Public Filings

On May 13, 2022, Positive Alternative Radio, Inc. filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) for a transfer of control of all of its broadcast stations from the old Board of Directors to the new Board of Directors.    The transfer of control application involves the following broadcast stations:  WPIM-FM (Martinsville, VA), WJYJ-FM (Hickory, NC), WPAR-FM (Salem, VA), WPIN-FM (Dublin, VA), WPIR-FM (Culpeper, VA), WCQR-FM (Kingsport, TN), WPIB-FM (Bluefield, WV), WXRI-FM (Winston-Salem, NC), WTJY-FM (       Asheboro, NC), WOKD-FM (Danville, VA), WVRR-FM (Pt. Pleasant, WV), WRXT-FM (Roanoke, VA), WOKG-FM (Galax, VA), WPJY-FM (Blennerhassett, WV), WPER-FM (Fredericksburg, VA), WPZR-FM (Emporia, VA), WPVA-FM (Waynesboro, VA), WTTX-FM (Appomattox, VA), WPJW-FM (Hurricane, WV), WKAO-FM (Ashland, KY), WRFE-FM (Chesterfield, SC), WEYE-FM (Surgoinsville, TN), WODY-AM (Fieldale, VA), WYMW-AM (Hurricane, WV), WRAA-AM (Luray, VA), WMXH-FM (Luray, VA), WKDI-AM (Denton, MD), WSHA-FM (South Charleston, WV), WTWK-FM (Logan, OH), W253BH (Blacksburg, VA), W247CQ (Lynchburg, VA), W240CU (Lexington, NC), W217AX (Harrisburg, NC), W264CM (Martinsville, VA), W273BB (Richmond, VA), W279AC (Roanoke, VA), W243BT (Waynesboro, VA), W226AT (Christiansburg, VA), W232CS (Christiansburg, VA), W290CU (Christiansburg, VA), W241AL (Marion, VA), W295AI (Marion, VA), W284BB (Wise, VA), W275AP (Burlington, NC), W253BA (Indian Trail, NC), W261AP (Kings Mountain, NC), W272BN (Sanford, NC), W231CY (Pt. Pleasant, WV), W229BA (Greeneville, TN), W242CL (Charlottesville, VA), W254AH (Farmville, VA), W243AF (Flint Hill, VA), W228BA (Leesburg, VA), W289CI (Virginia Beach, VA), W292CI (Winchester, VA), W210BR (Kingsport, TN), W265CI (Piney Grove, TN), W270BN (Walnut Hill, TN), W292EF (Fredericksburg, VA), W277CY (Harrisonburg, VA), W279CE (Middleport, OH), W263CW (Denton, MD), W277CX (Logan, OH), W246CR (Christiansburg, VA), W280ES (Boone, NC), W294BY (Charlottesville, VA), W240CV (Boone, NC), W298BR (Harrisonburg, VA), W279CV (Winchester, VA), W255CK (           Front Royal, VA), W271BR (Winchester, etc., VA), W209BY (Woodbridge, VA) and W257EK (Charleston, WV).

Members of the public wishing to view this application or obtain information about how to file comments and petitions on the application can visit the FCC’s Licensing and Management System, LMS Public Search at:

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/login.html.

Appendix A:

Article I

Purpose
The purpose of the conflict of interest policy is to protect this tax-exempt organization’s Positive Alternative Radio, Inc. (Organization) interest when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer or director of the Organization or might result in a possible excess benefit transaction.

This policy is intended to supplement but not replace any applicable state and federal laws governing conflict of interest applicable to nonprofit and charitable organizations.

Article II
Definitions
1. Interested Person
Any director, principal officer, or member of a committee with governing board delegated powers, who has a direct or indirect financial interest, as defined below, is an interested person.

2. Financial Interest
A person has a financial interest if the person has, directly or indirectly, through business, investment, or family:

a. An ownership or investment interest in any entity with which the Organization has a transaction or arrangement,

b. A compensation arrangement with the Organization or with any entity or individual with which the Organization has a transaction or arrangement, or…

c. A potential ownership or investment interest in, or compensation arrangement with, any entity or individual with which the Organization is negotiating a transaction or arrangement.

Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are not insubstantial.

A financial interest is not necessarily a conflict of interest. Under Article III, Section 2, a person who has a financial interest may have a conflict of interest only if the appropriate governing board or committee decides that a conflict of interest exists.

Article III
Procedures
1. Duty to Disclose
In connection with any actual or possible conflict of interest, an interested person must disclose the existence of the financial interest and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the directors and members of committees with governing board delegated powers considering the proposed transaction or arrangement.

2. Determining Whether a Conflict of Interest Exists
After disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, and after any discussion with the interested person, he/she shall leave the governing board or committee meeting while the determination of a conflict of interest is discussed and voted upon. The remaining board or committee members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists.

3. Procedures for Addressing the Conflict of Interest
a. An interested person may make a presentation at the governing board or committee meeting, but after the presentation, he/she shall leave the meeting during the discussion of, and the vote on, the transaction or arrangement involving the possible conflict of interest.

b. The chairperson of the governing board or committee shall, if appropriate, appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement.

c. After exercising due diligence, the governing board or committee shall determine whether the Organization can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest.

d. If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the governing board or committee shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested directors whether the transaction

or arrangement is in the Organization’s best interest, for its own benefit, and whether it is fair and reasonable. In conformity with the above determination it shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement.

4. Violations of the Conflicts of Interest Policy
a. If the governing board or committee has reasonable cause to believe a member has failed to disclose actual or possible conflicts of interest, it shall inform the member of the basis for such belief and afford the member an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose.

b. If, after hearing the member’s response and after making further investigation as warranted by the circumstances, the governing board or committee determines the member has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action.

Article IV
Records of Proceedings

The minutes of the governing board and all committees with board delegated powers shall contain:
a. The names of the persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have a financial interest in connection with an actual or possible conflict of interest, the nature of the financial interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest was present, and the governing board’s or committee’s decision as to whether a conflict of interest in fact existed.

b. The names of the persons who were present for discussions and votes relating to the transaction or arrangement, the content of the discussion, including any alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement, and a record of any votes taken in connection with the proceedings.

Article V
Compensation

a. A voting member of the governing board who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from the Organization for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member’s compensation.

b. A voting member of any committee whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly

or indirectly, from the Organization for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member’s compensation.

c. No voting member of the governing board or any committee whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from the Organization, either individually or collectively, is prohibited from providing information to any committee regarding compensation.

Article VI
Annual Statements
Each director, principal officer and member of a committee with governing board delegated powers shall annually sign a statement which affirms such person:

a. Has received a copy of the conflicts of interest policy,

b. Has read and understands the policy,

c. Has agreed to comply with the policy, and

d. Understands the Organization is charitable and in order to maintain its federal tax exemption it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes.

Article VII
Periodic Reviews
To ensure the Organization operates in a manner consistent with charitable purposes and does not engage in activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status, periodic reviews shall be conducted. The periodic reviews shall, at a minimum, include the following subjects:

a. Whether compensation arrangements and benefits are reasonable, based on competent survey information, and the result of arm’s length bargaining.

b. Whether partnerships, joint ventures, and arrangements with management organizations conform to the Organization’s written policies, are properly recorded, reflect reasonable investment or payments for goods and services, further charitable purposes and do not result in inurement, impermissible private benefit or in an excess benefit transaction.

Article VIII
Use of Outside Experts
When conducting the periodic reviews as provided for in Article VII, the Organization may, but need not, use outside advisors. If outside experts are used, their use shall not relieve the governing board of its responsibility for ensuring periodic reviews are conducted.

Notes Re: Reasons for and Importance of  Document retention

Document Retention Policies – What Every Nonprofit Should Know

Recently, the Internal Revenue Service (the“IRS”) released a significantly revised form 990, the annual information return filed by most publicly supported exempt organizations. Through the release of the revised Form 990, the IRS indicated its intent to continue its scrutiny of the corporate governance policies of exempt organizations. Specifically, Part VI of the revised Form 990 includes several questions regarding corporate governance, including questions about board structure and organizational policies. In particular, in Question 14, the IRS now asks exempt organizations whether they have a written document retention policy in place.  Although not required by tax law, the IRS increasingly views such policies and good governance practices as a means to establishing transparency and ensuring compliance.

