PACIFICA FOUNDATION BY-LAWS
(Originally
adopted 9/30/61, incorporating subsequent amendments as indicated)
[For these proposed amendments deletions
are indicated with strikeout text and additions with underlined
text.]
ARTICLE
I ONE: IDENTITY
NAME: As set forth in the Articles of
Incorporation, the name of this corporation shall be is
PACIFICA FOUNDATION, and shall be referred to in these By-laws as "The
Foundation". (9/31/61)
ARTICLE
II TWO: OFFICES OF THE FOUNDATION
SECTION 1 PRINCIPAL OFFICE: The principal
office and place of business of the Foundation shall be located in the County
of Los Angeles, State of California, or at such other place as the Board of
Directors may designate. (1/31/84)
SECTION 2 OTHER OFFICES: The Foundation
shall also have offices at such other places within or without the State of
California as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate. (9/30/61)
ARTICLE
III: MEMBERS
SECTION 1: CLASSES OF MEMBERS: The
Foundation shall have two (2) classes of members, 1) Listener-members and 2)
Executive Members, with the following rights, privileges, preferences,
restrictions, and conditions.
SECTION 2: LISTENER-MEMBERS:
A. Any listener (including any staff
person) who sponsors a Pacifica station shall be a Listener-member. To sponsor
a Pacifica station a listener shall have contributed either 1) the minimum
annual membership dues (subscriptions) as defined and determined by the Board
of Directors or 2) not less than the number of volunteer hours, within the
previous twelve months, equal to the amount (rounded to the nearest whole
number) of the minimum annual membership dues divided by the minimum wage of
the state or district where the station is located. For a paid staff person to
qualify as a volunteer contributor the hours counting toward contribution must be
for hours toward activities not in the paid position
B. A listener may be a Listener-member
for only one station at a time.
C. The Listener-members of each station
shall have the power to adopt, amend, and repeal the bylaws of their respective
station boards, subject only the limited power of the Executive Members to
repeal any provision not in keeping with the purposes of the Foundation or the
Foundation's By-laws. The procedure for proposing changes to the station bylaws
to be voted upon by the Listener-members shall be as provided in each station's
bylaws.
D. The Listener-members of each station
shall have the sole power to vote for elected members to their respective
station governing boards.
E. The Listener-members of each station
shall have the power to elect one (1) member to the Board of Directors as
provided for in Article IV.
F. The Listener-members of each station
shall have the power to recall any elected or appointed member of their
respective station governing boards or any Director elected by that station's
Listener-members. Upon submission of a recall petition signed by at least 200
Listener-members a recall election shall be held at the next regular election
or within 6 months whichever is less. Recall elections may be conducted by
meeting, mail, telephone, or internet balloting as determined by the station
governing board or station bylaws.
G. The Listener-members shall have the
sole power to adopt, amend, and repeal any of the Foundation's Articles of
Incorporation as proposed by majority vote of the Executive Members or
two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board of Directors.
H. Listener-members have the obligation
and responsibility to support the purposes of the Foundation as provided in
Article II of the Articles of Incorporation.
SECTION 3: EXECUTIVE MEMBERS:
A. The Listener-members elected to the
Pacifica station governing boards shall be the Executive Members of the
Foundation.
B. The Executive Members shall have the
sole power to adopt, amend, and repeal the Foundation's By-laws.
C. The Executive Members shall have the
power to propose by majority vote adoption, amendment, or repeal of any article
of the Foundation's Articles of Incorporation.
D. The Executive Members shall have the
power to review and repeal by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote any provision in a
station's bylaws that violates the purposes of the Foundation, the Articles of
Incorporation, the Foundation's By-laws, or any other provision of law. This
power is limited to the power to repeal and shall not include or extend to a
power to adopt or otherwise amend by addition any provision in a station's
bylaws.
E. The Executive Members shall meet at
least annually in full assembly 1) to receive the Board of Director's report on
the State of The Foundation, 2) to consider changes to the Foundation's
By-laws, 3) to consider proposing changes to the Articles of Incorporation, and
4) to consider any other matters of business as provided for in these By-laws
or in the Articles of Incorporation. Any matter to be voted upon must have at
least 30 days prior notice to the Executive Members or be approved for voting
by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Executive Members present in
assembly. A quorum for meetings of the Executive Members in full assembly shall
be five Executive Members from each station or over half of the Executive
Members currently in office whichever is less. Other meetings of the Executive
members may be called by ten (10) percent of the Executive Members or by
majority vote of the Board of Directors. The first order of business at any
meeting of the Executive Members shall be to elect the presiding officer for
the meeting who may or may not be a member of the Board of Directors.
