[rfu-membership] Getting Organized

[Mike Lehman]

Hi Everyone,
Several people have written to me offering to help with station 
governance. I have BCC-ed them on this message. Among the issues brought 
up is a current inability to attend station meetings on Tuesday evenings 
due to other commitments. Also, people want to share responsibility, 
instead of being the individual who succeeds me as station manager.

This is a good thing, because the station structure actually envisions 
collective management of station business. Essentially, the role of 
station manager is supposed to eventually fall to the RFU-membership 
group. Membership has taken on some of the responsibility for the tasks 
of the station manager. They were meeting on the Sunday early evening 
before the first and third Tuesday membership meetings. However, I've 
seen no notes from them posted to RFU-station over most of the summer, 
so I don't think they've been meeting regularly.

Membership needs to be reconstituted, keep the rest of the station 
advised of its work, and to meet regularly in order to fully take over 
the station manager's responsibilities. It does not have to meet on 
Sunday evenings, but could meet at any other mutually agreeable time. 
However, Membership does need to have at least one member who is able to 
attend the first and third Tuesday night general station RFU meetings -- 
or the station meeting itself could be moved.

I will help coordinate with those expressing an interest in helping with 
station governance in getting organized and meet as the Membership 
group. Others interested should let us know you want to help. Many hands 
make light work. Essentially, what is required is that the group takes 
on the many responsibilities that the FCC assigns to station management. 
While we have a preference for doing these things collectively and can 
certainly do so -- we've just never quite gotten to that point --  the 
FCC requires one person to take this responsibility on paperwork filed 
with it. So even with a good, active group, someone still has to 
officially be station manager. But that's easy enough to figure out.

Station management is essentially responsible for ensuring compliance 
with FCC rules and filing all necessary paperwork. This sounds more 
imposing than it actually is, but it does require a group willing to 
follow-up and keep the best interests of the station in mind, while 
keeping us legal. I don't like to have to remind people about the rules, 
but this is required -- along with the needed follow-up to ensure 
compliance -- but it has to be done or we risk the entire station's 
ability to stay on the air. I will be available for consulting, but this 
is a responsibility that needs to pass to others at this point.

Please let me know if you'd like to help.
Mike Lehman