CLOSING REPORT
C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2011 CONVENTION COMMITTEE
REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS
Opening Comments
I would like to thank the Convention Committee for a truly amazing experience. Although this is my last year they have left me with un-shakable memories. They worked hard and passionately for the cause. Once again the committee was able to review the WSC Guidelines in their entirety and make many housekeeping changes. This will enable areas and regions to make sense of this document and to use it to make the World Service Convention better every year.
There were some questions about room booking fees for children at the 2012 CAWS Convention. I have learned that children under 15 staying with adults stay free; children in their own room pay 50% of charge. As agreed, any special bookings can be directed to the Hotel Liaison at info@cawsconvention.org.
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Committee Introductions
Chair – Michael H.
Vice-Chair – Gary P.
Co-Secretaries – Jeanne W. and Kathy Jo R.
Members: Calvin W., David S., Joy L., Roy R., Cliff W., Peter O. and Debbie B
Trustee: Peter DeR.
REFERRALS THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
- REFERRAL NUMBER 6449 Contacting Unsuccessful Candidates Page 33 –Interview Process and Appointment, line 3 – “World Service Convention will be (add language) interviewed by Skype, Conference Call, or face to face interview by the trustee and WSCCC Board. This body shall evaluate candidates, review resumes before their “group conscience”” to determine the winner. Candidates not chosen shall be contacted by WSCCC Chair by phone or email within 30 days to inform candidates of their decision.
- MOTION: To revise page 33, section 1, “Appointment and Removal of the WS Convention Chairperson,” of the WSC Convention Committee Guidelines as follows: Appointment: Immediately following the selection of the host area/region by the C.A. World Service Conference, nominations for candidates for the position of chairperson of the World Service Convention will be reviewed interviewed by a board consisting of the Trustee of the region, the WSCCC Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary. Following this interview, the board who will vote and choose the chairperson by group Candidates not chosen shall be contacted by the WSCCC Chair, by phone or email, within 30-days of the completion of this
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selection process, to inform the candidates of their decision. The above-mentioned process will take place and be completed within six (6) months of host area/region selection by the WSC. Second.
Tony D.: Would you like to speak to your motion?
Michael H.: Not at this time.
Tony: Any debate? Seeing none, please prepare to vote. Motion carries unanimously.
- REFERRAL NUMBER 6610 Guidelines – Chairperson
WS Convention Guidelines – Page 6 – Chairperson “Sobriety Requirement” – Three years continuously
- Add: Five Years continuous sobriety Reason: Concept 9 – “Good Service Leaders”
- Past Service Work Required: Prior experience on a C.A. convention committee.
Add: Prior experience as a “C.A.” Convention Committee Chair, Vice-Chair or “Steering Committee Member.
Reason: Biggest CA Fundraiser for WS needs experienced, proven fundraisers and allowing Concept 9 to be in full effect.
a) MOTION: To change the sobriety requirement for the World Service Convention Chair from three (3) years to five (5) years.
Second.
Tony D.: Any debate?
Susan B.: I speak against the motion. Asking to put someone with 5 years of sobriety in this position seems unreasonable.
Gregory A.: I speak for the motion. This is our biggest fundraiser for World services and someone with 5 years has a little more experience.
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Tony D.: Any more debate? Seeing none, prepare to vote. Motion carries unanimously.
COMMITTEE WORK THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
MOTION: On Page 6, move bullet #9, “All monies will be handled by the WSO“ to be the 2nd bullet in the General Guidelines section (pg 31)
REASON: is to clean-up the WS Convention Chairperson section to reflect the current duties of the Chair – this bullet is not a duty of the Convention Chair. Second.
Tony D.: Would you like to speak to your motion?
David S.: Not at this time
Tony: Any more debate? Seeing none, prepare to vote. Motion carries unanimously.
MOTION: On Page 6, delete bullet #14 under Chairperson Duties
#14 Is responsible to forward, immediately after convention, the on-site registration list to the World Service Office. This list will be added to the database for the purpose of promoting future conventions.
REASON: WSO has been managing the registration database in-house for years. With the addition of Reg-On-Line for electronic registration handling, the responsibility of the registration database is in the hands of the WSO. This is no longer a responsibility of the Convention Chair. This is another item we would like to strike in order to clean-up t the WS Convention Chairperson section to reflect only the current duties of the Chair.
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Second.
Tony D.: Do you want to speak to the motion?.
Calvin W.: Not at this time.
Tony: Any debate? Seeing none, prepare to vote. Motion carries unanimously.