F. The Executive Members of each
station governing board shall have the power to elect one (1) Director to the
Board of Directors from their station as provided in Article IV.
G. As Listener-members the Executive
Members continue to have the obligation and responsibility to support the
purposes of the Foundation as provided in Article II of the Articles of
Incorporation and may be recalled for supporting policies in violation of the
purposes of the Foundation or for any other reason consistent with law.
ARTICLE
IV THREE: BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FOUNDATION
SECTION 1 MEMBERSHIP ON BOARD OF
DIRECTORS:
A. Defined: Members of the Board of
Directors shall be individuals who have been elected to the Board of Directors
as hereinafter provided and are serving as such. (1/31/84)
B. Eligibility: Any person with an interest
in the purpose and activities Listener-member of The Foundation and
an ability to aid in its development and in the conduct of its affairs is
eligible to be a member and director of the Board of Directors
(hereafter Director) of The Foundation. (9/30/61)
C. Number: There shall be two (2)
Directors from each station area and such number of at-large
Directors as the Board of Directors shall from time to time decide but no
more than five (5) at-large Directors. (9/30/61)
D. Duties and Powers: Subject to the
provisions and limitation of the Articles of Incorporation and these By-laws,
the Board of Directors shall have the duties and powers conferred upon it by
the nonprofit corporation law of the State of California (9/30/61)
SECTION 2 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS: In
order to be elected, a member must receive the nomination and vote of a
majority of the station board which s/he represents, unless such member is
classified as an "at large" member, in which event s/he must be
elected by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, voting by
secret ballot, subject to approval of FCC council or FCC. (1/9/88)
A. One Director shall be elected by
nomination and vote of the Executive Members of each station governing board.
These Directors shall be regularly elected in years that are divisible by three
(3) with no remainder.
B. One Director shall be elected by the
Listener-members of each station upon nomination by petition signed by 100
Listener-members or from the floor at a Listener-member meeting scheduled for
the election of the Director. These Directors shall be regularly elected in
years that are divisible by three (3) leaving a remainder of two-thirds (2/3).
C. At-large Directors shall be elected
by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the currently sitting Board of Directors of
the foundation, subject to any approvals required by federal law. These
Directors shall be elected regularly in years that are divisible by three (3)
leaving a remainder of one-third (1/3). If less than half of the directors
elected by station boards are persons of color then it shall be the duty of the
Board of Directors to nominate and elect persons of color as at-large directors
so that the total number of persons of color on the Board of Directors is equal
to or more than the number of Directors elected by the station governing
boards. Each station board
shall nominate at least one person of color as a permanent representative to
the National Board.(2/9/91)
D. All elections of Directors shall be
by "Instant Runoff Voting," the form of preference voting for single
seat elections using the transferable ballot.
E. In the event of a vacancy, elections
to fill an unexpired term of a station Director shall occur as provided for in
the station's bylaws or in the case of at-large Directors as soon as the Board
of Directors determines.
SECTION 3 LIMITATION OF TERMS: After any
person has served as a Director for two consecutive three year terms, such
person shall not be eligible for further service as a Director until one year
has elapsed after the termination of such second consecutive three year term
(2/19/66)
SECTION 4 REMOVAL OF A DIRECTOR: Any
Director may be removed by the Board of Directors at any regular or special
meeting by a two-thirds vote of all the members of the Board of Directors, provided
that the grounds for such removal are submitted with the notice of said meeting
and provided further that the said Director shall have a reasonable opportunity
at said meeting to protest his/her removal. (7/1/77)
PROPOSED BY LAW LANGUAGE - FEBRUARY
1995
SECTION 5 (AT LARGE MEMBERSHIP
NOMINATING COMMITTEE AND BOARD PLEASE
NOTE:
IN THE MAY 1993 MINUTES ONE OF THE
MOTIONS RELATED TO THIS BY LAW AMENDMENT READS: That a By-law amendment be
voted on at the next meeting of the National Board related to at-large
positions and officers. All at large members will be elected for a one year
term unless the at large member is an officer, then that person will serve a
two year term. The maximum six year term limit shall not apply to at large
members or officers.
HERE IS THE CHANGE PROPOSED BY THE
NOMINATING COMMITTEE:
Be it resolved that the election of
at-large members to the board is separate and distinct from the elections of
foundation officers. People elected as officers of the foundation do not
automatically become at large members by a duly passed motion. An at large
member who is an officer, will serve a two year term. The maximum six year term
limit shall not apply to at-large members or officers.
