Thursday, January 28, 2010

Local newspaper reports CAT manager's resignation statement

NWAOnline.com

Community Television Manager May Step Down

By Skip Descant

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

FAYETTEVILLE — Kathryn “Sky” Blaylock has threatened to resign her post as director of Fayetteville Community Action Television unless the group’s board of directors retracts what Blaylock calls “defamatory statements” from her employee evaluation.

Blaylock has held the post for seven years.

“Due to my personal, moral and integrity standards, I cannot work for unethical people or organizations,” wrote Blaylock in the opening statement of the letter of resignation she filed with the CAT personnel committee last Tuesday.

The personnel committee met Jan. 19 to review Blaylock’s “job performance standards,” which were given to her in December. At the time, the CAT board made a series of recommendations to Blaylock regarding the management of the CAT staff and the overall operation of the station. Those recommendations have not been made public since the job performance standards are part of Blaylock’s personnel file, which is not a public document.

Board president Dedra Leaf said the board intends to act on the resignation at its February meeting.

It’s not entirely clear what controversy exists between the CAT staff and the board.

“How my staff uses their time; maintains city equipment and meet deadlines is my responsibility as their employer,” Blaylock wrote in her letter. “Any criticism of my staff is welcome and seriously considered, but needs to be directed to me for action to prevent invasion of privacy.

“I implore the Board to reconsider their draconian demands of mine and my staff’s time and allow us to be unfettered and unbound in continuing to provide the level of service this community has become so accustomed to and rightly deserves, at the same level of oversight we had received until now,” she continued.

Internal turbulence at CAT has been ongoing. Longtime CAT board member and president Colleen Pancake resigned Dec. 8, 2009, amid disagreements between her and Blaylock.

The city of Fayetteville has a $93,000 a year contract with Fayetteville Community Access Television to provide public access television services for Fayetteville residents. The money is funded through cable television franchise fees.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Telecommunication Board sets special meeting for 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 3, 2010, to hear complaints about the functioning of the Cable Access Television Board of Directors

The Telecommunication Advisory Board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. February 3 in Room 219 of City Hall to discuss complaints regarding the validity of the Board of Directors of Community Access Television. All interested parties are invited to attend.

For background information on this matter, video of recent related meetings may be purchased during regular business hours at the Fayetteville Television Center, also known as the PEG CENTER on Rock Street downhill south of City Hall. To request documents or video related to the matter, the public may call the Television Center manager at 444-3434 or the CAT manager at 444-3433.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Agenda for January 14, 2010, meeting CAT 18's Board of Directors. Meeting adjourned after midnight

COMMUNITY ACCESS TELEVISON BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JANUARY 14, 2010 MEETING

The January 14, 2010 meeting of the Board of Directors of Community
Access Television will be held in the studio of the City of
Fayetteville Television Center at 101 W. Rock St. in Fayetteville,
Arkansas at 6:00 P.M.

BOARD MEMBERS
Marietta Camillieri; Bruce Perry; Bernard Sulliban, Secretary; Roger
Henry, Treasurer; Dedra Leaf, President

Call meeting to order

Address of complaint about Bylaw violation by Board

Bylaw change
Change e-mailed to Board Members on 12/16/09

Approval of November and December minutes

Treasurer’s Report
2010 Budget approval

Committee Reports
Outreach/Fundraising Committee: Set meeting for January
Policy Committee: Policy changes
(Changes e-mailed to Board Members on 12/16/09)
Set meeting for January to address complaint procedures
Finance Committee: Reschedule January meeting/ change names on bank
signature card
Personnel Committee: Next meeting scheduled for 1/19/10 at 5:30 P.M.

Manager’s Report

Old Business
Meeting with Telecom Board
Vice President consideration

New Business
List needed of technology priorities and needs for 2010 to be given to
the City Station Manager before end of the month.
FOIA requests
Need for a Board retreat in February to plan the coming year

Interview of Board Member Applicant: David A. Young (application
e-mailed to all Board Members on 12/30/09)
Public Comment

Adjournment



Minutes
December 10, 2009 CAT Board Meeting

The December 10, 2009 meeting of the Community Access Television
(C.A.T.) Board of Directors was held in the studio of the PEG center
at 101 W. Rock St. in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Dedra Leaf,
Vice-President of the Board, called the meeting to order shortly after
6:00 PM.

