© 2024 NPR Illinois
The Capital's Community & News Service
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The homepage for the NPR Illinois Community Advisory Board (CAB).

Community Advisory Board Minutes - September 2017

NPR Illinois Community Advisory Board Meeting
September 1, 2017

Attendees: 

300 West Edwards Street, Springfield

  • Jon Davis
  • Kathleen Dunn
  • Randy Eccles
  • Eric Hadley-Ives
  • Bethany Jaeger
  • Adam Porter
  • Megan Pressnall
  • David Racine
  • Kent Redfield
  • Blake Roderick
  • Dick Schuldt

222 North LaSalle Street, Chicago (conference video)

  • Rob Christie
  • Bob Gallo
  • Graham Grady
  • David Kohn
  • Alden Loury

11:30 AM Call to order
Welcome - Bethany Jaeger, chair
Roll call

Advisory Board purpose

  1. Consider Community Advisory Board requirements
  2. In reviewing bylaws, it was noted terms should run paralell to NPR Illinois fiscal years and should expire on June 30 not December 31 as currently stated.  There was no objection to this revision.
  3. The vice-chair role is currently open.  A request for nominations/volunteers was made.  No immediate candidates were identified.
  4. In refining the Community Advisory Board expectations the line regarding being responsible for relationship building was revised from, "One activity per month," to, "On a regular basis."  It was suggested by the board that an NPR Illinois staff member drive this activity by communicating when a project needed outreach or funding and how a board member would be able to bring a contact into the project.  Additionally, the board emphasized that the expectation to make a personal contribution and open the door with relevant people in their networks is something they are open to and will work best in response to NPR Illinois staff requests, "As needed."  The conversation regarding a giving minimum let to the concept of a, "Give of get," and the creation of a fundraising committee to determine more details.

Advisory Board membership

  1. The board had no objection to the proposed transition to staggered terms 
  2. A Nominating Committee was established to fill open seats on the board.  Rob Christie, Adam Porter, and Megan Pressnall will serve along with Bethany Jaeger and Randy Eccles. The board believes having the maximum number of members best assists NPR Illinois and is better for the when unexpected turnover occurs.  The Nomination Committee agreed to meet before the next full board meeting in December and submit a slate of nominees to join the board.

NPR Illinois update

  1. Editorial update - Eccles stated a recently completed search has resulted in the reporting staff about to return to its full compliment of eight journalists.  The new hires are Daisy Contreras (previously an UIS Public Affairs Reporting Program intern for NPR Illinois), Jaclyn Driscoll (previously at NewsChannel 20 WICS in Springfield), Mary Hansen (previously city reporter for the State Journal-Register), and the promotion of Rachel Otwell (from a producer position to the multimedia journalist position where she will be doing more reporting).  Illinois Edition is on intermission while the new staff is trained and the program is refreshed to gain additional statewide carriage.
  2. Board suggestions for coverage included the 2018 election cycle and debates.  How will the new K-12education funding bill work?  The future of taxation in Illinois (TIFF, sales, pension, property, sin/use).  Jurisdiction carving (non-minimum wage zones).  Are business incentives sensible to gain border business jobs (Foxconn in Wisconsin)?  With the potential end or renegotiation of NAFTA, how has Illinois been affected by the treaty (it seems to have been a positive for ag)? Is redistricting reform dead (probably by ballot but the Supreme Court may impact with ruling on Wisconsin case)?
  3. Financial update / state budget update - NPR Illinois survived the budget impasse through cost controls and open positions.  A new director of business and finance, Matt Sporrer (previously of SIU School of Medicine) has been hired to succeed the retired Sandra McGinnis.  Sporrer will be training on systems, preparing for the annual CPB audit, and analyzing the post impasse financial trajectory of NPR Illinois.
  4. Civic engagement - Under the leadership of engagement and membership manager Nice Bogdanovich a major listening tour of Illinois is in progress.  Sponsored by AARP Illinois and in collaboration with each of the public radio stations in the state the Illinois Issues Forums are asking each community how the impasse and the fiscal health of Illinois are impacting them.  Panels or regional resources are featured at the events to provide context and clarity.  The leven forums will be held in Chicago, Metro East (Edwardsville), Springfield, Glen Ellyn, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign, DeKalb, Macomb, Carbondale, and the Quad Cities (Moline).
  5. Development plans - an initial search for a development director failed.  Final interviews for a second round of this search will occur in October.  The new director will then hire account executives to reboot the underwriting program.  Membership donations reached record levels again in FY2017.  It is not known yet whether university funding that decreased during the impasse will be restored.

Next Meeting

  1. December 1, 2017, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
    222 North LaSalle Street, Chicago
    300 West Edwards Street, Springfield (video conference for those who cannot travel)
Related Stories