WRFI Board Meeting Minutes 7-9-24

WRFI Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

Tuesday July 9, 2024 

Notes by Robin Elliott

In attendance:

Peter Bakija

Joseph Haefeli

Corinne Shanahan

Joe Romano

Talaya Centeno

John Young

Robin Elliott

Amie Herman

Mike Cook

Felix Teitelbaum

Agenda Begins

6:05 Call to Order.

6:10: Consent Agenda.

ICR BOD Minutes June 2024.docx

Peter moves to approve; Amie seconds. 8 in favor, the motion is approved.

6:15: Succession Planning.

Felix went over the main points of the succession proposal.

We discussed the financial risks of this plan, as well as the opportunities for growth. We will have to use a portion of our reserves to hire the ED role. Ultimately this is our best foot forward for fiscal health and to resolve staff burnout.

We will prepare a press release to announce this exciting transition for the station; pitch this as a next growth step for us after expanding the station’s listening reach. We could reach out to public relations contacts for advice on this draft.

The ED job description should be tailored more to a person with deep development experience.

The Personnel Committee will refine the job description next. 

A hiring committee needs to be established. Amie, Joe, Corinne, Robin, (and probably others) are interested.

Felix commits to take some time off as part of this plan.

-Financial Considerations.

Discussion about the pay rate of the ED position; the group reviewed Human Services Coalition (Tompkins County) 2022 Compensation Survey results and NRB survey figures for reference.

Places to post the position: HSC listserv, NRB, Idealist…

We are removing the background check language from the ED job description. We will require references.

PROPOSED: ICR Executive Director Job Description

-Staffing Decisions.

-Operational Continuity.

• The Committee left Executive Session at this point. -

ED Report

WINO status: Felix will call WXXI to make them an offer to lend the use of WINO’s frequency.

Programming: Felix is reaching out to a local music journalist to potentially come on as a host or to do other programming. We have added a few new hosts as well.

Gear: early rebuild work of the ecovillage tower is complete. The rest will happen in August.

Felix is sharing a “gear project” document to the board clarifying the status and location of these projects.

Soundliner: still in Felix’s driveway. Storyhouse may be interested in collaborating / utilizing it in partnership.

Board meeting adjourned at 8:01 pm.