Pacifica National Board acted improperly in its attempted termination of Executive Director Summer Reese

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We, the undersigned, members of the Pacifica’s Local Station Board, staff and listeners, strongly believe that members of the Pacifica National Board (PNB) acted improperly at their late-night telephone board meeting on March 13, 2014, when they voted to fire Pacifica Executive Director Summer Reese without due process.

The termination decision needs to be reversed immediately, with the PNB issuing a statement that its action was improper and a violation of due process, and that there will be no further interference, by certain PNB directors, with the Executive Director’s daily exercise of her duties at the Pacifica national office in Berkeley.

The Employment Contract between Pacifica Foundation Radio and Summer Reese, signed January 30, 2014, clearly states:

1.    The Executive Director cannot be terminated except for cause [and no cause was given in the decision to terminate Reese].

2.   “Any termination proceedings will be subject to the Progressive Discipline policies as articulated in the Pacifica Employee Handbook” [and there was no progressive discipline prior to the decision to terminate Reese].

3.   Termination is “subject to Human Resources review before being finalized” [and there was no Human Resources review prior to the decision to fire her].

4.   Prior to termination, “Pacifica shall complete a performance evaluation (and) demonstrate cause” [and there was no performance evaluation conducted whatsoever, much less one that demonstrated cause for termination].

In addition, there are procedural questions about the way the 3/13/14 PNB telephone meeting was conducted: a) there was no prior written notice to PNB directors that this very significant motion was on the agenda ….  b) the motion to terminate Reese was voted on without any discussion by the board members.

Clearly the PNB majority decided to terminate Summer Reese without due process and in violation of her Employment Contract.

Further, the improper action by the PNB majority could have negative consequences, such as making Pacifica more vulnerable to lawsuits, endangering its ability to hold onto broadcast licenses or obtain insurance, or in other ways placing the network in jeopardy.

The PNB could of course decide to bring up any proposed termination at a later date, provided the board has followed due process and respected the rights of the employee and the law. In the meantime, and for the immediate future, Summer Reese is the legitimate Executive Director of Pacifica Foundation Radio.

This statement is endorsed by Veterans for Peace, East Bay Chapter #162

Here is a list of people who have signed this statement.

