Conference Opens
Steve Edwards, Conference Chair, welcomes everyone to the 2008 World Service Conference.
Welcome to the 25th Annual conference of the world service Conference
Introductions Conference Officers Steve Edwards Conference Chair, Kevin Murphy Vice Chair, Susan Calkins & Anne Bouley Meyer Co-Secretaries and the remaining Committee members.
Steve Edwards presented the Delegate Orientation and Robert’s Rules of Order.
The WSBT presented an overview of the Delegate Duties.
John Bodkin presented an overview of the 12 Concepts of World Service.
BREAK
Steve Edwards called the meeting to order. Welcome the 2008 World Service Conference of Cocaine Anonymous. Please join me in the “We” version of the Serenity Prayer.
Ian Young read “We Can Recover.”
Glen Tucker read the Twelve Traditions.
Elizabeth Saldebar read the Twelve Concepts.
Again, welcome to the 25th Annual World Service Conference. This is where representatives of our fellowship meet to conduct the business of our fellowship. Spiritual principles should be followed. Our goals are based on spiritual guidance coming from our Higher Power. God does work through us here no matter how hard the work may seem to be. We must remain loving, kind and tolerant. The business conducted here should be carried back to your Areas with support.
Kevin Murphy will explain carrying votes without a formal proxy. This is mainly in concern about Area’s wishing to carry their maximum number of delegates. An Area may have 5 votes but only elect 3 delegates. The Chair is going to allow the practice of carrying votes in such a way but in the future it will be up to the future Chair’s discretion. Kevin referred to and read Standing Rules 5 and 6.
Steve stated that pursuant to the manual, each vote must be traced to actual delegate. Election of delegates and even Alternate Delegates would probably be a good thing for next year.
We are going to begin roll call. Limit side conversations. This is how we determine our quorum. We will be creating a seating chart from this roll call. Speak your first and last name, your position and your Area and your number of votes. Please refrain with commentary.
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Roll Call
153 votes on the floor making the Quorum 102.
Brian Tenenbaum announced the following reminders: This is a non-smoking hotel. We are looking for a male who needs a roommate. DO NOT TOUCH THE THERMOSTATS! Coffee is not free and if you would like to make a donation, we would love that. Please wear your name tags at all times. If you eat at the Palm Grill, you will receive a 10% discount.
Steve Edwards reminded everyone that we are being recorded so speak clearly at the microphone. Do not attempt to talk to the Conference Co-Secretaries. Please come to Kevin Murphy if you need to speak to the anyone up front.
At the World Service Office, Taffy Wallace and Patty Flanagan – many have come up to them in the past to ask questions and such, however, they are voting members. Please do not bring problems to them while we are in session. They are not the ones who are assisting with the operation of this Conference. Please see Tammy Peacock if you have any problems.
There will be breaks fairly often, so please don’t leave the floor unless you really need to and when you speak at the microphone, state your name and position and Area.
Keep hands up until vote counting is completed.
We are now going to briefly review some items of Parliamentary procedure. Please pull out your World Service Manual and turn to Page 55. Kevin Murphy read from the top of Page 55, the first three paragraphs.
Let’s review a few points of parliamentary procedure.
Point of information is a question.
A member must be recognized for point of information and wait your turn. One Question is answered. You may ask for recognition again for debate.
Please listen to debate that precedes you. Referrals go in the box in front. Keep the gold coy for your records and put the rest in the black basket. Standing rules are important so please review them. Please review page 55 for Robert’s Rules of Order.
We will now proceed with the next item on the agenda.
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Brian Tenenbaum discussed the Conference Orientation and Theme…Hope, Faith & Courage…the next 25! Hopefully we will all have a great conference.
Waheedah Muhammed – Unity luncheon – there are flyers on the table and there was some information on line and the actual deadline is Wednesday noon for purchasing a ticket for the Unity Lunch. At dinner time tomorrow, she will have a list of the prepaid Unity lunch participants.
Steve Edwards – before we begin New Area Petitions, I am not feeling well today and I may lean on Vice Chair today and he is extremely capable. We will now begin with New Area Petitions.
Lawrence Matlock – Atlantic South Regional Trustee
MOTION: Accept the motion to petition of the State of South Carolina to become an Area.
Lawrence spoke in favor of the motion.
Any further debate on the motion.
Motion carries unanimously!!!!
Steve Edwards announced that, with the new Area, the vote count is now 155 and the Quorum of 104.
Steve stated that he was reminded that we will be passing around the seating chart and please make sure that you are sitting where you will remain for the rest of the Conference.
We will now proceed with the WSBT Opening Report. They will begin with a motion to suspend the rules to hear 2 items out of order.
Motion: To hear an item of business out of order.
Passes with substantial unanimity.
Motion: To amend #2 of the Trustee Election Process, found on page 43 of the 2008 World Service Manual to be effective immediately:
Current version: 2) All voting will be done by secret ballot. TEC members have the choice of either voting for one candidate or voting for none of the candidates. Abstentions are counted as votes for none of the candidates.
Revised version: 2) All voting will be done by secret ballot. TEC members have the choice of either voting for one candidate or voting for none of the candidates. Abstentions will not be considered a vote, and the election will be affirmed by two thirds of the voting members.