Board Members Present
Dedra Leaf, Vice-President; Roger Henry, Treasurer; Bernard Sulliban,
Secretary; Bruce Perry; Mariette Camillieri. Also present was Sky
Blaylock, C.A.T. Manager and Sheree lliariBurnett, Certified CAT
Producer and volunteer.

Vice-President Leaf began the meeting by announcing that President
Pancake had resigned. She then asked Bernard Sulliban to read the
letter of resignation for the record (see attached). Vice-President
Leaf then thanked Formal President Pancake for her many years of
service to the organization.
Vice-President Leaf then noted that the Board needed to address the
issue of the bylaw stating the minimum number of board members, as the
current number of members was now five. She asked if anyone wished to
make a motion to amend the bylaw. Ms. Blaylock noted in a point of
order that the Board should read the last amendment of the bylaws,
which states that changes proposals to amendments must be submitted in
writing to all board members at least 15 days in advance of the vote.
After the board members read the bylaw article Secretary Sulliban
apprised the board that long as the quorum number for 7 was reached,
which the number of 5 exceeded, the board could conduct business. He
advised that the issue would have to be addressed, but it would not
prevent the performance of business at that meeting. Leaf made the
suggestion that the copies of the suggested bylaw changes be sent out
to the board members in the next few days and the issue be addressed
at the next board meeting. The other members gave their assent. Leaf
said she would send the changes to the board members in the next few
days.
Vice-President Leaf then announced that there were no November minutes
to read at that time, but that she would have them for the next board
meeting.
Treasurer Henry then read the Treasurer’s report. The Board members
did not have copies of the report, so Treasurer Henry highlighted
items of interest for them. He announced that numbers for the month
were quite satisfactory. He stated that there were no untoward
expenses. He noted that producer fees were down, probably due to the
economy. He surmised that more people were producing videos with their
own equipment, requesting it to be aired on the CAT and thus affecting
the cost of the producer fees. He then announced that the Manager had
paid off the credit cards and there was no credit card debt as of the
December meeting. He noted that the cost of web-streaming was high,
but said that that cost would be reducing at some point. The Manager
noted that the web-streaming expenses for 2009 included installation
and that would not be part of the expense for the service for next
year. Henry then encouraged board members to print their own copies of
reports in order to save the CAT that expense. The .03 cents per copy
can add up to five dollars per meeting and that was one way to curb
expenses. He reported that the total operating expenses were
approaching 100% of the budget, but what is not noted in the report is
the last check from the city, which would reduce that number.
Advertising (for the Media Conference) and outreach expenses were high
than budgeted, but they had paid for the March Media Conference and
the October Spooktacular event at the Town Center, events that should
be considered an investment in the community that are coming back in
contract shoots.
Henry then commented that the previous night had been an exciting
event and asked when it would air. The Manager replied that the Rat
Pack portion of the taping would air on Saturday before they left
town. She added that they were performing at the Walton Arts Center.
She then told the board about “The Inger Show”, a show contracted by a
vice-principal from Rogers. Ms. Blaylock stated that two shows were
taped with elaborate sets and was probably the second biggest
production they had ever done, next to the Lion’s Club Auction. She
announced that Inger would be back and wants to open a series time
slot, but that would happen after five shows were ready for playback.
Henry then concluded the Treasure’s report.
Vice-President Leaf then asked if any of the members would mind if she
moved the Manager’s report to the position on the agenda above
Committee Reports. There were no abjections. Leaf then asked the
Manager if she was ready to give her report at that time. Ms. Blaylock
read her report, which recapped highlights of the year’s outreach
activities and noted the busy end-of-the-year production work the
staff was currently doing, due in large part to the success of the
outreach events in connecting the CAT to members of the community as
well as other organizations. Post production works were listed as “The