Aaron Reaven, listener and subscriber
Ada O. Shaw, listener
Adrienne Lauby, KPFA Programmer
Akio Tanaka, former KPFA Local Station Board
Allan Beek
Alexandra Self, listener
Ali Lexa, former KPFK LSB and Pacifica Nat’l Board, current Paid Staff & Programmer
Alice B. Rasher, WBAI listener & member
Alice Shields, former Pacifica National Board member and former WBAI LSB member
Alix Steinberg, former member PNB from WBAI
Andrea Fishman, former member, WBAI Local Station Board
Andrea Prichett, KPFA Local Station Board
Andres Soto, KPFA programmer
Ann Garrison, KPFA programmer
Ann Tompkins, member
Anne Lazarus, listener
Anne Pilsbury, WBAI listener
Anthony Fest, KPFA programmer &  former LSB rep
Antoinette Gabriel, listener
Antonio Monteforte, station contributor/ listener
Arnold Gore, listener
Arnold Levi, listener/sponsor
Arthur Maisel, WBAI listener
Aroni S. El, member of WBAI
Attila Nagy, former Local Station Board member and former Pacifica National Programming
Committee member
Barbara Goldberg, listener
Barbara Ruether, WBAI listener
Barri Boone, listener
Barry and Barbara Deutsch, KPFA listeners
Beatrice Boyajian, listener, Pacifica Radio (WBAI- NY)
Bernard Zwick, Pacifica listener
Bert Bartsch
Beth Bosk, listener
Betsy Wolf-Graves, Listener and contributor since 1982
Betto Arcos, Music programmer, KPFK’s Global Village
Bill Crosier, KPFT member, past LSB and PNB member, past PNB vice-chair
Bill Gardner, KPFK programmer, unpaid staff
Bob Briscoe, Listener/ EFT supporter
Bob K. Bogen, Listener, Supporter, Election Consultant
Bonnie Bone, KPFA listener, former programmer/engineer
Bruce Eggum, listener
Bob Levis, Member of CAB/WBAI-FM
Bob Young, WBAI Local Station Board vice chair
Bruce Moore, KPFK listener, Pacifica supporter
Bruce Kristal
Bruce M. Foster, listener, past supporter
BK Kumbi, listener
Bob English, KPFA listener member
Bob Siegel, listener/donor
Bonnie Faulkner, KPFA programmer
Brent A. Schoenfeld, listener
Bruce Kristal, Listener
Bruce Wolf, Listener, former WPFW LSB delegate
Calvin Tatsey
Carol Bright
Carol Brouillet, Listener, activist
Carol I Moeller Costa
Carol Schelin, Pacifica supporter
Carol Spooner, former Pacifica Nat’l Board and KPFA Local Station Board Member
Carolyn Birden, Pacifica National Board director, from WBAI
Caroline Casey, Visionary Activist, Show host, weaver of context – 18 years
Carolyn Scarr, listener-member
Cary Shulman
Cathe Norman, Veterans for Peace, East Bay Chapter #162
Catherine Green, listener
Chandra Hauptman, former KPFA Local Sta. Board and Pacifica Nat’l Board
Charles Gary, listener/subscriber
Christian Rincon, long-time listener
Christine Blosdale, KPFK Senior Producer and AFTRA Union steward
Christine Moore, listener
Christine Thiers
Christopher Condon, KPFK LSB, former listener
Clarence Williams
Claude Gatebuke, listener
Cliff Barney, listener for 50 years
Conor Dixon
Craig Barry, KPFK listener and supporter
Cynthia Billops
Cynthia Brush
Cynthia Johnson, KPFA Local Station Board
D.J. Lebowitz, listener
Dan Hampshire, KPFA listener
Dani Lamar, listener
Daniel Borgstrom, Veterans for Peace, East Bay Chapter #162
Daniel Falgerho
Daniel Zwickel ben Avrám MacJean, listener, PeaceHost.net
Dennis J. Bernstein, listener, staff
Derek Rath, music programmer, KPFK
David Barouh, listener
Dave Heller
David Beaton, former PNB Affiliate Rep.
David Combs, listener and member of WBAI finance committee
David Fairley
David Ginsberg, KPFK listener
David Welsh, KPFA Local Station Board
Debora Hammond, listener, donor
Deborah Pierce
Deborah Shafto, former Local Station Board char, former Pacifica National Board member,
contributor
Denise Michelle Myers, Technolgist, listener-member
Dennis McCoy, KPFK listener
Dennis Murray,
Diana Bohn, listener and sometimes phone room volunteer
Diana Young, listener/member
Diane L. Schmidt, subscriber, volunteer
Dianne Budd, MD
