OPENING REPORT C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2008
CONFERENCE REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:
Welcome to the 2008 World Service Conference!!!! Suckas!!! The theme of this year’s conference is Hope, Faith & Courage…The Next 25. We hope that the next 25 years will bring us even more growth and spirit as we trudge this road of happy destiny. We can and have overcome many obstacles and the message of CA can and will continue through all of our efforts. This committee’s task during the past year was to provide the best possible service to the attendees of the Conference as well as keeping the delegates and the fellowship informed of issues affecting CA as a whole. Our committee began working soon after the 2007 Conference, meeting each month preparing for this year’s Main Event! Below is a summary of the items we addressed.
- Review of Evaluation forms of the 2007 Conference
- Review of “Ask me” buttons at the Conference
- Completed the “Final Conference Report” for distribution to the delegates/fellowship and posting to website
- Referral form updated for reorder
- Conference minutes distributed to delegates/fellowship
- Review/copied Conference transcripts
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- Review of Closing Report vs. Final Conference Report
- Summary of Motions prepared and distributed
- Committee review of responsibilities and participation of committee members
- Approved all Conference forms ie: registration, proxy, etc.
- Addressed the “Kick-Off Night Dinner”
- Continue to work on the development of a electronic referral form
- Approved responses to Post Conference Referrals
- Method of insuring that all items prepared by the Conference Committee are included in mailing
- Completion of 2008 Conference Agenda
- Reviewing sites for 2011 and 2012 Conferences
- Review and update of Orientation for 2008 Conference
- Completed “standardized form” for possible hotel sites for future
- Completed update of Templates for World Service Conference committees
- Continued to utilize the “Yahoo Group” for committee communication and posting of documents, referrals, transcripts
- Developed a “Conference Approved” t-shirt as a method for fundraising to help offset the Conference Committee budget
COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS:
Committee Members
Brian Tenenbaum – Chair
Open -Vice Chair
Lori Penrose – Secretary
Tammy Peacock – Acting Coordinator
Taffy Wallace – Administrative Coordinator
Katrina Williams – Delegate
Lisa Brown – Delegate
Tony Drake – Concerned Member
Rocco Grillo – Administrative Support
Conference Officers
Steve Edwards – Chair
Kevin Murphy – Parliamentarian
Susan Calkins – Co-Secretary
Anne Bouley Meyer – Co-Secretary
Hayward Hunt – WSOBT
Kim Sherwan – Midwest Regional Trustee
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Two members who have served during the year and have stepped down from the Committee are Scott and Deborah Botz. I appreciate their time and service and their work and effort will be sorely missed.
REFERRALS THAT WERE WORKED UPON DURING THE YEAR:
- Referral # 4300 – Change the Mock Debate, use something more realistic.
AND
Referral #4675 – Please update the Powerpoint presentation for New Delegate Orientation to (a) correct the name of the Literature, Chips & Format committee and (b) reflect the updated language on the WSM regarding Delegate responsibilities on Page 23. Thank You!
Response: We will continue to work on these items throughout the year.
- Referral #4671 – Ice Cream Social. Last year, some members of Unity liked the idea. So let’s have one.
Response: The Conference Committee will research the feasibility of this as far as cost, time and interest over the coming year.
- Referral # 4775 – Delegate Communication:
Suggestion to supply delegates (especially those who haven’t the opportunity to participate at Conference) earlier with information. We had an Area meeting June 21. The Delegate package received at the end of July. Hence no time to inform Area of Conference matters.
Suggestions: Provide delegates with Conference Report via email in a year the Conference was held and inform delegates about what information they need to submit to WSO.
Response: We will work to coordinate throughout the year with the World Service Office to address the mailing needs of foreign Delegates. We will also work with the World Service Office to make Delegate mailings available electronically.
- Referral #4673
SR14 in the WSM requests information to be sent out to the fellowship at least 60 days prior to the conference for material that will be brought to the floor for consideration without a method of responding back to the committee in a matter conducive to the conference.
*yes, I could go to that group/committee.
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*yes, it would be simpler if there was a point of contact for opinions.
Response: The notice requirement of Standing Rule 14 is designed to allow members sufficient time to study and consider materials in order to arrive at the Conference prepared. If a member wishes to provide feedback to a committee prior to the Conference, the committee chair would seem to be the logical contact. If an additional contact point is desired, we would suggest your Regional Trustee, since every committee includes one or more members of the WSBT.
- Referral #5511
It appears that we could do a better job of informing the delegates about the second half of the conference ( Friday through Sunday ). Please add some hints, ideas, about how to ask a parliamentary inquiry, and point of order beyond the mock motion. Perhaps some conference old-timers could be involved. IL&S
Response: The Committee is in the process of attempting to put together a Delegate Information packet. We will continue working on this referral.
