ECAT Channel 5 Board Meeting 25 April 07

ECAT Channel 5 Board Meeting

April 25, 2007 Minutes

Present: Jennifer Delozier, Nancy DiRocco, Robert Schwobe, Rebecca Rideout

Greg Franceschi, Brian Oelberg


Agenda:

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Nonprofit status: ByLaws and Articles of Incorporation
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ByLaws read-through - 2nd draft


Updates:


City councilor Dan Rist and Rules Committee received a draft of the Articles of Incorporation and ByLaws. Next step is incorporation with the Sec. of State, apparently no need for a city council vote, but that needs to be verified, conferring with city lawyer.


Lawyer: we haven't been able to find pro bono help from an attorney, but are continuing to investigate some possibilities: Al Chamberlain on Arthur Street; the city attorney; a lawyer from Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts www.vlama.org/ , Hampshire County Bar Association. Mass Lawyers Guild asks $500-$3000.


Southampton update from Bob: city officials are waiting to hear back from Charter...they are interested but don't have enough information yet.


Library update: library participates in city health care plan, but also receives funding from the city. Rist is investigating legality of this with city attorney, we are looking at other nonprofit stations to see if this model is being used elsewhere. Library currently pays 70%, employee pays 30%.



BYLAWS 2nd draft


Art. 4.1 affiliated with businesses

Art. 4.3 Annual membership (rolling or on a set date, or 1 year from date of enrollment)


Art. 5 Board of Directors

Art. 5.2 [members may be appointed] instead of [members appointed]

Art. 5.6 Strike [whose membership has lapsed]


Art. 6.4 [adopted by the board; serve as the primary]


Article VII Officers: Mass. State law requires VP, treasurer, clerk.

ECAT: President, VP, Treasurer, Clerk.


Art. 7.2 Annual meeting: based on date of incorporation, but not in the summer, preferably.


Art. 7C Funding: "1st annual payment within 90 days"

Current Budget: July 1 - June 30.


Art. 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8 Committees

Board members must be on a committee. One board member necessary on a committee, except fundraising (2 or 3) and nominating committee (2) This will mean that the board members will each need to be on 3 committees.


Art. 9 personally or personal1y?


Vote taken on Nonprofit officers: Motion to accept officers as Treasurer/Clerk/VP/President. Vote passes unanimously. Discussion of whether officers are elected before or after incorporation. Are elected officers required to complete articles of incorporation/bylaws?



Headsets: we are comparing prices on new headsets. Proprietary xlr connection requires replacing entire system, but it may be possible to buy a new headset to keep existing system working until we move. Some functional problems with headsets but system needs to troubleshooting to identify which/where the problems are.


Monday night: Mr. Whalen's Jazz Club.


Princeton Server Group update: new offer will get us the B3400 server instead of the B1400 (bigger number = better) at same price. We are still in process of acquiring multiple quotes for the Mayor to approve purchase.


Alliance for Community Media and stopping the Verizon Bill:


Discussion of pending legislation and what it means for cable access. Info is now on website, including links to the bill, reasons to oppose it, two petitions to sign, and a sample letter courtesy of Rebecca, to send to legislators.


Mayor is aware of and opposed to bill, wrote a letter about a year ago. Maybe we could send him and City council the info again, and ask for a city resolution against the bill? Statehouse hearing is on June 5 at 10am.


Request from Alliance for Community Media http://www.ourchannels.org

for help in funding a state lobbyist position, request is for $500-600 based on size of station.


Motion is made for $500 + membership fees to join ACM. Seconded and passes unanimously.




Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 23 6 – 8 pm.