Grid Iron Show”, “The Amazing Race”, Goeff Olsner’s CD release party
and two music videos, a public meeting for the Fayetteville Parks
Department, two Indonesian International workshops, one with the Ford
Fellows, the Spooktacular and the underwriting spots for The Farmers’
Coop, Cajun Gypsy?, Greenhouse Grill, Adventure Subaru, and Arkansans
for Equal Access. Contract studio productions were listed as the
“Lion’s Club Auction of the Air”, “The Monthly Ministerial Alliance”,
“Diversity en Espanol” featuring Claudia Steele and “The Inger Show”.
She also noted that the outreach event had resulted in a number of new
trainees. The Manager stated that she expected those numbers to grow
in the coming year with the upcoming 30th Anniversary. She also
apprised the Board of a letter she had received from Delani Bartlett,
who had coordinated the Media event in March and is now teaching at
NWACC. The letter from Ms. Bartlett announced that NWACC would be
sponsoring events from April 5-9, 2010 to build awareness and bring
information to the community about the First Amendment and invited the
CAT to participate. She also mention Chris Carson Shane Houston as
people we might want to include in our 30th Anniversary. Leaf thanked
the manager for her report and noted that the outreach for 2009 had
been phenomenal.
Under Committee Reports, Camillieri said that the Outreach Committee
would set a day to meet in January.
Leaf announced she had passed the chair to Bernard Sulliban, who had
agreed to take it, and that at the last meeting they had discussed
changes that needed to be made to Policy to reflect the changes in the
current contract with the City of Fayetteville. She offered to get the
four pages of suggested changes to Sulliban. Sulliban set the next
Policy meeting for Tuesday, December 15 at 5:00 PM in the break room
of the PEG Center, at which time he and the committee would review the
changes as well as the change to the bylaw that had been mentioned
earlier.
Finance Committee set a meeting for January 5 at 5:00 P.M. in the
break room of the PEG Center to discuss the 2010 budget and make final
adjustments before presentation to the Board at the January meeting.
Leaf announced the Personnel Committee had a little more work to do on
the Manager’s evaluation in order to give it to the Manager at the
meeting. She stated that they would need to go into executive session
in order to conduct that business and asked if anyone wanted to make
that motion. Sulliban asked Leaf if there was other committee business
or other business that needed to be addressed at the meeting. Leaf
replied that there was the old business of the proposed joint meeting
with the Telecom Board, but that business could wait until January.
Sulliban made the motion to table the Old Business until next month
Camillieri seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. Sulliban
next made the motion to undertake the New Business and defer on the
Personnel Committee action in order to hear Public Comment before the
board retired to executive session. Perry seconded and the motion
carried.
Under New Business Sulliban stated that the Board needed to seat a new
president. He made a motion that the Board vote in Dedra Leaf
officially as the Cat Board President in light of the recent
resignation of former President Pancake. Leaf asked if there was a
second. Perry then asked Leaf if she wanted to be president. She
stated that it was not something she had chosen, but that she would do
the job. Perry further stated that he didn’t want Leaf to obliged to
take the job and wanted to offer her a choice. She stated that the
Board held elections in April and she would be willing to hold the
position until then. Camillieri then seconded the motion. Leaf was
unanimously accepted as President of the Board of Directors of
Community Access Television.
Sulliban brought up the need for a new vice-president, but suggested
the members might want to wait until a later time to address that
issue. Leaf and the other members agreed and Leaf said they could
address the issue at the next monthly meeting.
Perry then stated to the audience that that the Board had just lost
it’s president and was trying to regroup and figure out how to proceed
and asked for patience.
Leaf then called for Public Comments. Sheree Barnett, a producer and
volunteer, presented a petition to the board signed by 16 producers
stating:

“We, the undersigned producers of Community Access Television would
like to make the following statement:
We fully support Sky Blaylock and the entire staff of CAT. We feel
their job performance has been exemplary. We feel the current
complaints against the staff are unfounded. The staff has always been
fully available to assist us in our endeavors.”

