Accounting error caused campus radio billing dispute
The Ryersonian, November 4, 2009
CKLN does not owe any money to University of Toronto's campus radiostation, CIUT 89.5 FM. The transmitter provider for both stations, Brookfield Properties Corp., confirmed last Friday that CIUT's $11,000 overpayment on its electricitybill was an accounting error. Tensions between the sister stations erupted earlier this month when CIUTstation manager Brian Burchell threatened to cut off CKLN's power if itdidn't pay the U of T station $11,000 by Oct. 14.
Both stations lease space from Brookfield Properties on the roof of FirstCanadian Place on King Street and share the same power meter. Each month, they're billed for their electrical use based on theirestimated power consumption.
"It was an accounting error we inherited and never corrected," saidMelissa Coley, vice-president of investor relations and communications atBrookfield Properties. CIUT will be reimbursed for the overpayment, added Coley.
Brookfield Properties acquired First Canadian Place in late 2005 fromOlympia and York, a property corporation. CKLN board members have maintained from the beginning of the dispute andthey have always paid their own electrical bills and didn't owe CIUT apenny. Barry Johnson, a CKLN board member, said CIUT shouldn't have come to themwith the allegations in the first place. If there was a dispute surrounding the bills, he said, it should have beentaken up with Brookfield Properties, not CKLN.
"Instead of CIUT contacting the property manager, which is what theyshould have done, they came to us without any proof that we owed them thismoney, which is wrong," Johnson said.
Burchell accused CKLN of not paying its portion, dating back 10 years,which CIUT noticed while renegotiating the station's lease with theproperty company. He notified CKLN about the discrepancy six months ago but didn't receive areply until September, which prompted CIUT to threaten to cut off power.
Burchell could not be reached for comment.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Notice: Board meeting November 9th
CKLN resumed live broadcasting on September 29th. Most programs were back on air and within the short period of 4 weeks, it appears CKLN has a full schedule with great promise, big heart and huge community spirit.
DRAFT AGENDA
1. Welcome to new Board members, Thanks Yous to departing Board.
2. Election of officers. (Chair, Vice-chair, Treasurer, Secretary)
3. Scheduling of student byelections to fill two remaining vacancies.
4. Money from the RSU
5. Spending priorities
6. Subcommittees
7. Advertising policy
8. Student volunteer recruitment
9. Legal (there will be a motion to go in camera)
10. Other business
DRAFT AGENDA
1. Welcome to new Board members, Thanks Yous to departing Board.
2. Election of officers. (Chair, Vice-chair, Treasurer, Secretary)
3. Scheduling of student byelections to fill two remaining vacancies.
4. Money from the RSU
5. Spending priorities
6. Subcommittees
7. Advertising policy
8. Student volunteer recruitment
9. Legal (there will be a motion to go in camera)
10. Other business
Please note: this is a DRAFT agenda and it is subject to change.
CKLN Update - Back on the Airwaves!!
CKLN resumed live broadcasting on September 29th. Most programs were back on air and within the short period of 4 weeks, it appears CKLN has a full schedule with great promise, big heart and huge community spirit.
On October 30th two students reps were elected to help fill in the 4 soon to be vacated positions on the board. All was done in accordance to the CKLN governing by-laws.
On October 28th, CKLN Radio Incorporated held its 2009 Annual General Meeting on Oakham Lounge (2nd floor, Oakham House, 63 Gould Street on the campus of Ryerson University). This meeting was widely publicized and was well attended by students, community and volunteers. A neutral chair was elected (with an overwhelming majority of votes) to help navigate a long but productive night.
On Monday, November 9th the new elected Board of Directors plans to hold its first meeting following this year's AGM. A scheduling of student by-elections will be part of the meeting's agenda to help fill in the remaining two vacancies.
All in all, it is refreshing and encouraging to witness a board working hard to rebuild CKLN from the ground up and with the participation of dedicated and ELECTED reps.
On October 30th two students reps were elected to help fill in the 4 soon to be vacated positions on the board. All was done in accordance to the CKLN governing by-laws.
On October 28th, CKLN Radio Incorporated held its 2009 Annual General Meeting on Oakham Lounge (2nd floor, Oakham House, 63 Gould Street on the campus of Ryerson University). This meeting was widely publicized and was well attended by students, community and volunteers. A neutral chair was elected (with an overwhelming majority of votes) to help navigate a long but productive night.
The elections results for volunteer and community reps to the board as are as follows:Ron Nelson and Barry Johnson were elected as Staff reps. Andrew Lehrer and Mike Harnett were elected as Community reps.
On Monday, November 9th the new elected Board of Directors plans to hold its first meeting following this year's AGM. A scheduling of student by-elections will be part of the meeting's agenda to help fill in the remaining two vacancies.
All in all, it is refreshing and encouraging to witness a board working hard to rebuild CKLN from the ground up and with the participation of dedicated and ELECTED reps.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
FYI - CKLN Board Minutes from Sept. 11/09 Meeting
CKLN Board of Directors
Minutes – September 11, 2009
Present: Peter Toh, Ron Nelson, Andrew Lehrer, Barry Johnson, Caldwell Taylor (present by phone)
Absent: Toby Whitfield
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Chair Toh asks if chair elected is tentative. Nelson says positions should be interim until there’s a full board. Lehrer asks who is interested in being Chair? Nelson indicates interest. Johnson asked if interested and says no. Taylor nominated, declined. M/Toh, S/Lehrer: That Ron Nelson is elected interim chair until we have a full board. Nelson elected chair.
