Sept 5, 2021 – Day 5, WSBT Closing Report

C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2021

WORLD SERVICE BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT

INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:

The World Service Board of Trustees thanks all that participated in this World Service Conference both in person and virtually. We understand how difficult it may have been for some of you. Many thanks to the World Service Office Board for their continued commitment to the fellowship. We look forward to continuing to work together. We will continue to be prudent with the trustee expenditures. The Trustee Election Committee conducted business and followed the process of electing new trustees. The Board looks forward to attending CAWS 2020/21/22/ in Austin.

• Kevin . – WSOT
• Tom P. – PSRT Acting WST
• Sarah T. – ERT 
• Wade S. – PNRT
• Kerry W. – SWRT WSBT Assistant Secretary
• Clay P.- MWRT/ WSBT Secretary
• Jason L. – TAL1 Acting MERT/WSBT Vice-Chair
• George M. ANRT/Acting ASRT/WSBT-Chair

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE MOTIONS:

WSBT 2021-01 Structure & Bylaws

“Please remove all references to a Non-addict Trustee from the Cocaine Anonymous World Service Manual (WSM).

We do not believe there is, any longer, the need for a Non-addict Trustee and whilst the position remains in the WSM then Regions may put forward candidates that the Trustee Election Committee will be obliged to interview.

As a Board we have considered the requirement for a Non-addict Trustee and also consulted a large number of previous Trustees. We note that the position has not been filled for many years and that in that time our Fellowship has matured to the point that we no longer require a moderating influence as a member of the World Service board of Trustees. We believe that the skills sets afforded by our addict Trustee candidates adequately provides for the needs of our Fellowship.

With two new Regions having formed since the last Non-addict Trustee was in place we now have a larger Board. We do not believe that the cost of an additional Trustee, without portfolio, can be reasonably justified.”

Yours sincerely,

C.A. World Service Board of Trustees

Motion to remove the Non-addict Trustee position from the World Service Manual.

REFERRALS THAT WERE FORWARDED TO OTHER COMMITTEES:

WSBT 2021-06 Courtney R.

Create an Accessibility Committee for Members with disabilities.

Forwarded to Unity Committee

WSBT 2021-08 Liv. W.

Proposal to change ‘men and women’ to ‘people’, in the Preamble.

Frowarded to LCF

WSBT 2021-09 Wesley B

Proposal to change ‘men and women’ to ‘people’, in the Preamble.

Forwarded to LCF

REFERRALS STILL IN COMMITTEE:

WSBT 2016-05 Structure and Bylaws   Add Internet to 11th Tradition

WSBT 2017-02 LCF    Social Media 11th Tradition

WSBT 2021-04 Russell S.n

Revision to Page 77 World Service Manual to support and assist any requirements for mail/online vote scenario

Page 77 – WSM

Whenever, in the judgment of one-third of the Director Trustees present at a meeting, a decision to take any action involves a matter of principal or basic policy and in the judgment of at least one-third of the Director Trustees a delay in arriving at a decision will not adversely affect the Fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous, the matter shall be submitted to a mail vote of Conference Delegates, and if a majority of the Conference Delegates votes against the taking of such action, then the Board of Directors Board of Trustees will be expected to refrain from deciding to take such action.

Whenever a mail vote is taken of Conference Delegates, at least two-weeks’ notice shall be given, and the vote shall be determined in keeping with an analysis of such vote by the President and Secretary, or in their absence, by the Vice President and Treasurer, at the end of such two-week period. An announcement of the result of such vote shall thereupon be mailed by the Secretary or Treasurer to Conference Delegates and to Director Trustees.

When, in the opinion of the WSBT, such a vote be needed, all credentialed Conference Delegates (to include all voting members), are to be presented with a motion for consideration. A period of not less than 1 week, and not more than 3 weeks, for consideration and discussion must be observed. After the discussion period has ended, voting shall take place as directed by the WSC Chair. All votes will be tabulated by the Conference Chair and Vice Chair. A result will be announced following confirmation of the vote totals.

WSBT 2021-05 Russell S.

Revision to Bylaws section, pages 72 through 80, of the World Service Manual to limit confusion and clarify the WSBT and its Trustee members within the scope of this document.