Barnett stated that the petition was in response to the six hours the
Board spent in executive session during the personnel committee
meeting the previous Tuesday. She also stated that she felt the staff
was overworked and the Board should look into getting more producers
to volunteer or hire help for the staff.
Leaf asked if there were other comments. There were none. The Agenda
then moved to the Personnel Committee. Leaf stated that Personnel
issues were private business between an employee and the personnel
committee. She asked the public to respect that.
Perry made the motion to move to executive session. Camillieri
seconded the motion. The Board the adjourned to executive session to
complete the manager’s evaluation and to give it to her.
When the board returned Leaf announced that the personnel committee
had given the manager’s evaluation to Sky Blaylock. She asked if there
was any other business. Sulliban reminded her that the Personnel
Committee needed to set a date to meet with the manager to follow up
on the evaluation. The board agreed to meet on Tuesday, January 19 at
5:30 P.M. at the PEG Center in the break room.
Sulliban thanked the producers for coming out in support of the
station and staff, especially at this point in time.
Camillieri wished the public ‘happy holidays’.
Sulliban made a motion to adjourn the meeting. It was seconded by
Camillieri and agreed to by the members. The meeting was adjourned.

--
Sky Blaylock, CAT Manager
Community Access Television
101 W. Rock Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
(479) 444-3433
Watch Online at: www.catfayetteville.org
"Empowering Community Voices & Visions"

Pass The Community Access Preservation Act - HR 3745
Go to www.alliancecm.org/CAP for more
information

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Schedule of shows Jan. 17-23, 2010

Weekly Schedule for 1/17-1/23‏
From: Heather Drain, CAT Office Coordinator (heather@catfayetteville.org)
Sent: Thu 1/14/10 12:06 PM
To: Friends & Viewers of CAT (aubreyshepherd@hotmail.com)

Sunday, 1/17/2010


12:00 am The Abbey of the Lemur: Marsupial 2008
12:36 am Message Board
2:30 am AMX on TV Episode 6
3:00 am Free Speech TV
9:00 am Revival Revisited
10:00 am Beyond Today: The End of the World?
10:30 am WTF?!? 12/17/09
11:00 am Krishnamurti: San Diego State University Talk #4
12:00 pm What's Up America-Clothes Line Festival
12:32 pm Message Board
1:00 pm OMNI Vision
2:00 pm Words of Peace: "You Are the Oasis"
2:30 pm Kids World
3:00 pm Unleavened Bread Bible Study: Is it the End Times? Pt. 2
4:00 pm Explorations in Faiths
4:30 pm Ratz in the House
5:00 pm Valley Harvest Ministries: Economic Empowerment Pt.6
5:30 pm Key to the Kingdom
6:00 pm Democracy Now!
7:00 pm Tomorrow's World: How Does Satan Deceive YOU?
7:30 pm What's Up America: Tontitown Grape Festival
8:12 pm Message Board
8:30 pm Victory Church Service
9:00 pm Whistle Where You Work #20
9:30 pm Message Board
10:00 pm Media Marketing Mix: Papa Rap
11:01 pm Message Board



Monday, 1/18/2010
12:00 am Horror Hosts Presents: Monster Creature Feature "Lost World"
1:56 am Message Board
3:00 am Free Speech TV
7:00 am Democracy Now!
8:00 am Free Speech TV
9:00 am Kids World
9:30 am Ratz in the House
10:00 am La Voz de la Profecia 8
11:00 am Short Takes
12:00 pm Omnibus
1:00 pm Whistle Where You Work #20
1:30 pm Jazzercise #17
2:00 pm God's Helping Hands
3:00 pm Message Board
3:30 pm Que Pasa? #8
4:00 pm Need to Know: God's Helping Hands
4:43 pm Message Board
5:00 pm Short Takes Live
6:00 pm Peace Train 1610 AM
7:00 pm On the Air: Danscape Movement Theatre
8:00 pm Intellectual Property #19 "Portait of a Suicide"
8:15 pm Message Board
8:30 pm What's Up America-Clothes Line Festival
9:02 pm Message Board
9:15 pm Spooktacular 2009-Video Booth
9:24 pm Message Board
9:30 pm One Whirled View
10:30 pm Army Newswatch
11:00 pm Short Takes