Don Bustany, KPFK unpaid programmer
Don Macleay, Member, listener, community activist, subscriber and volunteer
Donna Carter
Donna Giles, 15-year listener supporter
Doug Buckwald, KPFA listener and volunteer fundraiser
Douglas Baker
Douglas Smith, listener
Duane de Joie, Listener and loyal contributor
Eben Rey, KPFK programmer
Ed Herman, professor Emeritus at Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and
co-author of “The Politics of Genocide” and “Manufacturing Consent.” Donor
Ed Mahler
Ed Pearl, Former organizer for retaking Pacifica, organizer of progressive majority on
KPFK’S first LSB after the takeover, member of that board.  Helped found KPFK in 1959
Eduardo Martinez
Effie French, Listener and supporter
Eleanor Herman, listener WBAI
Ellen Kovac, listener
Ellen Mendelsohn
Ephriam Resnick
Erdan Bajrovic
Eric Brooks, San Francisco Green Party, Sustainability Chair
Eric C. Jacobson, listener support, LSB voter
Eric Ramey, WPFW Local Station Board member
Erwin Franke, subscriber, KPFT
Eszter Freeman, listener activist
Eugene Hernandez, public
Eugene Ruyle, Veterans for Peace, East Bay Chapter #162
Eve Moser, Listener and supporter of Pacifica’s Mission
F. Frank LeFever, Ph.D., Listener Member of WBAI Local Station Board
Faye Hinze, listener/supporter
Fran Larson, listener
Frank Leone, listener sponsor
Fran Luck, WBAI Producer
Frank Mann, listener
Frank Sterling, KPFA unpaid staff and Local Station Board
Fred Blair, Member KPFK Local Station Board
Frederika B. Sumelius
Grace Aaron, 2009 Pacifica Board Chair and iED
Gale Garcia
Gary Butler, listener
Gary Evans
Gene Hicks
Geneva Reese
Gerry High, listener
Gloria Bletter, listener & WBAI contributor since 1960’s
George Cammarota, KPFA listener
George Coates, KPFA Unpaid Staff
Greg Allen Getty, Listener
Greg Jan
Gregory Ross, Veterans for Peace, East Bay Chapter #162
h. brown, SF Bulldog
Harry Bentivegna Lichtenstein
Heidi Rain Oleszzuk
Helen  Finkelstein
Henry Bilenchi
Henry Norr, listener, former LSB member
Henry W. Peters, Former KPFA programmer & worker (part time paid staff)
Hepburn Ingham
Hilda Rangel
Hillary Kaye, listener
Howard Brandstein, WBAI listener
Howard Dratch, Listener-Subscriber since 1967
Iris May McGinnis, KPFA listener
Isis Feral, KPFA listener
Izumi Van Cleave
J. Neeairah Nasir, listener
Jack DePalma, WBAI Volunteer
Jack Brown
Jenny Miller, former programmer KPFA, “Radio Free Madness”
Janet Arnold
James D. Curtis, KPFA listener activst, helped write bylaws, former LSB candidate
James DeMaegt, listener
James House
James Mussman, M.D., listener and subscriber
Jane Welford, KPFA, long-time listener and supporter
Janet Coleman, Programmer and WBAI PNB/LSB rep
Janet Evans
Janet Kobren, KPFA listener representive Pacifica National Board
Janette Reid
Jason Anderson
Jay Kappraff
Jean Bark, listener, volunteer, subscriber
Jean Kaiser, KPFA listener, supporter
Jean Pauline
Jeff Monkman, listener and supporter
Jeff Shaw, listener and donor
Jeffrey Bird, WBAI Listener and Supporting Member
Jeffrey Blankfort, Co-founder Take Back KPFA, Save KPFA (1993)
Jeffrey Slott, listener
Jennifer Jager, former WBAI LSB and PNB member
Jeremy Miller, listener, allied broadcaster
Jim Barnard
Joan Payne Kindcaid
Joanna Hamlin, listener
Joe Dorsey, listener-member for over 50 years
John Comly, listener member
John C. Ervin, longtime (poverty-stricken) listener
Jody Eisemann, WBAI listener/supporter
John E3 Wimio, former Local Station Board member, KPFK
John P. Garry III, KPFK LSB Secretary, listener
John Goodman
John McCoy, KPFA listener
John McGarvey, listener
John Moran
John Parulis, KPFA unpaid staff
John Sheridan
John F. Thielking, listener
John Wenger, PhD, KPFK LSB member
John Wichmann
John Zuehlke
Jon Marley, KPFA listener
Jonathan Alexander, KPFK paid staff
Jonathan Markowitz, listener
Joseph Friendly
Joy Moore, KPFA unpaid staff and Local Station Board
Joyce Miller
