The Committee For A More Responsible Local 47

I. SPECIAL CLUB 47 MEETING REQUESTED 11/15/15
II. MEMBER COMMENTS – SPACES
III. MEMBER COMMENTS
IV. TIME IS NOW COMMENT
V. EVENTS

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer
…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician
…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

Name Withheld

===================================

I. SPECIAL CLUB 47 MEETING REQUESTED

One week and a day after the October 26th General Membership
Meeting, members presented the Local with the formal
request for a special Club 47 meeting to discuss and vote
on three different motions.

Here is what the request said:

FORMAL REQUEST FOR CLUB 47 MEETING 11/1/15

As provided in Article V, Section 3 of the Constitution
and Bylaws of the Musicians’ Club of Los Angeles
(“CLUB 47”), this is a formal request for a special meeting
of CLUB 47 to discuss and vote on the three motions below:

1) Nullify the ballots previously sent in order to clarify and
complete the proper language before a new ballot with
the following question is sent:

Shall the officers of the Musician’s Club of Los Angeles
(“the Club”) be authorized to sell the Club’s real properties. –
located at 817/823 Vine and 812/830 Lillian Way, Hollywood,
CA 90038.

2) Postpone the sale of the property located at 817/823
Vine and 812/830 Lillian Way, Hollywood, CA 90038 until
such time that the membership has been fully informed,
through a special edition of the Overture, of all financials
involved, including but notlimited to:
(For Local 47 and Club 47, whichever applies)
-2015 operational budget
-2016 comprehensive balanced operational budget
-Cash flow statements for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (estimate)
-Capital Expenditures for 2016 without moving
-Current balance sheet
-Capital Expenditures for 2016 for Burbank property
-Sales commission rate for sale of the building
-An explanation on how the sale of the building will increase
work for members
-A definition of “State of the Art”
-A business plan for the sale of the building.

3) Require Local 47/Club 47 (Whichever Applies) to
include membership comments and arguments (pro
and con) regarding the proposed sale and relocation
of the Local. Communications received by the Local
and/or Club 47 to be posted upon receipt to Local 47’s
website and reprinted in the next quarterly publication
of the Overture.

In consideration of the schedules of the executive board,
we call for this meeting to take place at 1pm, Tuesday,
November 24 in studio room 6, or the auditorium if available,
of Local 47.

In addition to the notice requirements set forth in Article
V, Section 4 of the Club 47 Bylaws, we also call for notice
to go out to all members with email, in a print mailing and
announced in the online and next print edition (January,
2016) of the Overture.

Below you will find at the least 10 signatures required to
formally make this request….

There were plenty of signatures to submit the request.

—-

THE RESPONSE FROM THE BOARD.

On about Thursday, November 13th, the board respond
to those who’d signed the petition to get the special meeting.

The letter is as follows:

At its November 10th meeting the board of directors of the
Musicians’ Club of Los Angeles discussed the petition to hold
a Special meeting of the Club. According to the California
Corporation Code, the meeting must be held on a date that
is at least 35 days but no more than 90 days form the date the
request for a meeting was received. The request was received
on November 3rd, so the meeting must be held between
December 8, 2015 and February 1, 2016.
Based on the officers schedules and the availability of the
auditorium, the Board decided on Monday January 4, 2016
at 7:30 PM in p.m. in the auditorium as the time and place the
meeting will take place.

The meeting is called to discuss the potential sale of the property
at 817 Vine Street and other topic may be introduced. Also,
please be advised that Motion #1 on the petition will be ruled
pit opt order and will not be considered at the meeting. If you
have any questions please call the Secretary/Treasurer’s office
at 323-993-3159.

Sincerely on behalf of the Local 47 Executive Board in their
capacity as Board of Directors of the Musicians’ club of Los Angeles.

——

Colleagues,

There was no such restriction of subject matter mentioned by the
parliamentarian when he explained that in the request for a special
meeting, only the subjects to be covered need to be listed in
detail and there needed to be at least 10 signatures attached.

So they’re saying they won’t talk about the ballots…. Why is that?
Is the fix in and they don’t want it blown?

The meeting time restriction mentioned in the Local’s letter is
from Section 601,(2)(c) of the Corporation Code. This takes us
less than a month from the ballot deadline.

If they’re able to get away with this, it works out very well for them.

Why?

They can continue to use the duplicitous ballots as they wish,
assigning no votes to yes votes, and if it works in their favor,
delay the sale, which will basically give them more time to
get the votes they need. They and the counsel thought this out
in great detail to thwart any attempt to slow down the sale or
hold anyone accountable for the underhanded way this process
has been handled.

There is at least one thing that, sadly, had been made clear.
Since the board voted to not allow the ballot to be considered,
it’s clear, at least to us, that the entirety of the board is complicit
in the misrepresentation of the ballots structure.

In fact, it couldn’t be more disingenuous a process.

In Member Fernandez’ reply to the board, (From the last edition of the
blog) he asked straight out, “Can voting no on the ballot be used as a
yes vote”.

