Aug 29, 2001 – Day 1 – Summary of Motions – WSBT Opening Report

46. Trustee Reports Meredith Glasser, WSB Trustee
    Meet four times a year, a conference call a month. We each sit on a committee or two. We try to keep the committees working all year round. We also interview all trustee nominees. A trustee also sits on the CAWS convention committee. They review the use of our logo, literature, convention artwork, etc. Our regional trustees attend Area and district meetings and events.
47. Chair: Does anyone have questions to the chair.
48. Steve Edwards: I had some discussions with you in the recent months about what it means that the trustees honor the group conscience.
49. Meredith Glasser: The Board of Trustee’s take a vote, we very clearly express our minority opinion, The board of trustees expresses their group conscience. On the position of Amy’s appeal, we did not express the minority opinion; instead we expressed the group conscience of the trustees.
50. Hal Kelly: The customary right of decision also applies to us on the Board of Trustee’s, we are entitled to our opinion. However, we believe the group conscience always prevails over our personal opinions. As Trustees, when we come before all of you at the podium, we present to you our group conscience and leave the rest in the room.
51. Steve Edwards: I was more concerned with how it is dealt with when the issue comes up on another committee, etc., where a trustee serves.
52. Rick: Do the trustees feel that they are upholding the spirit of that concept.
53. Meredith Glasser: Yes.
54. Steve Edwards: Curious how you reconcile this – I’m reading from the AA service manual, on right of decision.
55. Meredith Glasser: Let’s let Heidi Jonathan.

57.Heidi Jonathan: Steve, I understand the concept you’re talking about, and I think what is getting lost here, we make no. Motions that are voted on immediately…we spend hours on issues. In the year that I’ve been there, I don’t think that any of us have asked to have the minority opinion noted.

58. Steve Edwards: Why wouldn’t it be appropriate for that minority opinion be brought to this floor.
59. Heidi Jonathan: We vote here as individuals…we do not decide how we, as a body, are going to vote here.
60. Steve Edwards: But, had you already decided how you were going to vote before you got here?
61. Heidi Jonathan: No.
62. Amy Beech: What you are seeing here, is that we are individuals. We all have different viewpoints, but the distinction is that when we decide to take a position as a group, then we try to have complete unanimity on that particular issue…however, there will be times when we do not agree on all issues.
63. Trustee At Large Report – Given by Leon Mason. Sits on the Internet Committee. They had found a website that was aligning with the Back to Basics on their site, and affiliating it with C.A. I have also been attending the Office Board

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meetings, and am now the WSO Board Trustee. He’s starting to read the Roberts Rules of Order book.

64. Jahi Boseda – Trustee At Large Report

This year has been an educational year for me. The trustees are trying to serve CA as best as possible. We are here to serve you.

We have had our problems this year. We had a budget cut, and I found out that I will be censured. I have served on the TEC, NewsGram, Long Term Planning committee, and had the pleasure to present that information at the WS Convention. We’ve discussed public information on a national level, finances and better use of the NewsGram, etc. We’re looking at a way to make our name more visible. It’s common to hear “A.A.” We’d like to hear, “C.A.” We’d like to also make sure we’re listed in the yellow pages.

65. Meredith Glasser – WSO Trustee Report

This is Meredith’s last year, has been a trustee for five years, and cannot express how much this has changed her for the better. Last year I dealt with the hiring committee for our office manager, legal issues, copyright issues with attorneys, have worked closely with our office manager and helped when she was on maternity leave. I was also responsible for hotel contracts. I am the trustee on the conference committee. This committee has really grown and improved. I feel that part of this success has been to have a non-delegate position as a conference coordinator. Anytime the board takes a “position” on an issue, she believes in upholding the group conscience and not to oppose it.

66. Hal Kelly – Southwest Regional Trustee Report

Consists of six areas, now seven, with the new south central area of Texas. We’ve had a wonderful year. We’ve had conventions in every state, except in Kansas, where they had a campvention. We had a wonderful convention in Texas. They continue to have a great H&I there, and work extensively with the state correctional system. Arizona had a great convention, I was unable to attend – our finances in C.A. have been suffering, so we have been asked to cut back on our travel. I did go to AZ however to deal with the issue of the Back to Basics text. AZ is also very involved with H&I and is a leader in this area. Oklahoma had a great convention, and is working on building their area structure. Unity in our region is strong. Colorado will be hosting the Regional convention this year. He sits on the WSC Convention Committee. On the NewsGram committee, you may have already seen our new, colorful edition.