Vice-Chair: Johnson nominated, declined. Taylor nominated, accepts. M/Nelson, S/Johnson: That Caldwell Taylor is elected interim vice-chair until we have a full board. Taylor elected vice-chair.
Secretary: Lehrer nominated, accepts. M/Johnson, S/Toh: That Andrew Lehrer is elected interim secretary until we have a full board.Lehrer elected secretary.
Treasurer: Toh nominated, accepts. M/Johnson, S/Nelson: That Peter Toh is elected interim treasurer until we have a full board.Toh elected.
OTHER BUSINESS
- CRTC meeting: Letter from CRTC reviewed and discussed as is our report to the commission.
- Programming: Nelson moves for calling of staff meeting. Johnson says all staff should go through mandatory review process. Letter by Womyn and Trans People at CKLN calling for general meeting to elect a programming committee discussed. Toh agrees with some of the suggestions in the letter but not others. Johnson wants more time to review the letter. Idea of programming committee can be presented at staff meeting. Lehrer asked to write response to authors thanking them for the letter and acknowledging that it has been accepted by the Board for review. M/Nelson, S/Lehrer: That a staff meeting be called for Monday 21, 6:30 pm at Ryerson (exact day subject to room availability); Motion passed.
- Return of CKLN property: Lehrer says various property need to be returned. Toh says his past requests have been ignored and suggests use of a lawyer. Taylor suggests that if letters fail to achieve response the Board should then ask for a resolution at the staff meeting and if that fails a lawyer should then be used. M/Lehrer, S/Nelson: That the Secretary write former Board members and paid staff instructing them to return any CKLN documents, equipment, databases, keys, lists, seals or other property and that any social media accounts run in the name of CKLN also be turned over as well as any passwords or other intellectual property as required, by September 21. Motion passed.
- Election Planning Committee (student reps): Lehrer reads Section 16 of the bylaw which requires appointment of Election Planning Committee to conduct election of student reps to the Board by October 30th. Johnson volunteers to chair EPC and recruit two other members. M/Lehrer, S/Johnson: That the Board appoint Barry Johnson to the Election Planning Committee and delegate to him the authority to appoint two other persons to the committee. Passed.
- Staff arbitration: Johnson calls for two former staff members who were fired by previous Board and whose dismissals were overturned in arbitration be re-hired with their status changed retroactively to layoff. Toh states that we should consult a lawyer first. Johnson unfamiliar with issue and would like to see documentation before deciding. Lehrer will seek background information and documentation from union. Motion is tabled.
Formal portion of meeting adjourned (Board remains to answer questions from observers)
Minutes – September 11, 2009
Present: Peter Toh, Ron Nelson, Andrew Lehrer, Barry Johnson, Caldwell Taylor (present by phone)
Absent: Toby Whitfield
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Chair Toh asks if chair elected is tentative. Nelson says positions should be interim until there’s a full board. Lehrer asks who is interested in being Chair? Nelson indicates interest. Johnson asked if interested and says no. Taylor nominated, declined. M/Toh, S/Lehrer: That Ron Nelson is elected interim chair until we have a full board. Nelson elected chair.
Vice-Chair: Johnson nominated, declined. Taylor nominated, accepts. M/Nelson, S/Johnson: That Caldwell Taylor is elected interim vice-chair until we have a full board. Taylor elected vice-chair.
Secretary: Lehrer nominated, accepts. M/Johnson, S/Toh: That Andrew Lehrer is elected interim secretary until we have a full board.Lehrer elected secretary.
Treasurer: Toh nominated, accepts. M/Johnson, S/Nelson: That Peter Toh is elected interim treasurer until we have a full board.Toh elected.
OTHER BUSINESS
- CRTC meeting: Letter from CRTC reviewed and discussed as is our report to the commission.
- Programming: Nelson moves for calling of staff meeting. Johnson says all staff should go through mandatory review process. Letter by Womyn and Trans People at CKLN calling for general meeting to elect a programming committee discussed. Toh agrees with some of the suggestions in the letter but not others. Johnson wants more time to review the letter. Idea of programming committee can be presented at staff meeting. Lehrer asked to write response to authors thanking them for the letter and acknowledging that it has been accepted by the Board for review. M/Nelson, S/Lehrer: That a staff meeting be called for Monday 21, 6:30 pm at Ryerson (exact day subject to room availability); Motion passed.
- Return of CKLN property: Lehrer says various property need to be returned. Toh says his past requests have been ignored and suggests use of a lawyer. Taylor suggests that if letters fail to achieve response the Board should then ask for a resolution at the staff meeting and if that fails a lawyer should then be used. M/Lehrer, S/Nelson: That the Secretary write former Board members and paid staff instructing them to return any CKLN documents, equipment, databases, keys, lists, seals or other property and that any social media accounts run in the name of CKLN also be turned over as well as any passwords or other intellectual property as required, by September 21. Motion passed.
- Election Planning Committee (student reps): Lehrer reads Section 16 of the bylaw which requires appointment of Election Planning Committee to conduct election of student reps to the Board by October 30th. Johnson volunteers to chair EPC and recruit two other members. M/Lehrer, S/Johnson: That the Board appoint Barry Johnson to the Election Planning Committee and delegate to him the authority to appoint two other persons to the committee. Passed.
- Staff arbitration: Johnson calls for two former staff members who were fired by previous Board and whose dismissals were overturned in arbitration be re-hired with their status changed retroactively to layoff. Toh states that we should consult a lawyer first. Johnson unfamiliar with issue and would like to see documentation before deciding. Lehrer will seek background information and documentation from union. Motion is tabled.
Formal portion of meeting adjourned (Board remains to answer questions from observers)
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