Tuesday, 1/19/2010


12:00 am God's Helping Hands
1:00 am Message Board
2:45 am Spooktacular 2009-Video Booth
2:54 am Message Board
3:00 am Free Speech TV
7:00 am Democracy Now!
8:00 am Free Speech TV
9:00 am Horror-ible Morning: Dr Dreck "Phantom Planet"
10:30 am Ratz in the House
11:00 am Short Takes
12:00 pm On the Air: Danscape Movement Theatre
1:00 pm Preservation With Paula - Cemetary Restoration
2:00 pm Need to Know: God's Helping Hands
2:43 pm Message Board
3:00 pm One Whirled View
4:00 pm All about Town with Chris and Angela
4:30 pm Sports Shorts
5:00 pm Short Takes
6:00 pm OMNI Vision
7:00 pm Valley Harvest Ministries: Economic Empowerment Pt.6
7:30 pm Revival Revisited
8:30 pm Victory Church Service
9:00 pm What's Up America: Tontitown Grape Festival
9:42 pm Message Board
10:00 pm Omnibus
11:00 pm Short Takes


Wednesday, 1/20/2010


12:00 am The Abbey of the Lemur: Marsupial 2008
12:36 am Message Board
1:00 am AMX on TV Episode 6
1:29 am Message Board
3:00 am Free Speech TV
7:00 am Democracy Now!
8:00 am Free Speech TV
9:00 am Media Marketing Mix: Papa Rap
10:01 am Message Board
10:30 am Army Newswatch
11:00 am Short Takes
12:00 pm Tomorrow's World: How Does Satan Deceive YOU?
12:30 pm Intellectual Property #19 "Portait of a Suicide"
12:45 pm Message Board
1:00 pm La Voz de la Profecia 8
2:00 pm Omnibus
3:00 pm Unleavened Bread Bible Study: Baiting the False Prophet and War
4:00 pm All about Town with Chris and Angela
4:30 pm Que Pasa? #8
5:00 pm What's Up America-Clothes Line Festival
5:35 pm Spooktacular 2009-Video Booth
5:44 pm Message Board
6:00 pm Revival Revisited
7:00 pm Explorations in Faiths
7:30 pm Key to the Kingdom
8:00 pm All about Town with Chris and Angela
8:30 pm Words of Peace: "You Are the Oasis"
9:00 pm What's Up America: Tontitown Grape Festival
9:45 pm God's Helping Hands
10:45 pm Message Board
11:00 pm Short Takes



Thursday, 1/21/2010


12:00 am AMX on TV Episode 6
12:29 am Message Board
3:00 am Free Speech TV
7:00 am Democracy Now!
8:00 am Free Speech TV
9:00 am God's Helping Hands
10:05 am Spooktacular 2009-Video Booth
10:14 am Message Board
10:30 am Words of Peace: "You Are the Oasis"
11:00 am Short Takes
12:00 pm Unleavened Bread Bible Study: Baiting the False Prophet and War
1:00 pm Preservation With Paula - Cemetary Restoration
2:00 pm WTF?!?
2:30 pm Revival Revisited
3:30 pm Army Newswatch
4:00 pm Peace Train 1610 AM
5:00 pm Sports Shorts
5:30 pm Victory Church Service
6:00 pm Democracy Now!
7:00 pm Valley Harvest Ministries: Economic Empowerment Pt.6
7:30 pm Kids World
8:00 pm Need to Know: God's Helping Hands
8:43 pm Message Board
9:00 pm Krishnamurti: San Diego State University Talk #4
10:00 pm La Voz de la Profecia 8
11:00 pm Short Takes


Friday, 1/22/2010


12:00 am The Abbey of the Lemur: Marsupial 2008
12:36 am Message Board
2:30 am WTF?!? 12/17/09
3:00 am Free Speech TV
7:00 am Democracy Now!
8:00 am Free Speech TV
9:00 am Omnibus
10:00 am One Whirled View
11:00 am Short Takes
12:00 pm What's Up America: Tontitown Grape Festival
12:42 pm Message Board
1:00 pm Unleavened Bread Bible Study: Is it the End Times? Pt. 2
2:00 pm Unleavened Bread Bible Study: Baiting the False Prophet and War
3:00 pm Kids World
3:30 pm Que Pasa? #8
4:00 pm Unarius: Pages from History
5:00 pm Short Takes
6:00 pm Democracy Now!
7:00 pm Key to the Kingdom
7:30 pm Sports Shorts
8:00 pm God's Helping Hands
9:00 pm Message Board
9:15 pm What's Up America-Clothes Line Festival
9:47 pm Message Board
10:00 pm Peace Train 1610 AM
11:00 pm Short Takes