ARTICLE
V FOUR: MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 1 TIME AND PLACE OF MEETINGS:
Meetings of the Board of Directors shall take place three (3) or more times per
year, at such times, dates and places as designated by a majority vote of the
Board of Directors at the previous meeting. The meeting nearest to September
shall be referred to as the annual meeting and shall be concurrent with the
annual meeting of the Executive Members for the report on the state of the
Foundation. (1/31/84) All meetings shall occur in a location not farther
than 25 miles from a Pacifica station's offices.
SECTION 2 SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special
meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chair or by a majority
vote of the Executive Committee or by a majority vote of the full Board.
(1/31/84)
SECTION 3 NOTICE: Written notice of every
regular and special meeting of the Board of Directors, stating the time and
place of said meeting, and the purposes thereof, shall be mailed or delivered
to the Board of Directors at least seven days before any such meeting.
(9/30/61)
SECTION 4 QUORUM: A quorum at any meeting
of the Board of Directors shall consist of one-third of the duly elected
Directors. (1/31/84)
SECTION 5 ATTENDANCE: Any Director who
shall have been absent from three consecutive meetings of the Board of
Directors shall be automatically dropped from the Board unless such absences
are excused by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. (7/31/76)
SECTION 6 ACTION BY UNANIMOUS WRITTEN
CONSENT: Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board of Directors
may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board shall individually
or collectively consent in writing to such action. Such written consent shall
have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of such Directors. (2/19/66)
SECTION 7 PROXIES: All action taken by
Directors shall be taken by the elected Director personally. The powers of
members of the Board may not be exercised by alternates, by proxy or the like
(7/31/76)
ARTICLE
VI FIVE: OFFICERS OF THE FOUNDATION
SECTION 1 DESIGNATION OF OFFICERS: The
officers of Pacifica Foundation shall be a Chair of the Board of Directors, a
Vice-Chair, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and such Vice-Chairs, Assistant
Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers as may be authorized from time to time by
the Board of Directors. (1/31/84)
SECTION 2 ELECTION AND REMOVAL OF
OFFICERS:
A. ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICES: The
officers of the Foundation shall be elected by-annually in even numbered years
by the Board of Directors, and shall serve for a term of two years, or until
the election of their successors.(1/9/88)
B. REMOVAL: Any officers may be removed by
the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting by a majority vote of
all of the members of the Board of Directors, provided that the grounds for
such removal are submitted with notice of said meeting, and provided further
that said officer shall have a reasonable opportunity at said meeting to
protest his/her removal.(9/31/61)
ARTICLE
VII SIX: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SECTION 1 DEFINED: The Board shall employ
a person designated as the Executive Director, whose duties will be as outlined
in that document know as Organization and Procedures, and who shall serve as
the chief executive of the Foundation. (1/31/84) The Executive Director's
authority over a station's general manager and staff shall not include the
authority to hire or terminate, which authority shall reside regularly in the
station governing board or as delegated in the station's bylaws. If the
Executive Director recommends the termination of a station staff member and the
station board does not concur, then the Executive Director may appeal the
decision to the Board of Directors who may terminate the staff person upon a
two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.
SECTION 2 OVERSIGHT AND SUPERVISION OF THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Oversight and supervision of the Executive Director shall be
the duty of the Board of Directors and may be delegated according to
the structure provided in the document known as Organization and
Procedures.(1/31/84)
ARTICLE
VIII SEVEN: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SECTION 1 ELECTION AND MEMBERSHIP:
A. At the annual meeting of even numbered
years, there may be elected by the Board of Directors from among its members,
an Executive Committee composed of the Chair of the Board, the Treasurer of the
Foundation, the Secretary and the Vice-Chair of the Board and such other
members as to make certain that each of the five signal areas has
representation on the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have
only such powers as the Board shall delegate to it. Minutes of its meetings
shall be furnished to each member of the Board of Directors before the
following meetings of the Board of Directors. (1/8/88)
B. Vacancies of the Executive Committee
may be filled by the Board of Directors at any meeting of the Board. (7/1/77)
SECTION 2 OTHER COMMITTEES: The Board of
Directors may from time to time select other committees of its members for such
purposes as are authorized by the corporate law of the State of California.