Furthermore, exempt organizations should be aware of certain requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Act”) that apply to nonprofits: specifically, the imposition of criminal liability on exempt organizations that destroy records with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation. While the Act does not explicitly require the adoption of a document retention policy, it is recommended that exempt organizations adopt and abide by a document retention policy as a “best practice.”

DOCUMENT RETENTION POLICY
Positive Alternative Radio, In
ARTICLE I

PURPOSE
The purposes of this document retention policy are for Positive Alternative Radio to enhance compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and to promote the proper treatment of corporate records of the Organization.

ARTICLE II
POLICY
Section 1. General Guidelines. Records should not be kept if they are no longer needed for the operation of the business or required by law. Unnecessary records should be eliminated from the files. The cost of maintaining records is an expense which can grow unreasonably if good housekeeping is not performed. A mass of records also makes it more difficult to find pertinent records.

From time to time, the Organization may establish retention or destruction policies or schedules for specific categories of records in order to ensure legal compliance, and also to accomplish other objectives, such as preserving intellectual property and cost management. Several categories of documents that warrant special consideration are identified below. While minimum retention periods are established, the retention of the documents identified below and of documents not included in the identified categories should be determined primarily by the application of the general guidelines affecting document retention, as well as the exception for litigation relevant documents and any other pertinent factors.

Section 2. Exception for Litigation Relevant Documents. The Organization expects allofficers, directors, and employees to comply fully with any published records retention or destruction policies and schedules, provided that all officers, directors, and employees should note the following general exception to any stated destruction schedule: If you believe, or the Organization informs you, that Organization records are relevant to litigation, or potential litigation (i.e., a dispute that could result in litigation), then you must preserve those records until it is determined that the records are no longer needed. That exception supersedes any previously or subsequently established destruction schedule for those records.

Section 3. Minimum Retention Periods for Specific Categories.
(a) Organizational Documents. Organizational records include the Organization’s
articles of incorporation, by-laws and IRS Form 1023, Application for Exemption. May 2008 Organizational records should be retained permanently. IRS regulations require that the Form 1023 be available for public inspection upon request.

(b) Tax Records. Tax records include, but may not be limited to, documents concerning payroll, expenses, proof of contributions made by donors, accounting procedures, and other documents concerning the Organization’s revenues. Tax records should be retained for at least seven years from the date of filing the applicable return.

(c) Employment Records/Personnel Records. State and federal statutes require the
Organization to keep certain recruitment, employment and personnel information.

The Organization should also keep personnel files that reflect performance  reviews and any complaints brought against the Organization or individual  employees under applicable state and federal statutes. The Organization should also keep in the employee’s personnel file all final memoranda and correspondence reflecting performance reviews and actions taken by or against personnel. Employment applications should be retained for three years. Retirement and pension records should be kept permanently. Other employment and personnel records should be retained for seven years.

(d) Board and Board Committee Materials. Meeting minutes should be retained in perpetuity in the Organization’s minute book. A clean copy of all other Board and Board Committee materials should be kept for no less than three years by the

Organization.
(e) Press Releases/Public Filings. The Organization should retain permanent copies of all press releases and publicly filed documents under the theory that the Organization should have its own copy to test the accuracy of any document a member of the public can theoretically produce against the Organization.

(f) Legal Files. Legal counsel should be consulted to determine the retention period
of particular documents, but legal documents should generally be maintained for a period of ten years.

(g) Marketing and Sales Documents. The Organization should keep final copies of marketing and sales documents for the same period of time it keeps other corporate files, generally three years.

An exception to the three-year policy may be sales invoices, contracts, leases, licenses, and other legal documentation. These documents should be kept for at least three years beyond the life of the agreement.

(h) Development/Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets. Development documents are often subject to intellectual property protection in their final form (e.g.,patents and copyrights). The documents detailing the development process are often also of value to the Organization and are protected as a trade secret where the Organization:May 2008

(i) derives independent economic value from the secrecy of the information;and

(ii) has taken affirmative steps to keep the information confidential.

The Organization should keep all documents designated as containing trade secret information for at least the life of the trade secret.