He never received an answer, which means, unless they choose to
clarify it, we have our answer.

As members of this Local you should be disgusted and angry
at the conduct and deplorable treatment of the membership
by the representatives at the Local.

Please plan to be at this meeting, January 4th at the Local at
7:30 pm. Someone’s got some s’plaining to do.

THE COMMITTEE

==================================

II. MEMBER COMMENTS – SPACES

Drove by the proposed future [Potential] property tonight.
I counted (twice) the total parking places- I got 78 spots,
including handicapped and the spots in front of the
restaurant building.

Seems like John mentioned at least 150 at the last meeting.
I could not find a secondary lot- seems like a mystery-
when I counted spots at 47 a few years back, I got 112.

Also, my research shows the Burbank property was built in
1968. That makes the building, ironically, 47 years old.
So why do the the officers keep calling it a brand new building?
It’s been empty for seven years, on the market for two.

People have been asking me how to vote – I have been asking
them this question: do you trust the union (officers) with
10 or 11 million dollars of our money? So far the answer
has been- no…. 

Every time.

I should amend the question to: do you trust the union
with 24 million dollars of our money?
————————————–
I have been out to the “new” building twice. There are no 150
spaces, unless you count the parking that belongs to AAA or
the shopping center across the street.

—————————————

Dear COMMITTEE,

I went on Google earth, it looks like there is an additional
lot in the back accessible from an alley in the rear of the
property. Looks like 44 spaces. That would total 125.
About 13 spaces more than the current property.

Ironically, 44 spaces is the same size as the lot we sold
to Renmar Studios years ago at 802 and 806 Lillian Way
(I think those are the correct addresses). Okay, I hope
everyone is doing something more fascinating than
researching parking spots on this nice Sunday eve…..

=================================

III. COMMENTS

Remarkable issues here. I’m very satisfied to look
your post. Thanks a lot and I am having a look forward
to contact you.

——————————

RE:
Please tell us more about this RMA lawsuit.

[EC: We believe the person who wrote the comment is
referring to the lawsuits against the studios for
the benefit of the RMALA members still working.

It doesn’t change the fact that they are fighting to
the last drop of OUR Blood.

As we’ve said before, the Local is not getting to the crux
of the problem of our finances. We’ve lost over 80% of
our recording work because of the continued acquiescence
of our local and the AFM to the wishes of the RMA and the
willingness of a small handful of musicians in the RMA
to see everyone else suffer to protect their July checks.

How hard is it for them to understand that even if buyouts
started tomorrow it would have no effect on the work they’ve
already done!

Here’s what we need to do:
BUYOUT Trailer Contract.
BUYOUT Library Contract.
BUYOUT Sample Contract.
BUYOUT Video Game Contract.
BUYOUT Low Budget Film contract.

There are sessions in town everyday that are dark, A whole lot
of them. If they could be brought in under a buyout agreement
the dues they generate could do much to solving a problem
that is entirely solvable, and entirely created by a combination
of technology and the greed of a few, but that solution cannot
take place until those thwarting progress are out of the way.]

———————————————

I was just about to vote on the “should we sell the building referendum”
when I realized there was the possibility that two measures had been
combined into one.  In other words, you could vote “no” on the
initiative as phrased and it could possibly be construed that you
were voting for selling the building but at a price below 22 million.

In other words, you weren’t necessarily voting against the sale, you
just didn’t want a minimum. I’d prefer the ballot have two questions:
should we sell the building (yes or no) and if the majority vote of the
membership is to sell the building, shall the minimum bid be 22
million (yes or no).

Takes away the ambiguity and this is too vital an issue to have any
room for misinterpretation.

[EC: We couldn’t agree more, and is the crux of the problem we’ve
been talking about.]

———————————————-

Where do you go after getting a creative writing degree?

[EC: Depends on the section you’re referring to.
Over the last number of years we’ve had so many contributors
that the COMMITTEE has had to write very little. And when we
do the COMMITTEE moniker is included.]

——————-

how appropriate it is for the Local to use it’s resources to effect this
referendum and a YES vote. I wonder if the members realize how
much of their dues money is going to fund the campaign to convince
them to sell their property- and how our employees are working the
phones….

——————-

There is certainly a great deal to know about this subject.

I really like all the points you’ve made.

=================================
IV. “TIME IS NOW” COMMENT
My take on the “Time is NOW” campaign is that the 47 board
wants our MONEY. They have publicly stated that the Alameda
property may not be their final choice – after members termed
the Alameda building a “strip mall”. Now I hear they are looking
at North Hollywood.

The state of the art recording studio is probably a dream of the
past, after members asked: how much?. A new building committee
was named after members showed some lack of trust of the board
– club 47 or regular 47, depending on what hat they are wearing
at that particular meeting.