MOTION: On Page 6, delete the **Note** under Chairperson Duties and add “non-voting” to bullet #11; clean up bullet #11 to only reflect one duty
**NOTE** Except as stated, the chairperson will not chair or become a voting member of any committee.
- IAs an ad-hoc, non-voting member of all committees, the chairperson must vote in the General Convention Committee meetings only in the event of a tie.
REASON: Yet another effort to clean-up the Convention Chairperson duties section of the CAWS Convention Guidelines. Second.
Tony D.: Do you want to speak to the motion?
Michael H.: Not at this time.
Bill H.: The report I have in my hand has item 10 not 1.; is this a typo?
Tony D.: We will correct it when I re read the motion. Any other debate? Seeing none, prepare yourselves to vote. Motion carries unanimously.
MOTION: On page 8, remove bullet #9 from the Secretary Duties.
#9 In the interest of cost effectiveness, members of the CAWS Convention Steering Committee, if possible, will communicate
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electronically – e.g. email, Instant Messaging (IM), Voice-Over-Internet (VOIP)
REASON: This is not a specific duty of the Convention Secretary; further, it is understood by all that electronic communications should be used to save money where ever possible, not just for Convention Steering Committee communications.
Second.
Tony D.: Would you like to speak to your motion?
Debbie B.: Not at this time.
Tony D.: Any debate? seeing none, prepare to vote. Motion carries unanimously
MOTION: On page 8, change the sobriety requirement for Vice-Chair to five years to match that of the Chair.
REASON: If the Vice-Chair is the person who acts as chair in absence of the
Chair, they should have the same qualifications as the Chair, which changed with the acceptance of Referral #6610.
Second.
Tony D.: Do you want to speak to the motion?
Debbie B.: Not at this time
Tony D.: Any debate? Seeing none, prepare to vote. Motion carries unanimously.
MOTION: On page 8, move bullet #3 under the Vice-Chair duties to the Steering Committee section (page 7, bullet #8) and add “for their respective committees.”
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“ Responsible for submitting check requests for their respective committees (see Convention Flow Chart) to the WSO as per the Spending Committee guidelines.”
REASON: This is not only a duty of the Vice-Chair, it is the duty of all Steering
Committee members to oversee their committees, their committee’s budgets and their committee’s expenditures.
Second.
Tony D.: Do you want to speak to the motion?
Roy R.: Not at this time.
Tony D.: Any other debate? Seeing none, prepare to vote.Motion carries unanimously.
MOTION: On page 9, remove Bullet #5 and the “Policy” statement from the PI Chair duties section of the WSCCC Guidelines
#5 Selected panel members subject to ratification by the host convention committee officers and Trustees.
**Policy** The purpose of the press room in addition to the duties outlined herein shall be to distribute all World Service Conference approved literature and public information materials. The convention pressroom volunteer staffing list must have the host city convention committee officers and Trustee approval. Any controversy that arises is to be immediately submitted to the WS Board of Trustees. The AA Public information workbook is to be used as applicable until such time as a C.A. World Service Conference Approved Public Information workbook is made available.
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REASONS:
- Bullet # 5 suggests a panel should be created and ratified however, when bullet #6 was added to the PI Chair duties to define precisely what C.A. members are authorized in the press room, this panel is no longer relevant.
- The policy section was written before the PI Workbook was created so this reference is no longer pertinent.
Second
Tony D.: Would you like to speak to the motion?
Michael H.: Not at this time.
Tony D.: Prepare to vote. Motion carries unanimously.
MOTION: On page 10 under Outreach Chair, remove bullet #8
- Pass on mailing list to the World Service Office.
REASON: The mailing list is now handled by the WSO; this is no longer a duty of the Outreach Chair
Second.
Tony D.: Motion carries.
MOTION: On page 10 under Outreach Chair, combine bullets 1, 2 and 3 and part of 4 to be one bullet that reads as follows (renumber as appropriate):
- Generate and distribute information at the World Service Convention from the previous year.
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- Generate and distribute information at the World Service Conference from the previous year.
- Utilizing the resources from the previous World Service Convention and the database maintained at the World Service Office and the World Service Conference Convention Committee.
- Generate and distribute information to the entire fellowship on an ongoing basis. (Coordinate with World Service Office on mailing to delegates).
#1. Contacts the WSO regarding the use of the CAWS Convention and WSC delegate database mailing list to generate and/or distribute convention information.
#2. Generate and distribute information to the entire fellowship on an ongoing basis.
REASON: To clarify the intent of these bullets and simplify the Outreach Chair list of duties.
Second.
Tony D.: you want to speak to the motion?
Michael H.: not at this time
Tony D.: motion carries.
