Audio and minutes: NCPR Executive Council Meeting, Thursday, February 7, 2019

The quarterly public meeting of North Country Public Radio’s Executive Council, which acts as the station’s community advisory board, was held Thursday, February 7, 2019 at 10:00 am as an audio phone conference (Apologies for the crunchy conference call audio. Use max volume on the player above).

The public was invited to participate by posting questions and/or comments on this post, or by calling toll-free: 1-877-388-6277 for dial-in info to the listen to the meeting live. You can also email questions and comments to NCPR ([email protected])

Meeting Minutes: NCPR Executive Council Conference Call, February 7, 2019

1. Roll Call
   1. Representing the Executive Council on the call are: Ann Adams, Linda Cohen (Chair), Mark Dzwonczyk, Mike Erickson, Margot Ernst, Rod Giltz, Andy Gustafson, Bob Keller, Alan McLeod, Stephen Meier, Susanna Piller, Christopher Robinson, Marion Roach Smith, and Julia Kaplan Toce.
   2. No Members from the public on the line, but they may join at any time, this is an open session and is being recorded to be posted on the website
   3. Lizette Haenel and Jon Sklaroff are on the line as well
   4. Shelly joined call at 10:45.

2. Welcome: Linda Cohen
   1. Motion to accept minutes from last session: Mike Erickson
   2. Second: Ann Adams
   3. All in favor. No opposed; Bob Kellor abstains.
   4. Minutes from last session accepted.
3. Ellen’s Station Update
   1. No current public comments
   2. Personnel Updates
      1. Program Director
         1. Jackie Sauter retired as of 12/31.
         2. David Sommerstein is juggling news and filling in for Jackie.
         3. Search for permanent replacement, with a slightly recrafted job description as “Broadcasting and Outreach,” will begin in March or April. Once narrowed to 3-6 candidates, new station manager will have say in the final hire.  David will go back to news and locally generated content.
      2. Martha Foley will be retired within a month after Ellen, as of 7/31.
      3. Jon Sklaroff, Underwriting Director, will be relocating to the Midwest as of 6/1 for personal reasons. Expecting to promote internally to replace Jon, allowing for side-by-side training until Jon leaves.  Then will do an open search to fill that vacated position. More to come on this.
      4. Two new hires to replace Zach Hirsch and David:
         1. Fernando Narro from Florida, he is a young superstar of the station, he will be the St. Lawrence Valley Reporter.
         2. Emily Russell, Glens Falls native, worked at Alaska Public Radio, quite advanced, she will be moving to Plattsburgh by end of Feb. Bob is going to Plattsburgh to make sure office equipment is good to go.
         3. Rod and Deena Giltz hopefully to host a kick-off party to introduce Emily to important community members, and a more official welcome in 4-6 months for everyone.
      5. Station manager hiring update
         1. Search is on target at this point. Application has been publicized, expecting to do offsite preliminary interviews around 3/1, bring top candidates to Canton thereafter.
4. Fundraising Update by Lizette:
   1. Underwriting may come in a bit under the projection. This may be from an inflation in the projected number, and also changes in media landscape, and we do expect challenges moving forward.
   2. Future Fund: Overall goal of $2.5 mil.  This is a 3-5 year commitment from seriously committed friends.  Sarah Johnson committed $1 mil in $100,000 increments over ten years. We are at $1,366,000 currently.  Ellen has pushed out some personal appeals, we are awaiting a couple of outstanding requests.  Ellen is feeling very positive, we are going to come awfully close and she is going to do everything she can do bring us to the goal before she leaves.
      1. If you combine future fund and annual giving we are off the charts in terms of what we’ve ever raised. Annual giving is about 7% down, however. Next fundraisers through June will be making that up.
   3. New Friends Campaign will begin this Saturday 2/9-15. Goal is to bring on 100 new donors. Excited about this campaign, social media postings, great scripts on air.  EC members should tell a friend, get this going.  100 people does not sound like a lot, but for us it is very significant.
      1. Margot asks when the best time for old donors to give (besides always): Spring and Fall are best.
      2. Lizette plans to speak to EC members individually to speak about where we can work better on fundraising.
   4. Ellen leaving is a great opportunity for fundraising
      1. Perhaps bringing in an NPR celebrity to come up for a public/private event.
      2. Hosting events throughout the summer and fall in our communities with Ellen and/or to introduce new Station Manager. Ellen will go anywhere through 6/30.
5. Special project
   1. North Country At Work is effective in getting us into the community, creates content for on air and digital platform, and is attracting money from all kinds of sources. Station is getting ready to submit an application for a national 3-year NEH grant.
   2. The Howl has gained traction and has a real following, is putting us on the ground in communities that aren’t necessarily covered by the news department. Begins 2/22 in Canton and 3/15 in Saranac Lake. Let Ellen and Jon, or Jessica Lawrence know if you want this to come to your community.
   3. News Department is working on a new project, called “Keeping it Together,” about the North Country economy which tends to be casted in negative light, is flipping the table on that looking at how people and communities are successfully piecing together lives and viable economies in their towns.
6. Update from Chairperson Linda
   1. We need to elect a Vice Chair, does not commit to taking over in the future.
   2. Julia agrees to becoming “Secretary”
   3. Roll of EC as Ambassadors: We have the most opportunity to be on the ground talking about NCPR, encouraging people to listen and stream; also two ways, bring information back to the station.
      1. This year the big deal is the transition. Once the new station manager is on board, we need to bring that person into our community.  Each town has different identities.  Could be multiple events, bring them around to meet specific people, and then have some kind of party.  This is particularly important because Ellen is such a personality and is so well known throughout the North Country, need to initiate new station manager.
         1. Lizette and Linda should be point people for hosting events, send them ideas. Primary purpose is relationship building, of course with fundraising in background.
         2. Tug Hill potentially
7. Conclusion at 11:02am
   1. Next meeting in May in Canton.

Upcoming Executive Council meeting dates:

• Thursday, May 2, 2019, 1:30-3:00 pm at location in Adirondacks TBD
• Thursday, July 18, 2019, 1:30-3:00 pm in Canton (annual meeting), location TDB
• Thursday, October 3, 2019 – 1:30 pm or evening, time and location TBD

Members of the NCPR Executive Council:

• Linda Cohen, Old Forge, NY (chair)
• Ann Adams, Dekalb Junction, NY
• Cali Brooks, Lake Placid, NY
• Mark Dzwonczyk, Nicholville, NY
• Mike Erickson, Brant Lake, NY
• Margo Ernst, North Hudson, NY
• Rod Giltz, Plattsburgh, NY
• Andy Gustafson, Old Forge, NY
• Hannah Hanford, Saranac Lake, NY
• James Howard, Morrisonville, NY
• Robert Keller, Boonville, NY
• Alan McLeod, Kingston, ON
• Stephen Meier, Queensbury, NY
• Cathy Pircsuk, Watertown, NY
• Susanna Piller, Plattsburgh, NY
• Christopher Robinson, Potsdam, NY
• Julia Kaplan Toce, Thousand Islands Park, NY

Ex-officio members representing license holder St. Lawrence University

• Sarah Johnson, Canton, NY
• Paul Redfern, Canton, NY
• Marion Roach Smith, Troy, NY

The governing board of North Country Public Radio is the Board of Trustees of St. Lawrence