- Referral #5550
Conference Hotel contracts should include a late check-out clause for Sunday.
Response: Late Check Out is only available upon request of the guest and room availability. The normal check out time is 12:00 p.m. The hotel’s policy is to accommodate their guests to a max time of 2:00 p.m.
According to Four Points Sheraton, if there will be a large number of guests requesting a late checkout, the Conference Coordinator will have to provide the hotel with a list of names in advance. Therefore, we will include a line item on delegate registration referencing request of a late check out. {rev 02-12-2008}
- Referral #5552
Fix description of “Rescind” on page 55. The first line is wrong. A motion to rescind is NOT like a motion to reconsider (and reconsider does not nullify). “Rescind” is a form of “amending a passed motion”.
Response: We will be referring the following to S&B.
Current version:
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RECONSIDER
A Motion to Reconsider a previous vote or motion may only be made and seconded by members who voted with the prevailing side. The Motion to Reconsider must be made in the same day as the motion being reconsidered. It is debatable, if the motion to which it applies was debatable. Adoption of a motion to Reconsider requires a simple majority vote. No motion may be twice reconsidered.
RESCIND (PASSED MOTION)
The Motion to Rescind, like the Motion to Reconsider, nullifies the motion to which it applies. However, the Motion to Rescind must be used if the motion to which it applies was passed during a previous day or if the maker of the motion did not vote with the prevailing side. It requires a second, is debatable and is adopted by a 2/3 vote, unless at least one day’s notice is given of the attempt to rescind. If previous notice is given, only a simple majority is required to adopt.
New version (with markup):
RECONSIDER
A Motion to Reconsider a previous vote, if successful, returns the previous motion to the floor as if no vote had ever been taken, and debate begins anew. The Motion to Reconsider may only be made and seconded by members who voted with the prevailing side. The Motion to Reconsider must be made in the same day as the motion being reconsidered. It is debatable if the motion to which it applies was debatable. Adoption of a motion to Reconsider requires a simple majority vote. No motion may be twice reconsidered.
RESCIND (PASSED MOTION)
The Motion to Rescind, unlike the Motion to Reconsider, overturns the passage of the previous motion. If the Motion to Rescind succeeds, the affected motion (which previously passed) now fails. Any member may make or second a Motion to Rescind, and it may apply to any motion passed at any time during the Conference. It requires a second and is debatable. It requires a 2/3 vote to pass, unless at least one day’s notice is given of the attempt to rescind. If previous notice is given, only a simple majority is required to adopt.
New version:
RECONSIDER
A Motion to Reconsider a previous vote, if successful, returns the previous motion to the floor as if no vote had ever been taken, and debate begins
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anew. The Motion to Reconsider may only be made and seconded by members who voted with the prevailing side. The Motion to Reconsider must be made in the same day as the motion being reconsidered. It is debatable if the motion to which it applies was debatable. Adoption of a motion to Reconsider requires a simple majority vote. No motion may be twice reconsidered.
RESCIND (PASSED MOTION)
The Motion to Rescind, unlike the Motion to Reconsider, overturns the passage of the previous motion. If the Motion to Rescind succeeds, the affected motion (which previously passed) now fails. Any member may make or second a Motion to Rescind, and it may apply to any motion passed at any time during the Conference. It requires a second and is debatable. It requires a 2/3 vote to pass, unless at least one day’s notice is given of the attempt to rescind. If previous notice is given, only a simple majority is required to adopt.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
In closing, we, the Conference Officers and the Conference Committee, look forward to serving you this week, and to having a successful 2008 World Service Conference. If you have any questions or concerns during the remainder of this week, please see Kim Sherwan. No really! Please see Tammy Peacock or me.
In case you haven’t notice the Conference Committee has available to you these limited edition, wonderful, gorgeous, beautiful Conference “Stamp of Approval” T-shirts.If you foolishly did not pre-order one and would still like one, you may order them on the enclosed order form by this FRIDAY and the Office will have them shipped directly to you.
As a reminder we are seeking and encouraging all members to join and serve on this GREAT committee. Being a member of this committee is exciting and rewarding AND we have a LOT of fun!!!
Seriously, if you have any questions, see Kim!
In love and service,
Brian Tenenbaum
Conference Committee Chair
Steve Edwards– Any questions?
Dan Sadur – I have a question, are we obligated through 2010 at this location?
Brian Tenenbaum – Yes.
Cynthia Cronkhite – We are restricted to selling memorabilia, does that include at Regional Breakout?
Brian Tenenbaum – No.
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