Julie Fritz, listener/member
Kelina Lobo, KPFA unpaid staff
Karen Pickett
Karl Runcie
Kat Black, KPFA listener
Kate Raphael, KPFA unpaid staff
Kate Tanaka,  KPFA former LSB member
Kathy Kelly, poverty & peace activist, founding member, Voices in the Wilderness,
co-coordinator Voices for Creative Nonviolence
Kathy Panchyk, listener
Kathy Rueve, listener
Ken Aaron, former KPFK Local Station Board and former Pacifica National Board member
Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio
Kenneth Norman Knudsen
Kevin Pina, KPFA programmer
Kevin Seal, listener member
Kevin White, Former LSB
Kim Hahn, listener
Kim Kaufman, KPFK Local Station Board and Pacifica National Board
Kojo Sargent, WBAI Unpaid Staff, Sr. volunteer, Pacifica Foundation Radio,
KPFK 3rd generation volunteer
Larry Buchalter, KPFA apprencticeship graduate RIOS Group 2001-02
Larry Fishman
Larry Hanson, listener
Larry Romsted
Laura Liben, listener and supporter
Laura MacDougall, Listener
Laura Wells, listener, Green Party activist
Laurence H. Shoup, former LSB
Lauri MacLean
Laurie Bell
Laurence H. Shoup, former Local Station Board Representative
Lawrence O. Brown, WBAI/Pacifica Listener & Contributor
Len Vucci, listener KPFK
Lenore Norrgard, listener
Les Shipnuck
Libby Walker, long time listener and contibutor
Lili DuBois, KPFA Member and listener
Lilith Rogers, Long time listener/supporter
Linda Champagne
Linda Hewitt, KPFA listener member
Linda Zises
Lindsay Vurek
Lisa Lawson
Liz Kroboth, KPFA listener
Lois Greene, listener
Lori P. Miller, KPFA listener
Lorraine Katen, proud WBAI listener
Lou Gold, longtime listener/supporter
Luanne Pennesi
Lucienne O’Keefe
Mansoor Sabbagh, KPFK volunteer
Mara Math, member/listener
Mara Rivera
Margaret LePique, KPFK Paid Staff
Maria Gaite, Interim Controller
Maria Gilardin, former KPFA, staff, LSB & programmer
Marilyn Langlois, listener and supporter
Marilyn Naparst, member, listener
Marsha Feinland, listener member
Martha Grimson, listener/supporter
Martha Rosler, listener member, WBAI
Marthe Keller, WBAI member
Mary Geissman, WBAI supporter/listener
Mary Erwin
Mary Shields, listener
Mary Ann Miller, WBAI producer
Mark Jacquinot
Mark Mason, listener
Marc Sapir
Maria Callas, listener
Marianne Martinez, KPFT listener/member
Max Blanchet, former KPFA Local Station Board
May Casagrand
Melissa Mandel, listener
Michael-David Sasson, listener member
Michael Bonifanti
Michael Parenti, Listener, Author
Michelle Wolf, Listener, Media Studies Professor
Mickey Huff, Project Censored, KPFA programmer
Michael Burlison, listener and supporter
Michael Costello, North Bay for KPFA Folio
Micheal Lebron
Michael Lyon, listener
Michael Woodson, KPFT programmer, former Pacifica National Board
Mike Donaldson, member, listener
Miguel Gavilan Molina,  Programmer, Flashpoints/senior producer
Mike Wilson
Mutuyimana Manzi, Listener, College of Journalism, DePaul University
Nalini Lasiewicz, supporter, researcher, Pacifica Foundation
Nancee Fox
Nancy Okada, listener
Nancy Raffaelli Richards
Natasha Robinson, listener/supporter
Nathalie Paravicini, KPFT and Pacifica long time listener/supporter, KBOO listener/supporter
Neil Maclean, listener-member, organizer of 40 public and staff meetings in four station areas
Nicolas Alexander, KPFA Programmer
Nicole Belanger
Nicole Milner
Noelle Hanrahan, programmer, Producer, former Station Staff and KPFA LSB member, former
Union Steward
Norman Carlin
Obie Hunt
Oriana Saportas, KPFA listener, former election supervisor
Patricia Noll, listener
Patricia Thornton, KPFA listener
Patrick Craig, listener
Patti Bossert, member
Paul Karsh, KPFA listener and financial contributor
Paul Rasmussen, long time KPFA supporter and listener
Paul W. Rea, listener, writer/activist
Paul Williams, listener, KPFA, WBAI
Paula Friedman
Paula Matusa, listener
Pamela Somers, Listener/Supporter
Peter Broadwell, Listener/supporter since 1962