Saturday, 1/23/2010


12:00 am Horror Hosts Presents: Monster Creature Feature "Lost World"
1:56 am Message Board
3:00 am Free Speech TV
8:00 am Revival Revisited
9:00 am Beyond Today: The End of the World?
9:30 am Sports Shorts
10:00 am Horror-ible Morning: Dr Dreck "Phantom Planet"
11:30 am Kids World
12:00 pm Unarius: Pages from History
1:00 pm Preservation With Paula - Cemetary Restoration
2:00 pm Unleavened Bread Bible Study: Is it the End Times? Pt. 2
3:00 pm Intellectual Property #19 "Portait of a Suicide"
3:15 pm Message Board
3:30 pm WTF?!? 12/17/09
4:00 pm Explorations in Faiths
4:30 pm What's Up America-Clothes Line Festival
5:02 pm Message Board
5:30 pm All about Town with Chris and Angela
6:00 pm On the Air: Danscape Movement Theatre
7:00 pm Tomorrow's World: How Does Satan Deceive YOU?
7:30 pm Jazzercise #17
8:00 pm What's Up America: Tontitown Grape Festival
8:45 pm Spooktacular 2009-Video Booth
8:54 pm Message Board
9:00 pm Omnibus
10:00 pm Horror Hosts Presents: Monster Creature Feature "Lost World"
11:56 pm Message Board

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

CAT board agenda for January 7, 2010

Today, the CAT Board will be having its monthly meeting at 6pm at the PEG CENTER, aka Fayettevville Televsion building. The following is the agenda:

"COMMUNITY ACCESS TELEVISON BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JANUARY 14, 2010 MEETING

The January 14, 2010 meeting of the Board of Directors of Community Access Television will be held in the studio of the City of Fayetteville Television Center at 101 W. Rock St. in Fayetteville, Arkansas at 6:00 P.M.

BOARD MEMBERS
Marietta Camillieri; Bruce Perry; Bernard Sulliban, Secretary; Roger Henry, Treasurer; Dedra Leaf, President

Call meeting to order

Address complaint about Bylaw violation by Board

Bylaw change
Change e-mailed to Board Members on 12/16/09


Approval of November and December minutes

Treasurer’s Report
2010 Budget approval

Committee Reports
Outreach/Fundraising Committee: Set meeting for January
Policy Committee: Policy changes (Changes e-mailed to Board Members on 12/16/09)
Set meeting for January to address complaint procedures
Finance Committee: Reschedule January meeting/ change names on bank signature card
Personnel Committee: Next meeting scheduled for 1/19/10 at 5:30 P.M.

Manager’s Report

Old Business

New Business
List needed of technology priorities and needs for 2010 to be given to the City Station Manager before end of the month.
Need for a Board retreat in February to plan the coming year

Interview of Board Member Applicant: David A. Young (application e-mailed to all Board Members on 12/30/09)
Public Comment

Adjournment"


Just a little reminder about our closing policies, if the Fayetteville School District is closed, so is CAT.
Thursday, January 14th at 6pm.

Thank you all for your support and be safe!

All the Best,

Heather Drain

CAT board president responds to producer's complaint

Dear Ms. Burnett,

My only purpose in responding to your complaint was to let you know that the issues in your formal complaint would be addressed by the Board in the manner by which we have addressed other complaints addressed to the Board: it will be read to the Board and sent to committee for a recommendation to be acted upon by the Board at the next (February) meeting of the Board of Directors. I wanted you to know that we have been in the process of addressing some of those issues and the bylaws regarding our minimum number of members has been slated to be addressed at the January meeting since our board meeting in December. It will be one of our first orders of business.