Historical fact- the 1950 building committee for our present building
had 43 members- that would be NOT ACCEPTABLE for the present
board. The entire plan to sell seems centered on “Let’s get the
18, no 22; wait 24 MILLION dollars and then we will rationalize
why the members need a new location.”

The entire affair is driven by 12 people, elected by fewer than
400 members on the last election. And since the board spent
over 700 grand more than they took in in the last 2 years, giving
them access to millions just feels CRAZY.

I think the Time Now is to really ask why they need so much money,
it’s not about a building.

[EC: Small point – But the next time one of the board members
says. “You elected us”, please remind them that most of them
ran unopposed.]

=================================

V. EVENTS

DEAN AND RICHARD

DEAN AND RICHARD are now playing every third Friday
at Culver City Elks 7:30pm-10;30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891

————————————-

LA WINDS JAZZ KATS 584

NO COVER, NO MINIMUM.
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at Viva Cantina
7:30-10:00.
900 Riverside Drive, Burbank.

Free parking across the street at Pickwick Bowl.
Come hear your favorite charts played the way they
should be.

We are in the back room called the Trailside Room.

Come on down. Guaranteed to swing.

————————————

11/16/15

THE UNEXPECTED BIG BAND

At TYPHOON

Monday – November 16, 2015 – 8:00 PM
Cover $10, Free Parking , Great Food, Amazing Fun!

Los Angeles’s Top Musicians playing mostly original
charts and arrangements of serious Funk, Latin and Swing!

With the vocal stylings of Special Guest Miss Mel Collins!

3221 Donald Douglas Loop S 2nd Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 390-6565
typhoon.biz

——————————————–

11/18/15

ASMAC Luncheon with Roger Kellaway
@ Catalina’s Jazz Club
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015 @ 11:30am
RSVP Now !!!

Roger Kellaway’s discography runs to more than two hundred and fifty albums. He’s worked with everyone from Elvis to Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie to Yo-Yo Ma, Joni Mitchell to Mancini and Quincy Jones to Michael Tilson Thomas.
Kellaway is not only a major pianist, he is a composer of protean ability, writing in the music fields of jazz, classical and “pop”, also scoring for films and television. His acclaimed “Cello Quartet”albums are described by some as “crossover”, “chamber jazz” and by others as the beginning of “New Age” music. They were the first in an eclectic array of projects beginning in the 1960’s. Roger’s commissions include a ballet for George Balanchine and the New York City Ballet, orchestral pieces for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the National Symphony, the New American Orchestra and a concerto, “Songs of Ascent,” commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta, conductor. He wrote a variety of chamber works for Carnegie Hall performances and served as musical director for Stephane Grappelli’s 80th Birthday Tribute, which included Yo-Yo Ma’s first entry into Jazz. Later, Stephane, Yo-Yo and Roger traveled to Paris together. Kellaway played on and wrote all the arrangements for their album, “Anything Goes”.
He became musical director for Bobby Darin and in 1968 arranged (and conducted) Darin’s album of songs from the film “Dr. Doolittle”. Writing songs and arrangements is a passion that sometimes expands into producing, as was the case for the Carmen McRae album, “I Am Music”. The relationship had started with Roger’s song “I Have The Feeling I’ve Been Here Before”, written especially for her, with a lyric by the legendary team Alan & Marilyn Bergman. Kellaway’s most prized television credit is, “Remembering You”, the closing theme for the ground-breaking, “All in the Family”. Composed in 1970, it is still being heard on TV around the world. In 1988, Kellaway was honored with a Grammy Award for his music on the album “Memos From Paradise” for Eddie Daniels. He has written (and conducted) twenty-nine film scores including Barbara Streisand’s “A Star is Born”, for which he received an Academy Award nomination.

The “Eclectic Maestro” continues recording and performing concerts across the U.S. and Europe, also writing for film, theatrical productions and commissioned works. He resides in Ojai, California with his wife (of 49 years) Jorjana.
Join us on November 18th…. and bring your questions!
Catalina’s Jazz Club
6725 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Wed, Nov. 18th – 11:30am – 2:00pm
Members/Students – $30.00
Non-Member/Guests – $40.00

Program Only
(Check-In at 12:30) – $10.00
Valet Parking: $4.00  
Enter on McCadden behind Catalina’s

SAVE THE DATE
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6TH – ASMAC/LAJS HOLIDAY BRUNCH @ CATALINA’S JAZZ CLUB

——————————————–

11/18/15

GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS

On Wednesday, NOVEMBER 18, 2015 at 12:10-12:40 pm

the Free Admission Glendale Noon Concerts
will feature Glendale pianist Harout Senekeremian
performing an all-Scriabin program
at the Sanctuary of

Glendale City Church,
610 E. California Ave. (at Isabel), Glendale, CA 91206.

For more information, email [email protected]
or call (818) 244-7241.

http://www.haroutsenekeremian.com

================================

You can read all previous offerings at:http://www.responsible47.com
UNTIL NEXT TIME,
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 15th, 2015 at 10:23 pm and is filed under Committee Newsletters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.