CLOSED REFERRALS:

WSBT 2019-01       Stuart J WSCPI Chair (Pre-Conference)

Please can each Regional Trustee provide details of each Area’s Helpline number and website address in their quarterly reports so as to allow the WSCPI Committee to collate and make available to the World Service Office? This is to allow for this information to be available when the World Hotline is back up and running.

WSBT 2019-04        Susan B. OSA (In-Conference)

There was information in your opening report about seeing to it that our trademarks are up to date and used properly. I respectfully ask that the WSBT make sure that the block letters C.A. are used with the periods in all your forms, minutes and reports. We depend on and look to you for guidance and consistency. Thank you for your consideration!

Have spoken with referral maker and are taking all efforts to implement this in our reports.

WSBT 2020-01        Request for quarterly delegate reports to be in same format 

Have spoken with referral maker and are taking all efforts to implement this in our reports.

WSBT 2019-2 Referral forwarded from S&B – S&B number is 2017-15 Referral Subject: To develop a process to change Article 10 of Conference Charter, one of the 12 Steps or 12 Traditions.

WSBT 2019-3 Referral forwarded from S&B – S&B number is 2018-13 Referral: To develop a process to change Article 10 of Conference Charter, one of the 12 Steps or 12 Traditions and clarification of ¾ of the groups.

Motion 1:  Change Conference Charter Article 3 to include AA’s later* clarification.

See full details of Motion 1 below.

Motion 2:  Adopt the following procedure for polling the Groups of C.A. to make any changes defined in Article 3 of the C.A. Conference Charter, to be placed in the WSM following “Referrals.”

See full details of Motion 2 below.

Historical background to Motions 1 & 2:

Prior to Conference 2016, the following referral was sent to WSBT:

04/07/2016 WSBT 2016 – 5

This is a referral for the consideration to amend our 11th Tradition.

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, television and films.

The amended version would be:

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, television, films and internet.

We think it’s important to recognize that when Bill W, wrote the 11th Tradition it was before the widespread use of television, and yet the language of the tradition is flexible enough to cover that form of media. I believe that if the Internet would have existed then, it would have been included in the 11th Tradition as well. CA will continue to grow and change with the years. The “Principal of Anonymity” must remain our primary and enduring safeguard. This change will ensure that we recognize the ever-emerging technology around us and adapt to these changes.

Following Conference 2016, the WSBT discussed this and decided to pursue a change to Tradition 11 that would then read:

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of public media.

This goal was announced at Conference 2017, along with the recognition that such a change would require polling the C.A. Groups. A procedure for such a poll needed to be developed, as no 12-step Fellowship had attempted a change of this sort.

After several years of discussion, research, work with the Structure & Bylaws committee and the input of several interested members, we developed the procedure in our first two motions. 

Motion 1:  Change Conference Charter Article 3 to include AA’s later* clarification:

3. Conference Relation to C.A.: The Conference will act for C.A. in the perpetuation and guidance of its world services, and it will also be the vehicle by which the C.A. movement can express its view upon all matters of vital C.A. policy and all hazardous deviations from C.A. Tradition. Delegates should be free to vote as their conscience dictates; they should also be free to decide what questions should be taken to the Group level, whether for information, discussion, or their own direct instruction.

But no change in Article 10 of the Charter or in the Twelve Traditions of C.A., or in the Twelve Steps of C.A. may be made with less than the written consent of three-quarters of the C.A. Groups. except by first asking the consent of the known C.A. Groups of the world. [This would include all C.A. Groups known to the recognized Areas around the world.] These Groups shall be suitably notified of any proposal for change and shall be allowed no less than six months for consideration thereof. And before any such Conference action can be taken, there must first be received in writing within the time allotted the consent of at least three-fourths of all those Groups who respond to such a proposal (not counting abstentions).

*  See AA World Service Manual, 2018-2020 edition, Appendix B, page 104

(see highlighted section of copy below)

AA World Service Manual, 2018-2020 edition, Appendix B

A Resolution

Offered by Bill W. and Adopted at the

20th Anniversary Convention of A.A., in 1955.

(This Resolution Authorizes the General Service Conference

to Act for Alcoholics Anonymous

and to Become the Successor to Its Co-Founders.)

