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How to Apply for a "Waiver"

BROKE? CAN'T VOLUNTEER? GET A "WAIVER" -- (For example, if you are you disabled, or have kids or parents to watch, can't afford Metrocard, or if you are in prison, etc.)

Call (212) 209-2919 and LEAVE A MESSAGE. Say you want an "APPLICATION FOR A WAIVER", and leave your ADDRESS and PHONE # if you have one.

You can also write an email requesting a waiver application to WBAIWaivers2010@yahoogroups.com.

NOTE: Anon E. Mouse is investigating what ADDRESS you should use if you want to WRITE and ask for a Waiver Application. So STAY TUNED!

[For just applying for a waiver, the above is all you need. If you would like to know more about what it took to actually get a waivers policy for WBAI this year (2010), read on, below.]

THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT WAIVERS

The current board majority, aka "THE INDEPENDENTS" used a TRICK that kept poor people from VOTING in the last two elections.

First, MITCH COHEN and his faction mates took out a LAWSUIT in 2007 and CHALLENGED ALL THE VOTES OF POOR PEOPLE WHO GOT WAIVERS.

Last year, because they control the MAJORITY on the Local Station Board, (LSB) they put "Waivers" at the BOTTOM of the agenda over and over again until it was TOO LATE. A flaw in the Pacifica Bylaws requires the LSB to set up a committee year after year.

MORE COMPLICATED THAN A NUCLEAR ARMS AGREEMENT

Have an extra half hour? Here is the Waivers Motion presented by Mitch Cohen at the last possible moment. It passed with a few minor changes. Justice & Unity fought all year to put Waivers on the agenda so people would have enough time to apply for them. We also fought the clause in this motion that requires poor people to get their applications in 2 DAYS EARLIER than everyone else.

MOTION SUBMITTED BY MITCH COHEN at the June 9, 2010 LSB meeting

MOTION ESTABLISHING 2010 MEMBERSHIP WAIVERS PROCESS Local Station Boards throughout the Pacifica network are permitted by Article 3, Section 4 of the Pacifica Bylaws to establish a process to provide waivers of WBAI membership requirements on a case-by-case basis to listeners who have "demonstrated a sincere interest in becoming a Member of the Foundation and [are] also genuinely unable to afford the contribution amount or to volunteer the minimum 3 hours of service.

Therefore, the WBAI Local Station Board hereby adopts the following process for membership waivers:

1. A listener may apply for a membership waiver at any time during the course of the year. The LSB, meeting in Executive Session, may approve applications for Waivers at any time.

2. As the close date for membership approaches, the LSB hereby establishes an Ad Hoc Waivers Committee to take up the expected increase of this work.

3. The Committee shall consist of 3 LSB members elected by the LSB using single transferable voting. No LSB listener member who is eligible to run for re-election this year shall serve on this committee. Should a committee member resign or be unable to serve, the next runner-up will automatically take his or her place. A quorum of the committee shall consist of the presence of 2 of the 3 members. The Local Station Board will elect the committee Chair from among the 3 elected committee members.

4. A person who wishes to apply for a waiver of membership requirements must request an application in writing, email or by telephone to the Chair of the Waivers Committee or his or her appointee, who will send the application and a copy of the Pacifica Missions statement to the applicant within 48 hours. No other distribution of Waivers forms will be accepted. The Chair of the committee or his/her designee will keep a log of each request.

5. The applicant must fill out the form, which will include

a) Name, address, telephone, email address, where s/he heard of this application and other information deemed pertinent by the Waivers Committee;

b) a statement that s/he listens to WBAI and has a sincere interest in becoming a Member of WBAI and the Pacifica Foundation;

c) a statement that s/he is unable to either contribute $25 owing to financial hardship nor is able to volunteer 3 hours to WBAI in the course of the year. The applicant must include a brief statement as to why s/he is unable to volunteer; and,

d) signature of the applicant and the date, underneath the statement: “I attest that all statements in this application for a waiver are true.

6. No applicant shall be required to appear before the Committee.

7. The application for waiver must be received at the mailbox assigned for this purpose no later than 5 pm on Monday, June 28, 2010.

8. All waiver applications will be picked up at mutually agreed times by the Chair and at least one other member of the Committee (generally, at the time of each meeting).

9. Waiver applications must be reviewed and approved prior to 11:59 pm of the Election Close Date of June 30, 2010 in order for membership to be conferred on the applicant for the 2010 LSB election.

10. The Waivers Committee shall review each application and vote by majority of those present only as to whether the applicant meets the criteria specified above; if so determined, the waiver shall be approved.

11. For each approved application, the LSB directs the Committee to notify the applicant, the Local Election Supervisor, and the station's Membership Department that the applicant is to be added to the membership rolls for the 12 months following the approval.

12. For applications that the Committee votes to reject or deems incomplete as per the requirements listed above, the Chair of the Committee or his/her appointee shall immediately notify the applicant (by phone if possible, or in writing (including email)), that the application has not been approved. The notification must include a short statement of the reason for its rejection or the finding of incomplete information. Such notification shall offer the applicant the option to resubmit the application with the required information. At its next meeting, the Committee will reconsider any application that has been resubmitted. The Committee shall not be responsible for resubmitted applications that fail to be approved prior to the June 30th deadline.

13. All applications shall be kept confidential, and all meetings of the Waivers Committee at which individual applications are discussed shall be held in executive session.

14. The Committee must complete its work prior to the June 30th 11:59 pm record date. No application for waiver of membership requirements shall be considered after that date. The Committee shall provide a written public report to the LSB specifying how many applications were received, approved, rejected, or returned due to incomplete information, as well as recommendations (if any) to improve the process in the future. A confidential section of the report shall include an accounting of any rejections of applications and the reason for each rejection. At the time the report is submitted, all applications and documents relating to applications shall be turned over to the LSB Secretary, who shall keep custody of them for two years. The waiver applications and documents relating to them shall be available for inspection by the Elections Supervisors upon request and by LSB members in executive session.

15. The Local Station Board hereby approves the text of the waiver form (attached).

16. The Local Station Board hereby approves publicizing both the existence of the form and process for applying for waivers immediately.

17. The Local Station Board hereby approves the making and broadcasting of on-air carts, which shall include text summarizing the membership requirements, waiver process, and contact information for those seeking a waiver. The cart shall include mention of the June 30, 2010 deadline for becoming a member and obtaining a ballot in the coming LSB election.

18. This information shall also be placed on the LSB's outgoing voicemail and on both the LSB and WBAI Election sections of the WBAI website. We also request that the information on how to get a waivers application be disseminated by the station through other means, email lists, and so forth.