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1. Electing themselves into power. The Community Board elects the Board of Trustees, but in 1997 the Community Board elected three of its own members to the Board of Trustees! This is highly inappropriate. (more on this issue) The trustees also decided to allow themselves to hold more than one elected position of power at the station, and further, to be able to elect themselves to such positions -- over the objections of an overwhelming number of the station's volunteer members. (more on this issue)
2. Refusing to heed the members' demand for their resignation. In any true cooperative organization, the members directly elect their governing board; there is no intermediary body electing the board. But our board has never had to be accountable to the will of the membership. In fact, even though a vote of "no confidence" in the trustees was passed by an overwhelming majority at the special membership meeting, the trustees have refused to step down, pointing out that they are not accountable to the membership.
3. Assuming ultimate authority without member input. The Board has made major changes to KOOP's programming, bylaws, and mission statement, without seeking the input of station members. It's not all of the changes per se that are the problem, it's the fact that the Board has made these major changes without seeking -- and even ignoring -- input from the membership. (more on this issue...)
4. Breaking the law. Board members directed the station manager to file a false police report against the station engineer, hid corporate records and refused to produce them (in violation of State law), used money that had been pledged specifically toward buying studio equipment for other purposes (violating FCC rules), and worked to change the voting method in the Community Board election in violation of KOOP's bylaws. (more on the false police report) (more on hiding corporate records)
5. Attacking members who disagree. In several instances, a board member and Community Board member have verbally abused members who disagreed with them at station meetings, Board meetings, and internal station e-mail, and have also engaged in race-baiting in public e-mails and meetings.(more on this issue...)
6. Slandering their critics. Board members have claimed that the real reason we seek to recall them is that we're sexist, homophobic, white supremacists. They also accused the former GM of tax fraud. (more on this issue...)
7. Lying to the membership. Community Board member Eduardo Vera lied to a member that a benefit we were holding had been canceled, station manager Marcelo Tafoya lied to callers about why KOOP was off the air for three days in mid-March 1999, board supporter Paul Odekirk signed two organizations' names to his letter of support for the trustees without their knowledge or permission, and board president Teresa Taylor lied in claiming that a check to the station engineer did not bounce. (more on lies & dirty tricks)
8. Failure to adhere to democratic principles. The Board has failed to follow basic meeting procedures, to properly post agendas and minutes, or to even use proper democratic processes for filling Board seats, leading to nepotism and cronyism between the Board of Trustees and the Community Board. (more on nepotism...) (more on meeting improprieties...)
9. Misappropriating station funds. The Board decided to give away a $5,000 grant that KOOP received to another organization -- at a time when the station is teetering on bankruptcy and doesn't even have enough money to pay its sole, part-time, staff member. They also apparently took money that members had pledged specifically for studio equipment improvements and used it for other purposes. (more on financial mismanagement)
10. Abolishing GM position. The Board decided, with less than one month's notice and just two weeks after her performance review, not to renew the General Manager's contract and to instead abolish the GM position. (more on this issue...) The Board also accused the GM of mismanaging the station after the Board itself left her short staffed by not allowing her to hire an Assistant GM for over five months. (more on this issue...)
11. Killing enthusiasm, and even the station. The Board has created a hostile and divisive atmosphere which has led to low morale and a general lack of confidence in the elected Boards and has hampered KOOP's continued growth and stability. The membership is unlikely to contribute financially to the station if it doesn't trust its leadership, and a lack of member support will easily kill the station. Some observers don't think KOOP can last through the summer.