MOTION: On page 13 under Program Chairperson, remove bullet #7.
- To print AA conditions on AA material adapted for our use.
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REASON: This is included in the General Guidelines pg 31, #23; Second.
Tony D.: Do you want to speak to the motion? Motion carries unanimously.
MOTION: To accept the budget submitted by the 2013 CAWS Convention Committee (see attached).
Second.
Tony D.: do you want to speak to the motion?
Michael H.: not at this time
Tony D.: Motion carries unanimously.
REFERRALS OR ITEMS TABLED UNTIL NEXT YEAR; AND ITEMS THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE WORKING ON THROUGH THE YEAR
None
REFERRALS OR ITEMS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES; WORLD SERVICE OFFICE, OR BOARD OF TRUSTEES
None
REFERRALS THAT DID NOT RESULT IN MOTIONS
Referral # 6610 Guidelines – Chairperson
WS Convention Guidelines – Page 6 – Chairperson “Sobriety Requirement” – Three years continuously
- Add: Five Years continuous sobriety Reason: Concept 9 – “Good Service Leaders”
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2) Past Service Work Required: Prior experience on a C.A. convention committee.
Add: Prior experience as a “C.A.” Convention Committee Chair, Vice-Chair or “Steering Committee Member.
Reason: Biggest CA Fundraiser for WS needs experienced, proven fundraisers and allowing Concept 9 to be in full effect.
SEE REFERALS THAT RESULTS IN MOTIONS for Item #1.
NO ACTION TAKEN on item #2 – While the World Service Conference Convention Committee concurs with the intent of this motion, we do not want to limit the possible slate of candidates. It is up to the host area/region to evaluate candidates prior to submitting a slate of WS Convention Chair nominees for WSCCC selection board review.
Referral # 6537 Appointment of Chairperson Process
Page #33 #1- Appointment and Removal of the WSC Convention Chairperson. Line 3 states “will be reviewed by a board consisting of the Trustee of the Region, the WSCCC Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary (2) who will vote and choose the “chairperson” by group conscience. Question, how does the Trustee and WSCCC board members have the knowledge in their region of “qualified on experience candidates. These five people actually know all capable people in the “chosen host area” bid winner. Please add, “Area Chair and Vice Chair of host area” to the Board Overview and “group conscience”. To the Convention Guidelines.
NO ACTION TAKEN: The host area/region already have a say in the selection process in that the Convention Chair slate is submitted to the WSCCC by the
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host area/region. To incorporate this is redundant and would cause even more delays in completing the new interview process introduced with referral 6449.
Referral #6754 Trusted Servant Notification
That the Committee examine and modify its current notification of selected trusted servants for the host committee of each CAWS Convention so as to ensure that ALL applications are notified whether they were selected or not timely by the Committee, not by anyone else or not at all. This past year, at least one chair candidate was never notified by the Committee at all, ever, which is simply not right, or proper to the Unity provisions or teachings in Concept 9.
NO ACTION TAKEN: We agree with the intent of this referral. Notification of Convention Chair candidates was handled with referral 6449.
Referral #6755 CAWS 2014 Chair Selection and Notification Process Ongoing
I worry that the Chair for CAWS 2014 was not selected until February, 2011. Well after the timelines proscribed in the Convention Committee Manual. How can this be. So the timelines either need to be followed or the fellowship needs to know why they weren’t, or maybe the guidelines need to be modified to reflect a process, all that is needed is for the Committee to follow its process, in fairness to everyone.
NO ACTION TAKEN: Per the “Appointment and Removal of the WS Convention Chairperson” guideline as found on page 33 of the WSC Convention Committee Guidelines, the Convention Chair selection board has 6-months in which to fill the Convention Chair position. The 2014 Convention Chair position was filled exactly 6 months and 2 days after the close of the WSC.
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NEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AS OF THIS CONFERENCE
Chair – Gary P.
Vice-Chair – David S.
Co-Secretaries – Debbie B. and Kathy Jo R.
Trustee – Peter DeR.
Members: Joy L., Jenne W., Calvin W., Cliff W., Peter O., Roy R.
CLOSING COMMENTS
I want to thank the world service conference for the most amazing experience of my life. You have taught me to be patient and kind. (In spite of my wishes.) I am a better man because of all of you. My wish is that our fellowship could experience the love that in my heart. I have never been so full. Thank you.
Respectfully Submitted:
Michael H., WSCCC Chair
Tony D.: Any questions? Please thank the committee. 5 minute break and the PI.
Trevor S.: It is 10:00 pm and we will resume the session.
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