We, the members of the Twentieth Anniversary Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous, here assembled at St. Louis in July of the year 1955, declare our belief that our Fellowship has now come of age and is entirely ready to assume full and permanent possession of the Three Legacies of our A.A. inheritance — the Legacies of Recovery, Unity and Service.

We believe that the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous, as created in 1951 by our co-founders, Doctor Bob S. and Bill W., and authorized by trustees of the Alcoholic Foundation, has now become entirely capable of assuming the guardianship of A.A.’s Twelve Traditions and of taking over full guidance and control of the world service of our Society, as provided in the “Third Legacy Manual of World Service”¹ recently revised by our surviving co-founder, Bill W.,² and of the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous.

We have also heard with approval Bill W.’s proposal that A.A.’s General Service Conference should now become the permanent successor to the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, inheriting from them all their former duties and special responsibilities, thus avoiding in future time all possible strivings for individual prestige or personal power; and also providing our Society with the means of functioning on a permanent basis.

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous should become, as of this date, July 3, 1955, the guardian of the Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, the perpetuators of the world services of our Society, the voice of the group conscience of our entire Fellowship, and the sole successors of its co-founders, Doctor Bob and Bill.

¹ Now called The A.A. Service Manual.

² Bill died January 24, 1971.

AND IT IS UNDERSTOOD: That neither the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous nor the warranties of Article XII of the Conference Charter shall ever be changed or amended by the General Service Conference except by first asking the consent of the registered A.A. groups of the world. [This would include all A.A. groups known to the general service offices around the world.]³ These groups shall be suitably notified of any proposal for change and shall be allowed no less than six months for consideration thereof. And before any such Conference action can be taken, there must first be received in writing within the time allotted the consent of at least three-quarters of all those registered groups who respond to such proposal.⁴

WE FURTHER UNDERSTAND: That, as provided in Article XII of the Conference Charter, the Conference binds itself to the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous by the following means: That in all its proceedings, the General Service Conference shall observe the spirit of the A.A. Tradition, taking great care that the Conference never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds, plus an ample reserve, be its prudent financial principle; that none of the Conference members shall ever be placed in a position of unqualified authority over any of the others; that all important decisions be reached by discussion, vote and, whenever possible, by substantial unanimity; that no Conference action ever be personally punitive, or an incitement to public controversy; that though the Conference may act in the service of Alcoholics Anonymous and may traditionally direct its world services, it shall never enact laws or regulations binding on A.A. as a whole or upon any A.A. group or member thereof, nor shall it perform any other such acts of government; and that, like the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous which it serves, the Conference itself will always remain democratic in thought and action. (This Resolution was adopted by the Convention by acclamation and, in the Conference, by formal resolution by vote.)

St. Louis, Missouri, July 3, 1955

³ Resolution: It was resolved by the 1976 General Service Conference that those instruments requiring consent of three-quarters of the responding groups for change or amendment would include the Twelve Steps of A.A., should any such change or amendment ever be proposed.

⁴ Bill uses the term “registered.” A.A.W.S. neither monitors nor oversees the activities or practices of any A.A. group. Groups are listed solely for purposes of accurate communications.

Motion 2:  Adopt the following procedure for polling the Groups of C.A. to make any changes defined in Article 3 of the C.A. Conference Charter, to be placed in the WSM following “Referrals”:

1. Upon authorization by a 2/3rds vote of the World Service Conference (WSC), the Structure and Bylaws Committee (S&B) shall prepare a ballot describing any such change to the 12 Traditions of C.A., the 12 Steps of C.A. or Article 10 of the Charter, along with such arguments for and against that it deems proper, along with instructions for Areas and Groups, and present these to the World Service Board of Trustees (WSBT).
2. The WSBT will review this material and may return it to S&B for revision.
3. Upon WSBT approval, the ballot question and all related materials will be submitted to the next WSC for final approval by a 2/3rds vote.  This submittal must conform to the Standing Rules of the WSC.
4. Upon WSC approval, the ballots will be disseminated by a Delegate mailing from the World Service Office (WSO) to all known Areas in such a time and manner that every Group therein could expect to have 6 months to consider the requested changes.
5. Groups not yet within an Area, but known to the WSO, shall be sent a ballot directly.
6. