WRFI Board Meeting Minutes — August 2020

By WRFI Board Recorder | September 8, 2020

WRFI Board Meeting Minutes — August 11, 2020, 6-8pm

 

Present:

Joseph Haefeli

Felix Teitelbaum

John Young

Carlos Gutierrez

Chantal Thomas

Pamela Tan

Absent:

Joe Romano

Godfrey Simmons

Stephen Cope

 

Anti-Racism Training:

  • Godfrey will follow up with facilitators
  • Felix attending Building Resilience: Diversity & Inclusion: The Leadership Level webinar

ICI issue: Felix and John took discussed this off-line.

Officers and Minutes:

  • Pamela volunteered to serve as Secretary and take minutes at meetings that could be shared with the WRFI community; JY motioned to vote, CG second. AYES from all present and via remote vote from GS and JR.

Assistant General Manager search is in the final stage

Quiet drive letter to donors and listeners: Felix planning to send soon, looking for feedback

 

Felix’s Proposal for Radio Makers of Color projects:

  • Felix planning an experiment that will give us a chance to try out inviting people back to the station and simultaneously create opportunities to highlight and prioritize BIPOC voices at WRFI.
  • WRFI alumna and WSKG reporter Celia Clarke has agreed to host a series of workshops at WRFI for radiomakers of color with the intention of creating a radio/podcast series. The likely subject will be the research of Professor Gerard Aching and students into local Underground Railroad sites and history.
  • Funding can likely be found in the Spring through the Society for the Humanities Rural Black Lives initiative.
  • A group of 4 or 5 participants will be selected from Cornell, Ithaca College, and community sources. Activities at the station will follow strict social distancing and hygiene protocols and will provide an opportunity to try out a partial reopening of the station.
  • Interest in developing a club, committee or other group of some kind of broadcasters of color at the station. Roles could include supplying mutual support, program collaboration, mentoring, and/or identifying station needs re: BIPOC access and participation.

Studio Reopening:

  • Studio first phase of reopening could be focused on the Radio Makers of Color project
  • Felix will reach out to the Health Department who can review our plan and space.
  • Reopening for staff (essential workers) different from reopening for volunteers
  • Felix will also reach out to the landlord of the studio.
  • Felix and Carlos will work together on policies and procedures.

 

PPP Forgiveness: $13,000.

Funding sources:

  • Community Foundation: opportunity to partner, esp. with COVID-relief.
  • Michayla/News Team also interested in grant writing that may assist the news; should be run by Felix and the Board before proceeding.

 

Future Agenda Items:

  • Approve minutes from July and August meetings
  • Determine how/if to share outcomes of the Board meetings with WRFI volunteers.
Posted in ICR Board Meeting Minutes