Peter Gill
Peter V. O’Reilly, listener
Peter Phillips, KPFA producer, Morning Mix, Project Censored
Peter Straus, Veterans for Peace, East Bay Chapter #162
Peter Turner, listener
Phillippe Paravicini, KPFA listener
Phoebe Sorgen, KPFA former Local Station Board member
R. Miles Mendenhall, listener, activist
R. Potasznik
Raymond Meyer, KPFA member
Rebecca Dietzel
Rebecca Paxton, listener
Renie Reiss
Richard Chen
Richard Drapier, volunteer fp
Richard Leigh, WBAI listener, subscriber
Richard Mills, KPFA listener 1966 until signal disappeared
Richard Phelps, former KPFA Local Station Board Chair
Richard L. Pollak
Richard Wallstrum, listener for 50+ years
Richard Uzzell, KPFT Local Station Board & Pacifica National Board Rep
Rick Pottoff, KPFT listener
Riva Enteen,  former KPFA LSB chair
Rob Browning
Rob Vincent, WBAI producer
Robert Granat, KPFA listener
Robert Heaney, Scouse listener
Robert Johnson
Robert Gartner, KPFT listener 40 years, volunteer
Robert Gold
Robert Keilbach
Robert McCockran, Veterans for Peace, East Bay Chapter #162
Robert Pack Browning
Roberta McCoy, member, listener
Robin Gaura, listener
Roger Dittmann, founding member KPFK, listener
Roger Sherman, listener
Roger Stoll, KPFA listener
Roger White, listener
Roland Mansour, WBAI listener supporter
Ron Wheeler
Rose Hauer, listener
Rosemary Prem, listener
Roy Tuckman, KPFK Senior Staff Member
Ruth O’Brien, listener
Ruthanne Shpiner, KPFA unpaid staff
Sally Sommer
Samsarah Morgan, KPFA Local Station Board
Sandra Morey
Sandra Smith, listener
Sandy Sanders
Sarah Kotzamani, KPFA listener and supporter
Sasha Karlik, listener
Scott Braley, KPFA listener
Scott Sanders, listener
Shahram Aghamir, former KPFA Local Station Board and Pacifica Nat’l Board member &
programmer
Shawn Casey O’Brien, Former KPFK LSB & Pacifica PNB Member – Staff Rep
Sheila Tobey
Shim Farrell, listener supporter
Signe Mattson, listener since 1957
Soula Culver, listener
Stan Woods, Former member KPFA Local Station Board
Stella M. Aleman de Gallardo, WBAI supporter
Stephen Kessler
Stephanie Free, Supporter of Pacifica’s mission, former member, listener, donor
Steve Brooks, KPFK Local Station Board
Steve Brown, Member, WBAI Local Station Board
Steve Gilmartin
Steve Martinot, CAB
Steve Pride, KPFK Programmer, unpaid staff and Local Station Board
Stuart Lachs
Sue Hestor, KPFA listener subscriber
Susan Datri, contributor, listener WBAI
Susan Murren-Azad
Susan L. Phillips, long-time listener
Suzanne Baker, listener/member
Susanne Blunck, listener
T.M. Scruggs, KPFA/KPFB listener, volunteer at community radio in Portland OR, Chicago, Austin TX, Iowa City IA
Teddy Robinson Clinkscales, KPFK paid staff
Teri Cho, Volunteer & former staff
Tex, anti-communist blue board troll
Theodore Yanow, supporter of WBAI-Pacifica
Thomas Lyon, listener
Thomas Rippolon
Tim Modok Pearson, Former LSB candidate, KPFA listener since 1964
Tim Sevener
Tom Betz
Tom Brown
Tom Voorhees, KPFA engineering volunteer in the sixties
Tony Milano
Tracy Rosenberg, former KPFA Local Station Board and former Pacifica Nat’l Board member
Tricia Boreta, listener
Tristan Donofrio, listener
Umasia L. Morris – KAF, listener
Valeri Hood
Veronica Faisant, KPFA programmer
Vic Sadot, listener-member
Vicki Thompson, listener
Vincente Cruz, listener/member
Victor Leo, KBOO listener, former program producer
Victoria Ashley
Virginia Browning, listener activist
Virginia Hollins-Davidson, KPFA listener/supporter
Vivian Warkentin, KPFA listener
Vreni Roduner
Wanda Warkentin, KPFA listener
Wendy Block
Wendy Smith, listener
Warren M.Gold, M.D.
Wesley Bethune, KPFT LSB & former PNB member
William Simon, President, Veterans For Peace Sonoma Co.
William Thornton, listener and McKenzie friend
Yarrow Sweningsen, KPFA Programmer (Guns & Butter)
Yatrika Shah-Rais, KPFK, Music Programmer

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