For the record, the minimum number of members only affects the number of members need to achieve quorum. Right now we need four members to have a quorum. Any more than one person absent from a board meeting prevents us from conducting business.

Since you were dissatisfied with my earlier choice to not put your complaint on the agenda for this month, but refer it during the committee reports, I have place your complain at the top of the agenda for tomorrow night. The rest of your concerns will be addressed at that time.

Sincerely,
Dedra Leaf
President
Community Access Television Board of Directors

CAT producer requests that CAT Board of Directors halt decision-making process until status of its member is brought in line with bylaws

Re: Fw: Formal Complaint about Board Action‏
From: S. C. Burnett (greenlightbaby@yahoo.com)
You may not know this sender.Mark as safe|Mark as junk
Sent: Wed 1/06/10 9:54 AM
To: Dedra Leaf (hambyleaf@yahoo.com); brad reed (breed@knwa.com)
Cc: Bernard Sulliban (bsulliban@yahoo.com); Bruce Perry (intermixdesign@cox.net); RHenry (rhenry@uark.edu); Marietta (info@essentialartsonline.com); Sky Blaylock (sky@catfayetteville.org); aubreyshepherd@hotmail.com
Ms. Leaf,

I am somewhat perplexed by your answer. You said you forwarded the complaint to the Policy Comittee for investigation and recomendation, does that mean the board as a whole is not going to hear the complaint? Was this the board's decision or a decision you made on behalf of the board? And is this your official answer to the complaint?

I am very disturbed that with the nature of these allegations you would choose to conduct such important business such as budget, policy, and bylaw changes without a legal quorum. Until you can replace your expired membership, you do not have the numbers to conduct business legally, and any actions the board takes at this time could be called into question at a future time.

Sheree Burnett
Cat Producer

From: Dedra Leaf
To: S. C. Burnett
Cc: Bernard Sulliban ; Bruce Perry ; RHenry ; Marietta ; Sky Blaylock
Sent: Tue, January 5, 2010 1:47:45 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: Formal Complaint about Board Action

Dear Ms. Burnett,

Thank you for being concerned about the way our community access station operates.

In answer to your questions outside of the formal complaint: yes, we are still planning to have the meeting on Thursday, but it may need to be postponed a week if we get bad weather. We have a lot of business to conduct this month, including interviewing a new board member, passing our annual budget and passing a bylaw change (the one about our numbers, to which you refer in your complaint) and policy changes to reflect our current contract with the City.

As you can see, it will be a busy meeting. And since we already have plans to address some of the issues raised in your complaint, I will not be adding that to the agenda this month. I have, however, passed the complaint to the Policy Committee for investigation and recommendations for the February Board meeting.
As far as filling the vacant positions on the Board, we have the same problem many NPO boards have, including the Telecom Board: very few people want to commit to the responsibility. We always ask, but so far we're the only ones who have said yes, we will accept the responsibility for this organization.

Sincerely,
Dedra Leaf
President
Community Access Television Board of Directors

--- On Tue, 1/5/10, S. C. Burnett wrote:

From: S. C. Burnett
Subject: Fw: Formal Complaint about Board Action
To: "Dedra Leaf" , "Sky Blaylock" , breed@myfox24.com
Cc: "Bernard Sulliban" , "RHenry" , "Marietta" , "Bruce Perry"
Date: Tuesday, January 5, 2010, 11:22 AM

Greetings,

I was curious if the board was still planning on meeting this Thursday, or if the meeting would be called off due to the impending snow? I filed the following complaint with Sky. Having received her response, I now wish to escalate this matter to the board level. Is there anyway my complaint appeal could be placed on the agenda for the January 2010 meeting?


Sheree Burnett
Cat Producer

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Sky Blaylock
To: S. C. Burnett
Sent: Tue, January 5, 2010 8:49:46 AM
Subject: Re: Formal Complaint about Board Action

Dear Sheree,

Thank you for your formal complaint regarding Community Access Television.. The CAT Policies outline the complaint procedure as beginning with the CAT Manager. If my answer doesn't satisfy your complaint you may appeal to the CAT Board of Directors.

