CLOSING REPORT C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2015
WORLD SERVICE BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS
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Your WSBT would like to extend sincere thanks to all participants at this year’s World Service Conference, and to the entire fellowship for allowing us to be of service, and for your ongoing support. It is truly a pleasure to serve in this capacity.
Your WSBT would like to thank the WSOB for their service and commitment to the fellowship of C.A. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our Office Board and assisting, when requested or required, throughout the upcoming 12 months
We continue to be prudent with Trustee expenditure and came in under budget. The TEC conducted business and followed the process of electing new Trustees. We are extremely excited by the upcoming CAWS2016 Convention in “Sweet Home Chi CA Go”. Although I personally won’t have any problem with it, I recommend to those who qualify to tie down your hair, coming to the windy city. We have been unable to address any referrals due to our workload at this conference and we will work on these throughout the year. Committee Introductions
- Ira L. – World Service Trustee
- Frank P. – World Service Office Trustee
- Rob W. – Trustee at Large/European Regional Trustee
- Jay P. – South West Regional Trustee
- Deborah G. – Pacific North Regional Trustee
- Anne B. M. – Atlantic South Regional Trustee / WSBT Assistant Secretary
- Yves W. – Atlantic North Regional Trustee / WSBT Secretary
- Duane M. – Pacific South Regional Trustee /WSBT Vice Chair
- Brian T. – Mid West Regional Trustee /WSBT Chair
COMMITTEE WORK THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
Brian T. – MOTION: to suspend Standing Rule 14 for the purpose of bringing forward two motions regarding the terms of the Atlantic North Regional Trustee & Trustee At Large.
Tony D. – Motion has been made and seconded. Any debate?
Vote 064 carries 116-14
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Brian T. – MOTION: to respectfully request to extend the Atlantic North Regional Trustee term one year to the end of the 2017 conference.
Tony D. – Motion has been made and seconded. Would you like to speak to the motion?
Brian T. – There are 6 trustees rolling off next year and there needs to be continuity.
Stu E. – How does this happen?
Brian T. – Good question. It was balanced at one time. Things happen to upset the balance. Trustees resign, rollout, or cannot fulfill the term for some unforeseeable. In 2003 or so, the floor voted to have new trustees come in and fulfill a 4 year term. We are looking at going back to that, maybe.
Elizabeth S. – I feel strongly for this motion. This is setting precedence with looking at the staggering of terms in the future.
Richard L. – This could have an impact on the finances as well as Conference time. Stu E. – I am speaking in favor of the motion. But what do we do to fix the problem?
Earnest M. – Have you considered more than one trustee being extended? Brian T. – Yep! It’s coming up.
Scott S. – This has been done before. This is starting the process of alignment again.
Maria M. – Why is it this particular trustee?
Brian T. – We did review all the Trustees to find the best qualified that would be able to extend their term.
Tony D. – Prepare to vote.
Vote 065 motion carries 137 – 2
Brian T. – MOTION: to respectfully request to extend the Trustee at Large term one year to the end of the 2017 Conference.
Tony D. – Motion has been made and seconded. Any debate?
Stu E. – I speak in favor of the concept of the motion; not necessarily the Trustee…..hahahahah.
Tony D. – Vote 066 passes 132 – 8
REFERRALS THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS None
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REFERRALS OR ITEMS TABLED UNTIL NEXT YEAR; AND ITEMS THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE WORKING ON THROUGH THE YEAR
2015WSBT-02
When I send a referral about the TEC election process, why does it get kicked to the Trustees? I understand that the conference charter and bylaws are legal documents and not changed by S&B, but the rest of world service manual has is worked on by S&B. The problem is the conference body never gets a chance to change this process. It could look poorly that the Trustees are manipulating the process for their own purpose.
2015WSBT-03
Start considering non-addict trustees. I believe it would be invaluable to have a non-addict brain to give a different perspective.
2015WSBT-04
I am concerned with the fact the direction of the Trustee Negotiating Committee’s current practices. There seems to be a significant disconnect between the negotiation needed and the needs of the applicable Conference Committee. The trustees have to communicate with the Committee along the way to make sure that what they are negotiating makes any sense and is not done in a vacuum. I could give very specific examples related to the Meditation Book editor process and the contract negotiation for the Conference Contract. In the case of the Conference contract, the TNC took the contracts for the three years negotiated with the hotel and the committee heard nothing again until the contracts were signed. This left the committee in an untenable position at several levels. There has to be better communication back and forth and some concrete time frames on when the responses will be forthcoming all well before the respective contracts are finalized and signed. The TNC has to be and remain keenly aware of what the committee needs and why at every step of the way.
2015WSBT-05
I am concerned with the fact that the WSBT Chair is given his/her own room at the Conference and CAWS Convention. This is now given even when there is not an
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odd man out situation. I’d like us to go back to honouring the inverse pyramid please and do away with this practice which makes no sense to me at any level. Please re-examine. Thank you.
2015WSBT-06
The fellowship no longer uses the reading “How it works” in it’s adapted form. Do we have permission to use AA’s Preamble in it’s adapted form?
REFERRALS OR ITEMS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES; WORLD SERVICE OFFICE, OR BOARD OF TRUSTEES
None
REFERRALS THAT DID NOT RESULT IN MOTIONS
2014WSBT-02
To expand the Cocaine Anonymous brand in order to make it more drug inclusive by adding a tagline that coincides with what are first step says we are: Suggestions include: COCAINE ANONYMOUS “Recovery from cocaine and all mind altering substances.” or COCAINE ANONYMOUS” And all other mind altering substances”
Response:
At this time the tagline is already in use in the PI Handbook. We believe the idea of expanding the Cocaine Anonymous brand name in order to make it more drug inclusive may exceed the concept of just adding a tagline. Seeing the merit of this referral your WSBT is planning to fully explore this idea so that we can best serve the fellowship.
NEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AS OF THIS CONFERENCE
Chair: Duane M.
Vice-Chair: Jay P.
Secretary: Anne B. M.
Assistant Secretary: remaining open for discussion at WSBT Quarterly CAWS, Inc. Corporate Officers
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President: Rob W.
Vice President: Yves W.
Secretary: Ira L.
Treasurer: Frank P.
From the close of this conference your WSBT consists of the following members
- Ira L. – World Service Trustee
- Frank P. – World Service Office Trustee
- Jeannette J. – Mid West Regional Trustee
- Deborah G. – Pacific North Regional Trustee
- Duane M. – Pacific South Regional Trustee – WSBT Chair
- Jay P. – South West Regional Trustee – WSBT Vice Chair
- Yves W. – Atlantic North Regional Trustee
- Anne B. M. – Atlantic South Regional – Trustee WSBT Secretary
- Suzanne V. – European Regional Trustee
- Rob W. – Trustee at Large
CLOSING COMMENTS
Your WSBT would like to thank you for allowing us to serve you through this conference. Please let it be known that we will be available throughout the year to assist the Fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous in its mission to carry its message to the addict that still suffers. Please contact us at WSBT@ca.org
In Love, Service and Gratitude
Cocaine Anonymous World Service Board of Trustees
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