CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:
Welcome to the Conference, “Opening the Doors to the World” which we have done with the approval for the “Petition to become an Area” – Welcome to South Africa!!! Also, welcome to the new region, Europe!!! Looking around the room today, you can see the most obvious evidence of our committee’s work. We have been working all year, meeting each month. This Committee is determined to provide the best possible service to the fellowship, especially the attendees of the Conference. The Committee survived several challenges this year. We lost several committee members due to “life situations”. As a result of these changes Leslie Groter is our new Coordinator, who is unable to be here this week due to a family situation. Leslie is a welcome relief to several of the Committee’s concerns, as well as many of the fellowship’s. The Committee appreciates her hard work in preparation of this event. Scott Botz is our new Co-Coordinator and the man in charge this year with Leslie’s absences. We also were able to secure a Secretary, Robin Long, at the close of last years Conference.
We appreciate the understanding and support of the fellowship during our transition back to this hotel. Our intent continues to be to provide a fully functional Conference that our Delegates and membership will be able to accomplish the business of CA, regardless of the
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location. We will continue to work on an informed “transition plan” to a new facility that sufficiently addresses all of our needs in the future. All referrals were addressed and reported in this written report, none of the referrals resulted in a motion to the floor.
COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS:
Committee Members
Kim Sherwan- Chair
Leslie Groter – Coordinator
Scott Botz – Co-Coordinator
Robin Long – Secretary
Deborah Botz
Kevin Amos
Conference Officers
Steve Edwards – Chair
Kevin Murphy – Parliamentarian
Kellie Federici – Secretary
Beth Reinhardt – Secretary
WSBT / WST / WSOB
John Bodkin
Carl Warlick
Judy Weissman
We look forward to serving you this week, and in the future. If you have any questions or concerns, please see myself, or Scott Botz. As a reminder, we will be looking to fill the position of Vice Chair this year, and welcome others to join this exciting and rewarding committee. Thank you.
REFERRALS THAT WERE WORKED UPON DURING THE YEAR:
Previous Referrals that we continued to work on:
Referral #4100
Please start the conference Monday morning and run through Sunday as most of us take a whole week off of work anyhow.
Referral #3707
Change length of Conference to allow 6 days, because Manuel allows only 5 days and many delegates must leave Sunday AM because of money issues or flight times.
Response: We believe that the Conference Committee could extend the duration of this conference up to a full week based on our reading of the WSM page 3.2 paragraph 2 and Standing Rule 18, however with regards to the 3rd and 4th concept, the Conference Committee will be sending out a survey subject to Conference approval to all Area’s asking for input as to the length of the Conference and days which it should be held
Addition Response: Given the response in the survey indicating more time was needed for the Conference, the committee has decided to start the Conference Tuesday night instead of
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Wednesday morning, resulting in 4 more hours of post-breakout floor time, and moved several agenda items to improve efficiency. We will evaluate this incremental change to determine whether further extension is necessary. Delegates are encouraged to use the Conference evaluation forms for feedback.
REFERRALS OR ITEMS TABLED UNTIL NEXT YEAR; THAT THE COMMITTEE WORKED ON THIS YEAR.
Referral #3770
Create a “referrals on line” program to submit referrals through out the year.
Response: We’re excited about this and are currently working with the office to try to accomplish this. We will also invite the Internet Committee to help as well.
Referral #4009
Conference held every other year.
Response: Committee has formed an Ad Hock Committee in 2003 Conference to research the possibilities of this.
Additional Response: The conference committee formed an ad hoc committee to investigate the possibility of a biennial conference. The ad hoc committee composed a questionnaire for 2004 conference members covering several pertinent topics concerning this idea. Overwhelmingly, the results of the survey were negative, and based on the views expressed by conference members at the time, no further action seemed a good or productive use of the committee’s time. It appeared clearly that such an action would fail were it proposed to the conference at this time. This is not to say that the concept should be abandoned, however, too many procedural issues concerning sub-committees, as well as conference charter and bylaws would be tremendous obstacles to implementing a biennial event and would likely take as much as 3-5 years to adjust successfully.
Referral #4030
Investigate the feasibility of using new video and telephone technologies to provide remote conferencing. Remote areas or other CA members may be able to participate via the rental of teleconference room facilities that can now be found around the world. Participation, perhaps, could be limited to observations, but the number 2 communication may be viable as well. In other words, poorly funded or physically remote groups or areas may gather at a remote teleconference facilitate as a way to participate. Perhaps those remote groups could then even be present electronically via remote video/telephone technologies.
Response: We recognize the hardships many areas currently face in participating in the WSC process. We also understand that with our growth through the world, as seen this year with so many exciting new area petitions, that this difficulty will become more acute. We believe that the use of this and other emerging technologies will become not just a vital, but also a necessary part of the WSC.
This committee will be looking into the feasibility of the use of this technology to allow for remote participation of delegates, with the likely assistance of the Internet committee, we will also be looking into the cost of using this avenue of participation, as well as the security and anonymity issues.
Referral #4703
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Please create two new credential forms and have them available each year to be included in both the February and June Conference delegate mailings.
One form is a credential form for use by the Trustees, office board members, and non-delegate conference chairs. One form is a credential form for use by non-delegate attendees who attend the conference and serve on a committee for the conference week.
Response: We are currently reviewing our Credentialing Registration form to encompass these needs.
Additional Response: A new Non-Delegate Credential Registration form has been created that accommodates the non-delegates, the trustees and the office board.
Post Conference Referrals:
Referral #3788
Computers that are rented for purposes of the Conference be NETWORKED so that all computers can use any printer and even possible each one could access the WWW as well. (I would be happy to help explain if you don’t understand)
Response: When the computers are set up, we will do all we can to get at least one networked to a copier and able to print to it. As for the internet, there is a charge for internet access in the business office. However, all the sleeping rooms have High Speed & Wi-Fi Internet Access.
Referral #4133
Provide guidance on use of tables specifically in reference to Area/District/Group sales of memorabilia. Suggest highly to provide tables (which are free) for memorabilia sales, which would provide “order” to this business at the Conference. This “business” is an important exchange and unifying action/event. Most if not all major purchases help CA, as a whole, to generate funds.
Response: Pending discussion with the hotel. Ideas regarding tables or a conference room will be discussed for sale of memorabilia.
Referral #4149
That no more than 1/3 of the total quorum be allowed to speak on a single motion. (ex: 35 + individuals spoke to the LCF Step Book with 98 being total quorum)
Response: Rarely do so many as 1/3rd of the members speak on any motion, and those are items of extreme importance, where that extra voice might make all the difference. Additionally, the Conference officers would have to keep track of this, adding to their heavy real-time workload. We decline.
Referral #4150
To curtail the 2nd line of questioning on the bidding process verifying that someone having asked a question in the first line of questioning not ask more questions.
Response: Several answers: 1) The Chair has the authority to do this now. 2) The body can end questions at any time with a suspension of the rules to end/limit questions (2/3rds)
Referral #4152
During the delegate orientation it would be helpful to have the chairs or a representative from each standing committee present statements of purpose (in the World level copies), and of their
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previous years conference reports available for new delegates, to assist in the informed choosing of an Area of participation.
Response: There is already some review of the Conference Standing Committees in the existing delegate orientation process. Statements by the Committee Chairs regarding their committees’ purpose, though not always literally citing the World Service Manual, are offered not during delegate orientation, but as one of the first items of business once the Conference Session begins. If necessary, the Conference Chair will encourage the WSC committee chairs to read their committees’ official statements of purpose out of the manual, and/or the Conference Chair will encourage delegates to follow along in their manuals
Conference #4175
Per procedures given out to new delegates: Referral forms must be completely filled out. Can we make sure that is states – if not completely filled out, it will not be addressed. This needs to be added to guidelines.
Response:
It will be announced both by the Conference Committee Chair and the Conference Chair through out the Conference.
Referral #4225
Create/develop a World/International Outreach Committee of the WSC, instead of H&I, P.I., or Unity all having sub committees to do redundant – same work.
Response:
The Conference committee does not, in and of itself, have the power or authority to create such a committee, and that such structural changes are typically a result of an action by the conference based on findings of various conference committees such as Structure and Bylaws, Finance, Unity, PI, and CLF to name a few. The conference committee shall, however, consider sending the referral forward to the appropriate committees for a more informed approach to the matter (i.e. fiscal impact, emerging opportunity in the global community, etc.).
We have been advised that the Unity committee has convened a sub-committee dedicated to International Outreach that has, as yet not completed its statement of purpose, but has been focused primarily on literature translations thus far.
At the same time the WSBT has created a Sub-committee principally for International Structure & Development and is focused on several emerging and urgent matters of both law and communications as it relates to our international dealings with regard to world services. Again, the Conference Committee will refer this matter to the WSBT for further action
Referral #4242
Motion to have Area’s on the Conference delegates and members badges each year.
Response: This is addressed in the 2005 Delegate/Alternate and Non-Delegate registration forms as follows:
Name of Region; and
How would you like your badge to read?
Referral #4398
Place special emphasis on 2005 survey due to new location of hotel. Some parts of downtown Los Angeles are definitely unsafe for visitors and residents of LA alike. Just concerned about
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the safety and well being of the fellowship. Please have someone from the site selection committee be from within the Los Angeles city.
Response: Due to changes in hotel management, the conference has returned to the Four Points Sheraton at LAX for 2005 and 2006. The committee shares your concern about the safety and well-being of everyone attending the conference. With that said, the conference committee is considering different venues to hold the annual conference. We will take much care with this process and consider all suggestions that we receive. There are members of this committee who live in the LA area and will participate in the selection of the next site in 2007.
Referral #4711
To include more focus on Concepts as part of the new delegate orientation.
Response: The Conference Committee put into practice this recommendation at WSC 2004, and plans to do so again at this year’s Conference. A specific time slot is reserved during orientation for a discussion of the Concepts, to be facilitated by one or more WS Trustees and/or other members with extensive knowledge of the Concepts.
Referral #4740
Have WSC minutes on projection screen, fonts bigger and brighter, white background to make it easier to read. Solution: (possible) brighter projection or computer monitor w/bright white background-screen color or ask expert TECH for help.
Response: The Conference Committee understands that it is essential for everyone to be able to read the information on the projection screen. We will continue to use the large Arial font and will take any suggestions during the Conference as issues arise. Delegates should also seat themselves accordingly if they tend to have difficulty reading the screen.
Referral #4743
To investigate and create a process for not having to read long motions more than once in the motion (to save valuable floor time).
Response: It is possible to do this now by unanimous consent (“I ask unanimous consent to waive the re-reading of the motion”). It may not be wise, as the transcripts benefit from the repetition. Robert’s Rules require the final reading.
Referral #4746
To provide a procedure for yearly ratification (& removal) of the Conference Coordinator by the committee.
Response: There is currently no mechanism in place to ratify the coordinator position.
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