(i) Contracts. Final, execution copies of all contracts entered into by the Organization should be retained. The Organization should retain copies of the final contracts for at least three years beyond the life of the agreement, and longer in the case of publicly filed contracts.

(j) Correspondence. Unless correspondence falls under another category listed
elsewhere in this policy, correspondence should generally be saved for two years.

(k) Banking and Accounting. Accounts payable ledgers and schedules should be kept for seven years. Bank reconciliations, bank statements, deposit slips and checks (unless for important payments and purchases) should be kept for three years.

Any inventories of products, materials, and supplies and any invoices should be kept for seven years.
(l) Insurance. Expired insurance policies, insurance records, accident reports, claims, etc. should be kept permanently.

(m) Audit Records. External audit reports should be kept permanently. Internal audit reports should be kept for three years.

Section 4. Electronic Mail. E-mail that needs to be saved should be either:
(i) printed in hard copy and kept in the appropriate file; or

(ii) downloaded to a computer file and kept electronically or on disk as a separate file.

The retention period depends upon the subject matter of the e-mail, as covered elsewhere in this policy.

Positive Alternative Radio, Inc.
Employee Protection (Whistleblower) Policy
If any employee reasonably believes that some policy, practice, or activity of Positive Alternative Radio, Inc (PAR) is in violation of law, a written complaint must be filed by that employee with the Executive Director or the Board President.

It is the intent of PAR to adhere to all laws and regulations that apply to the organization and the underlying purpose of this policy is to support the organization’s goal of legal compliance. The support of all employees is necessary to achieving compliance with various laws and regulations. An employee is protected from retaliation only if the employee brings the alleged unlawful activity, policy, or practice to the attention of PAR and provides the PAR with a reasonable opportunity to investigate and correct the alleged unlawful activity. The protection described below is only available to employees that comply with this requirement.

PAR will not retaliate against an employee who in good faith, has made a protest or raised a complaint against some practice of PAR, or of another individual or entity with whom PAR has a business relationship, on the basis of a reasonable belief that the practice is in violation of law, or a clear mandate of public policy.

PAR will not retaliate against employees who disclose or threaten to disclose to a supervisor or a public body, any activity, policy, or practice of PAR that the employee reasonably believes is in violation of a law, or a rule, or regulation mandated pursuant to law or is in violation of a clear mandate of public policy concerning the health, safety, welfare, or protection of the environment.

My signature below indicates my receipt and understanding of this policy. I also verify that I have been provided with an opportunity to ask questions about the policy.

Website and Donor Privacy Policy
Positive Alternative Radio, Inc. is committed to the privacy of its Web site visitors and donors. We respect your privacy and protect any personal or financial information you provide.

Account numbers and donor information are accessed only by our professional staff for the purposes of record keeping and donor communications. We employ strict security measures to safeguard online transactions, and personal information is stored in a secured database via encrypted channels. No one outside of PAR designated staff have access to this information.

Web Site Information
Positive Alternative Radio, Inc. only collects personal contact information (such as names, addresses, e-mail addresses and phone numbers) when users submit it voluntarily.

For analysis purposes, our website may automatically collect information when you visit the site, such as, your IP address, date and time of your visit, pages viewed and links selected. None of the information we collect in this manner is personally identifiable information.

Mailing and Email Address
We respect your right to privacy and the confidence you place in us. We do not sell or exchange your mailing or e-mail addresses or other personally identifiable information that you provide.

• See the 2020 Audit here.
• See the 2019 Audit here.
• See the 2018 Audit here.
• See the 2017 Audit here.
• See the 2016 Audit here.
• See the 2015 Audit here.
• See the 2014 Audit here.
• See the 2013 Audit here.
• See the 2012 Audit here.

• See the 2022 Document here. 
• See the 2021 Document here. 
• See the 2020 Document here.
• See the 2019 Document here.
• See the 2018 Document here.
• See the 2017 Document here.
• See the 2016 Documents here.
• See the 2015 Documents here.
• See the 2014 Documents here.
• See the 2013 Documents here.
• See the 2012 Part 1 Documents here.
• See the 2012 Part 2 Documents here.

Click here for the Presidents Compensation Package.