Since your question is more directed at the operations of the Board who are the governing body of Community Access Television and are my employer, it is not possible for me to answer your questions individually. My job description is very clear in outlining my responsibilities as far as the CAT Policies and the general operation of the station, including staff oversight. However, any questions you have about how the Board of Directors operate are outside of my purview.

Thank you again for your input and interest in Community Access Television.

Sky Blaylock, CAT Manager
Community Access Television
101 W. Rock Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
(479) 444-3433
Watch Online at: www.catfayetteville.org
"Empowering Community Voices & Visions"

Pass The Community Access Preservation Act - HR 3745
Go to www.alliancecm.org/CAP for more information






On Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 11:24 AM, S. C. Burnett wrote:
Dear Sky,
I would like to lodge the following formal complaint against the CAT Board of Directors.

It has come to my attention through my recent reading of the Community Access Television
Bylaws that the current CAT Board is in direct violation of four sections of Article IV
of the CAT BYLAWS. The sections in question govern the board themselves in regards to Number, Election, Tenure, and Vacancy. Due to their complete lack of adherence to these Bylaws that govern their actions. The board has been operating illegally since May of 2009.

Article IV
Section 4 - TENURE : ” the term of office for a board member is 3 years”.
Section 3 - ELECTION: “members whose terms have expired...shall be replaced through election by the members.”
Section 5 – VACANCY: “ Any vacancy occurring during the year in the board of directors shall be filled within 90 days”

There were a total of five board members that resigned in 2009. Of those five only one was replaced.
On Feb 5th Dylan Ferrell and Jack Kearney both resigned from the board due to other obligations. At this time the board had 90 days to fill these vacancies. They did seat Marietta Camillieri at the following board meeting on March 5th. However they failed to ever fill the other board position. That placed the board in violation of the Vacancy policy and the Number Policy in May of 2009 and they have failed to bring themselves into compliance since then.

Two other board members Casey Milford and Dr. Jinying Yang both resigned and have still not been replaced.

There are currently 3 board members serving on expired terms.
Bernard Sulliban was seated on Feb, 3rd 2005.
Roger Henry was seated on April 6, 2006.
Dedra Leaf was seated on November 2, 2006.
These board members terms have expired and they can no longer be considered
part of the board of directors.

This leaves only two legitimate board members, Bruce Perry who joined on Feb. 7, 2008 and Marrietta Camillieri who was seated on March 5th 2009.

Last month Sky Blaylock alerted the board to their violation of Article IV Section 2. NUMBER , which stated that the board must have 7 to 15 members.. I find it disturbing that the initial reaction to this was not to seek out new membership, but rather to hold a policy committee meeting to amend the Bylaws. A vote to amend the bylaws at this time would create yet another Bylaw violations, as there are not enough legitimate board members to have a 2/3rds majority.

In addition to being in violation of the CAT Bylaws, the board is currently in violation of the city contract,. Section 6 of Resolution 225-09 (the CAT Contract) states “The City may exercise it's right to either temporarily suspend or permanently terminate this Agreement if there is a dispute as to the legal authority of CAT or the person signing the Agreement.” Former President Pancake signed the contract after her term expired as a member of the board.

I hereby request that ALL board business be tabled until the board removes the members who terms have expired and finds additional members to bring themselves back into a legal status, so business can legally continue. I would encourage the board to contact the City to see what steps need to be taken to continue as the public access provider despite this breach of contract.


Sheree Burnett
CAT Producer

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Finance committee of the Cable Access Television Board to meet at 5 p.m. today: Public welcome

CAT Board Finance Committee Meeting Today‏
From: Heather Drain, CAT Office Coordinator (heather@catfayetteville.org)
Sent: Tue 1/05/10 11:24 AM
To: Friends & Viewers of CAT (aubreyshepherd@hotmail.com)
Greetings!
We hope everyone is keeping safe and warm out there. It's certainly warm here at the station, which is perfect for the CAT Board's Finance Committee Meeting that will be held tonight at 5pm.
This meeting is open to the public, so if you would like to contribute some ideas, simply observe or even apply to be a new member, then please feel free to attend.
Have a great day!
All the Best,
Heather Drain