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Steve reread the motion. Steve asked Earl Henderson if he would like to speak to the motion. Earl spoke in favor of the motion. This is just a housekeeping item.
Cynthia Chronkhite – POI – when I was on the Board and we crafted the language that we were attempting to revise, I recall we wanted to reserve the right of a member to not make a choice. So abstentions would not be counted as the 2/3 majority.
Earl stated that abstentions would not count to the 2/3 votes.
Elizabeth Saldebar – POI – If I’m on the TEC, if I’m voting NO, that would count as my vote for that candidate.
Earl Henderson – that is correct.
This is from Robert’s Rules of order.
Point Of Order – Bryan Seid – SR13 – any motion made at the conference which changes the structure, manual or CA as a whole must be referred to the proper committee.
Kevin Murphy – when you make a motion to suspend the rules and passes by 2/3 majority, it supercedes.
Bryan Seid – it was a motion to be heard out of order.
Kevin Murphy asked Bryan to come to the dais. After discussing with the Chair, we will not accept the POO because it effects the TEC procedure and not the Structure as a whole.
Earl Henderson – from Robert’s Rules of Order – read information regarding abstention voting which discusses that an abstention is NOT a vote.
Steve Edwards – any further debate? Prepare yourselves to vote.
Motion passes with substantial unanimity.
Motion: To amend #9 of Trustee Election Process, found on Page 43 of the 2008 World Service Manual to be effective immediately:
Current version: 9) FOURTH BALLOT: If no candidate receives 2/3 vote on the first three (3) ballots, the top vote receiving candidate is put up for 2/3 ratification vote. For ratification purposes, TEC members have the choice of either voting
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“yes” or “no”; abstentions are counted as “no” votes. If that candidate receives the required 2/3 vote, then that person is the elected Trustee. If not, the same procedure will take place with the 2nd top vote-receiving candidate.
Revised version: 9) FOURTH BALLOT: If no candidate receives 2/3 vote on the first three (3) ballots, the top vote receiving candidate is put up for 2/3 ratification vote. For ratification purposes, TEC members have the choice of either voting “yes” or “no”; abstentions will not be considered a vote. If that candidate receives the required 2/3 vote of voting members, then that person is the elected Trustee. If not, the same procedure will take place with the 2nd top vote-receiving candidate to be effective immediately.
Second.
Earl Henderson spoke in favor of the motion. Same reasoning, same debate, same effect.
Ian Young – POI – clarification needed on what is 2/3 of voting membership.
Steve Edwards – a voting member – is it someone eligible to vote or someone actually casting a vote.
Earl Henderson – the result would be 2/3 of the votes cast.
Bryan Seid – speaks against the motion for the fact that he did not hear the urgency that this is not implemented prior to the end of this Conference.
Kim Sherwan – friendly amendment – That the motion is effective immediately.
Second.
Accepted.
Michael Chiki – speaks against the motion. The spirit of the motion is good but the wording warrants referring back to committee.
Susan Bredau – how will this effect the voting for Trustees at this Conference?
Earl Henderson – this is a housekeeping issue. These delegates take their duty seriously and we just want to make sure that we are following Robert’s Rules of Order.
Elizabeth Saldebar – speaks in favor of the motion as a former TEC Chair, I have had experience of counting votes that were abstentions. It would be prudent for us to make sure that when we are on the TEC that we actually cast a vote and have people be accountable for their postion as TEC members.
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Rose Jones – speaks in favor of the motion. In the Concepts, the Right of Decision, it holds accountable to your vote.
Bryan Seid – Point Of Information – back to the first motion. Are we bringing it back to the floor to make effective immediately?
Steve Edwards – that question is out of order.
Cynthia Cronkhite – speaks against the motion. Having served on TEC, even though we are instructed to vote yes or no and we put this language in there, we were well aware of Robert’s Rules of Order. It is a very important standard to uphold. What is the urgency since you are stating that it is a housekeeping issue? I don’t think this is the direction we want to go.
Ian Young – speaks against the motion. Don’t want to draw into question the integrity of the members of the TEC. We have some experience at this in the UK. If you have a large body of members abstaining, it feels unspiritual to me.
Jeffrey Ushry – speaks in favor of the motion. Referred to the 9th Concept and it helps the business of the TEC, when we put people on the slates they have gotten that far and we don’t get a Trustee because of so many abstentions, then if this will help the process, I speak in favor.
Carl Warlick – speaks in favor of the motion. We had 4 hours of debate amongst ourselves. This is simply a housekeeping issue. Two of the four years that I have served on this board, Bobbie had to serve as the Regional Trustee. It may have been because of this issue or not, we don’t know. But we charge 16 members with a job and we are asking you to allow us to do what you charged us to do.
Aurora Lopez – Call to question.
Second.
Steve Edwards – motion to close debate and requires 2/3 majority.
Motion to close debate passes.
Susan Bredau – Point Of Order – effective immediately.
Motion passes.
Kim Sherwan – Motion: to amend the first motion to be effectively immediately.
Second.
Motion to amend carries.
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Bryan Seid – Parliamentary Inquiry – SR 13 – why was this not submitted in the as a SR 14 motion?
Steve Edwards – stated that he does not have a Parlimentary Inquiry but possibly a 5th Concept Statement.
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