   5:30

F.  COMMITTEE REPORTS

1.  Finance Committee  Dir. Bushansky                          6:00

2.  Membership/Fundraising – Dir. Dow                          6:10

3.  Planning – Dir. Hulse-Stephens                                  6:15

4.  Programming/Publicity – Dir. Karp                             6:25

5.  CAB – Dir. Middlebrook                                               6:30

6.  Bylaws and Policies – Dir. Polkinghorne                   6:35

G.   COMMENTS FROM DIRECTORS                                    6:40

H.   PUBLIC EXPRESSON                                                     6:45

I.     CLOSED SESSION: Personnel or Legal matters

J.   ANNOUNCEMENT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION

K.   NEXT MEETING: June 26 in Ukiah

L.   ADJUOUNRNMENT                                                         7:00-7:15

KZYX General Manager’s Report

May 2019

Program Director:After re-writing the job posting to include journalism background and leadership skills, we relaunched the PD search with a deadline of May 23. The committee includes Tom, Rich and me; Jake and Renee will sit in on interviews, which we hope to complete as soon as possible. All the best to Alice, whose last day was Friday, May 24. Tom and I conducted an exit interview with her before her departure.

Fundraising Drive, June 6-15:$75K is our goal. We hired Christina Giannelli to help with preparation, including lining up food and helping to fill the phone schedule. Renee sent out silent drive letters several weeks ago, and as of  we’ve had a return of . Jake has handled the PD duties that Alice couldn’t cover before her departure, including contacting programmers who will be on during the drive, lining up pitchers and so on. Premiums in the pipeline. If you haven’t already signed up, it would be great if you could spare a couple of hours once or twice during the drive to help out. The Board could also consider pooling money for a board challenge.

Website:I solicited a proposal to upgrade KZYX.org, using the current NPR template but enhancing graphic design and reorganizing to make it more accessible, informative and attractive. Estimated cost is $1500-2500.

NFCB Conference:Renee, Tom, Rich and I will attend the NFCB Conference in San Diego, June 18-21. Tom and I will participate in a pre-conference session focusing on major gifts and revenue planning.

Philo studios:We had to replace the entire HVAC system this month, including ducting. It cost around $9K and was done very efficiently by Comfort Air out of Ukiah. Also, Rich and Jake cleaned out the caboose, and have another two loads of stuff that should go to the landfill this week. (We plan to get rid of the truck when the registration expires on June 1.) Some of the grass has been weed-whacked per fire code, but we still could use some help with that. 

Getting to know you: In the past month, besides meeting programmers, I attended a Mendocino Foundation event, Karen Rifkin interviewed me for an article in the Ukiah Daily Journal, I attended a BBQ at the AV Elder Homes benefit on Memorial Day at the invitation of Jill Hannum, and Rich and I hosted The Discussion. I’m set to meet with former program director Mary Aigner next week, and in general I’ve been trying to get context and perspective on the station and community as I introduce myself. Looking forward to seeing you all again at the board meeting in Fort Bragg.

Marty Durlin

MCPB Vision 

May 2019

KZYX is dedicated to entertaining, informing and educating a wide diversity of Mendocino County constituencies with professional-quality and unique news, music, and public affairs programming.

DRAFT

3-5 Year Aspirational Goals for MCPB / KZYX

March 2019

·     Make and Keep KZYX Solvent / Improve our fundraising

o   3-5 year GOALS:

§ >$750,000/yr budget.*  If we get Lake county, >$800,000/yr budget*

o   Improve Underwriting Sales

§ Create new internal underwriting processes

§  Hire 2 productive underwriting staff – one inland and one on coast

§ Train & support underwriting staff

§ Help underwriters keep KZYX in mind throughout the year

o   Increase Membership (see below)

o   Pursue large donations

o    Pursue grants – research and apply to as many as we can find

·     Move Station to Ukiah (or Willits)

o   3-5 year GOALS

§ Assure station’s signal gets out of station (within 3 years or so our Philo signal to our towers will be blocked by growing trees we’re not allowed to cut down.)

§ Increase ease of getting programmers and volunteers

§ Have a more emergency proof building (ability to stay on the air throughout emergencies)

§ Have modern and redundant broadcast equipment

o   Capital Campaign for move to Ukiah

§ ??? $200,000 to refurbish new space in Ukiah (assuming rental space) 

§ ??? $500,000 for new studio and operating equipment

·     Increase Listenership and Membership

o   Promote the station

§ Increase podcasts and social media

§ Improve web site

§ Use direct mailing to non-members (so many don’t know we exist)

§ Send quarterly email newsletter to keep us top-of-mind for members & underwriters

§ Outreach to various communities and demographics: events, programs, and local news (be more inclusive)

o   Broaden our broadcast footprint

§ Improve Mendocino County reception where needed

§ Add reception to most of Lake County

o   Do more local news. 

§ Goal: Increased broadcast time (from 8.5 minutes to 15 minutes/day,then 30 minutes per day)    (to keep members)

§ Hire more news staff

·     Improve Operations and Processes 

o    Revise mission statement, bylaws and policies

o   Create an HR and operations manual

§ Record information and processes

§ Systematize processes as much as possible 

o   Hire a half-time certified engineer for operations

o   Create a digital library of our CDs & records

o    Improve accounting process

o    Fuller use of membership software, e.g., emailing monthly newsletters to members

o   Assure staff know and follow FCC, NPR and California rules and regs.

o   Reduce staff burnout 

§ Hire at least one more half-time utility staff person

·     Collaborate with local and state emergency services 

o   Goals:

§ Reduce cost of rent of CalFire/Forest Service towers

§ In return air general emergency safety information throughout our broadcast days

§  Improve our equipment so it remains functional during emergencies.

o    Work with Sen. McGuire and others

o   Fix or replace station generator 

NEXT STEPS: Prioritizeand Create Action Plans

Create action plans (specific goal(s), who takes responsibility, funds needed, completion date)

To expand this to a full strategic plan with some teeth, we will want to prioritize what to work on and develop step-by-step action plans for the fulfillment of those bullet points. The process by which we do this should include staff, board, programmers, and community.