67. Chair: Are there any questions?
68. Jay Statland: In our last delegate meeting, there was no report on the SW region.
69. Hal Kelly: You would have to ask the recorder, I do submit my quarterly meeting on disk, so I don’t why. It actually is the responsibility of the Area Chairs to get in contact with the trustee to report what’s going on in that area.
70. Mark: Motion to expunge certain statements made by the SW trustee.Chair:
71. Chair: That motion would be out of order.
72. Kellie Federici: I’d like to hear from you how many numbers of meetings and H&I’s are in your area.
73. Hal Kelly: Unfortunately, I do not have that information, because Area chairs have not gotten it to me.

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74. Kellie Federici: Could you get that info from your regional caucus and bring it back here.
75. Hal Kelly: Yes.
76. Glenn: Could you make that report available to us for the SW Region.
77. Hal Kelly: Yes.
78. Heidi Jonathon: Pacific North Regional Trustee Report

10 Areas in the region. We do have a meeting in Montana, however Montana is not recognized as an area as of yet. Serve on Finance committee, 2002 Convention Committee trustee. I attended all meetings and conference calls. Attended convention in, and have traveled to Portland and was at their Area Convention, and attended the CAWS convention in New York. Was in the B.C. convention. The next regional convention is in Boise, Idaho. I have served on various ad-hoc committees, for instance, worked with the Trustees at Large in developing a Pass It On. I’m very excited on how our region is rallying around the 2002 CAWS Convention. There are nine members on the Board of Trustees, and I hope that we do have nine opinions. Any questions?

Roger: I noticed in the WSM that Alaska is a recognized area, however, I never see representation.

Heidi: They only have two meetings, and due to financial considerations, they are unable to send delegates to the Conference at this time.

78. Terry Knight – Atlantic South Regional Trustee

It’s been an honor to serve this region. I had no idea of the depth of the responsibilities until I got here. It has taken most of this year to get my bearings. I attended all meetings and conference calls. Attended the CAWS Convention. Orientation committee, TC and NewsGram committee and will serve on the Public Information committee. I get copied on all starter kits in my region, and I get to do follow-up and contact each individual who has requested one. It’s exciting to be the second person responding to that individual. I responded to Mississippi, Florida requested five starter kits, Virginia, Alabama, TN, Region focused on addressing the request for better 7^th tradition donations to the WSO. We have six new delegates from our region here at this conference. Although there were budget constraints, I was able to visit 5 areas this year. Florida will be hosting the regional assembly next year. For the areas that I haven’t been able to visit, I have been in contact through email and phone.

79. David Choate – Pacific South Regional Trustee

I sit on the WSOB. I’ve attended almost all meetings, and missed one conference call. I’ve been able to visit most of the areas in my region, with the exception of two, which I intend on visiting this year. One of our districts is one of the largest contributors to WSO, South Central. A unique part of our region is our intra-area. We hold a Campvention every year to offset expenses of insurance for the areas. Starter kit was sent to Sidney, Australia. Sent one kit to Guatemala, and Hawaii. I try to prepare good reports on our region, and they do contain the numbers of how many meetings and H&I’s we have. Any questions?

John W.: Reason why the request from Guatemala was squashed or denied.

David: We did send a starter kit…we extended a scholarship to them to attend the CAWS convention, the only thing we didn’t do was to send a trustee down there.

John: It said in your minutes something about shelving/tabling something…

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David: We had decided that we didn’t have the financial resources to send anyone, and the state department advised against sending Americans to that country at this time.

80. Spencer Barton – Midwest Regional Trustee –

Iowa does have meetings, but they have not petitioned to become an area yet. They do, however, have my number and are able to contact me for any assistance.485 meetings in our region.

• 374 H&I’s in our region.
• MW regional will be in St. Luis Nov. 2-4, 2001.
• We have unity days, picnics, fun days, retreats, Ohio is having a women’s retreat, we are also carrying a message that we have fun in recovery.
• Manitoba is represented at this conference.
• In Kentucky, they are not here at this conference, but they are starting new meetings. Will be helping to put their two districts together. Excited about this, since it’s close to West Virginia, and it would be great to see CA there.
• I had promised Minnesota and Nebraska to visit them this fall.
• Serve on Legal and Negotiating committees.
• I had seven new meetings in my region…actually, more like nine.
• Questions?

