Minutes
Western State Public Radio Annual Meeting

November 7, 2009, Seattle Washington

Attendees: Steve Barton, KLCC, Neil Best, KUNC, Jenny Gentry, CPR, Chris Hartig, Guam Public Radio, John Hess, Boise State Radio, Ron Kramer, Jefferson Public Radio, Dick Kunkel, KPBX, Frank Lanzone, KCBX, Tom Mara, KEXP, Carl Matthusen, KBAQ/KJZZ, Gregg Neilsen, KNHC, Wayne Roth, KUOW, Walter Rudolph, KBYU-FM, Jon Schwartz, Wyoming Public Radio, Paul Stankavich, KPLU, Beth Warren, Four Corners Public Radio, Jamie Waste, Alaska Public Broadcasting, Inc. Roger Johnson, Northwest Public Radio, Delanny Utterbech, KRCC, Karen Holp, KGOU.

I. 8:00 a.m. WSPR President Paul Stankavich called the meeting to order.

  II. Karen Holp called the role.

 III. WSPR treasurer’s report:  FY 2008 had a budget carryover of $13,135 and FY 2009 budget is projected to have a carryover of approximately $9,000.  Conference expenses were kept at approximately $20,000 this year, down from expenses incurred during the 2007 WSPR conference held in Los Angeles.

IV. President Stankavich called for the WSPR membership to contribute $100 towards a retirement gift for NPR’s past President, Kevin Klose.  The membership approved the expenditure.

 V. Presidents report: President Stankavich delivered his report. He mentioned his trips to NPR board meetings throughout the year representing the WSPR membership consulting with NPR via phone before the NPR board meeting.  These consultations have been very informative and have helped WSPR stay connected to the NPR board. President Stankavich also met with the radio leadership from CPB to discuss WSPR’s response to the CPB’s proposed cuts in stations annual CSG’s.  WSPR was active in filing comments with the FCC on the proposed changes to the localism requirements for stations.  President Stankavich thanked the members of the WSPR board (Hess, Holp, Schwartz and Warren) for all their help during the past year.

VI. WSPR Election: WSPR members re-elected Karen Holp, KGOU, treasurer and Tom Mara, KEXP to the at-large seat on the WSPR board.  Beth Warren, Four Corners Public Radio will be leaving the board and she was thanked for her many years of service to WSPR.

VII. Retirements: A resolution was put forth and seconded to honor the GM’s who are retiring from the public radio system.  This year Carl Matthusen, KBAQ/KJAZZ, Phoenix, AZ. and Steve Barton, KLCC, Eugene, OR. will be retiring.  The WSPR membership would like to recognize both Carl and Steve for their long and distinguished service to the public radio community and to WSPR.

VIII. Updates from WSPR members stations:. All managers attending the annual meeting identified themselves and several had updates happening at their stations.  These updates, while welcome are too numerous to mention individually here in the minutes.

IX. New Business: Discussion centered on who would host next year’s conference.  Steve Bass, Oregon Public Broadcasting suggested Portland, OR and Beth Warren, Four Corners Public Radio offered Durango, CO. as suggestions.  President Stankavich suggested that the WSPR board discuss the proposed sites at the next WSPR board conference call.

Max Wycisk, Colorado Public Radio asked that a motion be put to the membership to reaffirm NPR’s existing policy that the responsibility of fund raising on behalf of public radio lies with public radio members stations and not NPR.  The motion was seconded by Carl Mathusen, KJZZ FM.  The motion was passed by unanimous voice vote by the WSPR membership.

X. Adjournment, the annual 2008 WSPR board meeting was called to adjournment by President Stankavich at 9:15 a.m.

  Respectfully submitted: John Hess, WSPR Secretary