(9/30/61)
ARTICLE
IX EIGHT: GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 1 RESIGNATION: Any person may
resign his or her position by written resignation filed with the secretary of
the Foundation.(1/31/84)
SECTION 2 MEMBERSHIP NOT TRANSFERABLE:
Membership on the Board of Directors, or on the Executive Committee, or any
position as Officer of the Foundation, is not transferable by assignment,
inheritance, or by execution, bankruptcy, or other process of law. (9/30/61)
SECTION 3 EFFECT OF TERMINATION OF
MEMBERSHIP ON BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, OR POSITION AS
OFFICER OF THE FOUNDATION: Membership on the Board of Directors or the holding
of any office in the Foundation, shall cease and terminate upon the death of
the member, upon her/his withdrawal as provided in these By-laws, upon the
termination of membership, or office-holding position, and thereafter, neither
the heirs nor personal representative of the deceased members, or withdrawing
or withdrawing and terminated members, or office-holders, shall have any claim
whatsoever upon the assets of the Foundation, or any claim whatsoever arising
out of said membership or the holding of said Directors, or officer of the
Foundation. No member of the board of Directors, or officer of the Foundation,
either while such a member or officer, or upon termination of membership or
office, for any reason whatsoever, shall be entitled to the return of any
monies theretofore paid by her/him or advanced to the Foundation as a
contribution to the Foundation, or any station owned and operated by the Foundation.
(1/9/88)
SECTION 4 NON-LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS:
Directors shall not be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, or other
obligations of the corporation. (5/30/87)
SECTION 5 INDEMNIFICATION BY CORPORATION
OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS: To the extent that a person
who is, or was, a Director, officer, employee or other agent of this
corporation has been successful on the merits in defense of any civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative proceeding brought to procure a judgement
against such person by reason of the fact that he or she is, or was an agent of
the corporation, or has been successful in defense of any claim, issue or
matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such proceeding.
If such person either settles any such
claim or sustains a judgement against him or her, then indemnification against
expenses, judgements, fines, settlements and other amounts reasonably incurred
in connection with such proceedings shall be provided by this corporation to
the extent allowed by, and in accordance with the requirements of, Section 5238
of the California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation Law. (5/30/87)
ARTICLE
X: STATION GOVERNING BOARDS
SECTION 1: Each Pacifica station shall
have a Station Governing Board whose members collectively shall also comprise
the Executive Membership of the Foundation as provided in Article III.
SECTION 2: Each Station Governing Board
shall have a bylaws adopted by the Listener-members of the station. The station
bylaws may govern any activity of the station not in conflict with the Articles
of Incorporation, these By-laws, or any Foundation policies adopted by the
Board of Directors pursuant to these Bylaws.
SECTION 3; Each Station Governing Board
shall have such elected or appointed committees as authorized by its station
bylaws or by the Board of Directors pursuant to a mandate of Federal or State
law.
SECTION 4: The number of members of a
Station Governing Board shall be at least 10 and not greater than 24.
SECTION 5: The members of each station
governing board shall be elected on staggered schedules of two, three, or four
years as determined by the station's bylaws so that no more than one-half (1/2)
and no less than one-fourth (1/4) of the Executive Members are elected to a
station governing board at any one election, not counting the filling of
vacancies.
SECTION 6: Elections for members of the
Station Governing Boards shall be conducted so that at least three-fifths (3/5)
of the seats open for regular election at any one time shall be elected by
means of multiple candidate proportional representation voting using either 1)
the "list or slate" system 2) the "preference or Single Transferable
Vote" system or 3) a combination of the two voting systems, as provided by
the station's bylaws. Any single candidate election (such as to fill a vacancy
or when "mixed member" single district or constituency candidates
voted in conjunction with a multiple candidate election) shall be conducted by
the "instant runoff voting" preference method.
ARTICLE
XI NINE: AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS
SECTION 1: These By-laws may be amended, or repealed in whole
or in part at any meeting of the Board of D1irectors Executive
Membership, provided that the proposed changes have been submitted to each Executive
Member of the Board of Directors with the notice of the meeting and
provided further that the right of waiver of notice of meeting shall not apply.
Waiver of notice of any specific proposed change shall only apply as
provided in the following Section 2. In order to be adopted, any proposal
must receive the majority vote of two-thirds of all Executive
Members of the Board of Directors present and voting or voting by
signed ballot received before the meeting at which the proposal is voted upon
convenes. The Directors Executive Members voting by mail ballot
must attach an exact copy of the proposal being voted upon to their
ballots.(9/30/61)
SECTION 2: Proposals to adopt, amend,
or repeal any provision of these By-laws may be made by majority vote of the
Board of Directors or the Executive Members at a prior meeting. A proposal and
adoption by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Members in attendance at any
meeting where notice was given that adoption, amendment, or repeal of any
provision of these By-laws would be voted upon will constitute a waiver of
notice of any specific proposed changes provided that the proposal is ratified
by three-fifths (3/5) of the Station Governing Boards. by majority vote within
the immediately following three (3) months.
ARTICLE
XII: TEN RULES OF ORDER
As to any matter not herein specified,
Robert's Rules of Order (revised edition) shall apply. (9/30/61)
END
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