81. Amy Beech – Atlantic North Regional Trustee

• Not only do we serve our regions, we serve the whole fellowship
• I’ve served on the TEC, Legal, trustee orientation committee. On legal, I had to contact the state department, issues regarding the CAWS convention in New York (legal to have bingo). She worked on the trustee slates to be ratified. The Atlantic South Regional Trustee position will be filled. On the Orientation Committee, I worked with the incoming Trustees, which has been exciting.
• I do a lot of writing and word-smithing on the board.
• I will be serving on the LCF committee this year, and will be working on the Storybook submissions. The deadline is September 30^th. I do believe that this deadline will hold.
• In my region this year, was CAWS2001. I didn’t have to spend C.A.’s money to attend the committee meetings, since I live in that city.
• Our region struggles all the time. But, we don’t have nearly the numbers as other areas, however, we have 225 meetings, 63 H&I’s.
• We will be looking at our budgets very closely. You will notice that my numbers are higher. For the past three years, I never submitted my receipts for expenses occurred for C.A. I have recently been able to submit those expenses for reimbursement. That’s why my numbers look a great deal higher than normal.
• Questions?

82. Joy: I heard that at the NY Convention you were influential in persuading certain trustees to accept registration scholarship packages, including banquet functions…Not only is this not in accord with our expense policy, it apparently happened right after the Office Board met with you to express our concern that the Convention might not even be financially self supporting. Can you explain what happened?
83. Amy: That meeting was before that joint meeting. We are aware of the financial difficulties we are having. It came to our attention that there were members of the BoT’s that would have been unable to participate in all activities. I felt that in order for us to be there and to be of service to

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you, I felt that it was important for the trustees to be present at all the activities. We felt that for those trustees are currently in the position that they could not financially participate, that it would be appropriate for the Fellowship to help them out. The NY area had made a commitment that it would turn no one away, and that basic registration packages would be given away.

84. Roy: I’ve been asked about people who are not writers, could they submit their stories on tape instead of writing.
85. Patrick: I’ve gotten telephone calls about this as well. Transcribing anything is not in our budget. It does not take a lot of effort to have someone else transcribe it for you, and then to submit it. We don’t have a large amount of time to do this, as well.
86. Patrick: Through the year, we’ve had some questions on how many stories we have had submitted. I hear that we have 70 stories, however, I have not seen them. We’ve tried to contact you regarding this, however, I’ve never received a return phone call from you. I know there was some miscommunication regarding this, however, I’d like to know why I still don’t have them.
87. Amy: I do have them, they are at the table. If you did want them, all you had to do was ask me here. Regarding not returning your calls, I felt that I would be seeing you here…I had just gotten your two calls approximately two weeks ago. I was told that it would be my responsibility to take the original stories and mark theme up to make them anonymous. I apologize for not getting back to you. I have not received any call from your Vice Chair. Actually, I have called her a couple of times throughout the year.
88. Kevin Flaws: Amy, earlier this year we had the chance to attend a convention together across the big pond. Could you please relate to us what you experienced there.
89. Amy: Absolutely. I’d like to welcome the new delegates from PA, Toronto and England! The U.K. convention had 9 previous conventions, which were one-day events. It was an extraordinary time, and they are having another convention this year, and there are flyers in the back.
90. Karen Layns: Is there a reason that these stories need to be gone through at this time? The deadline is not until the end of September.
91. Steve Edwards: I heard that some trustees had felt that they had accepted those scholarships in error.
92. Amy: I do believe that this policy needs to be looked at…I still think that it is not right that to serve this fellowship just if you have money.
93. Kevin Murphy: I’ve been hearing a lot of us vs. them, and hasn’t anyone heard about our first tradition, regarding unity? Would you please think about this before we come back from dinner?
94. Amy Beech: I am the same drug addict, friend, colleague, service worker that I was before I became a trustee. Everything that I have done is completely open to inquiry from this fellowship. I do make mistakes, but you can be sure that any mistake that I make has no ill motive.
95. DINNER BREAK
96. Paulette: I’ve looked through the convention guidelines going back to the scholarships, and I can’t find anything that says anything about scholarships. I’d like to know why if there are no guidelines about Scholarships, why the trustees are getting so much flack.
97. Meredith: Traditionally, this is left up to the host city’s discretion.
98. Meredith: I’d like to announce that Amy Beech is our new Chair, Spencer Barton is our new Vice Chair, and our Secretary is David Choate.

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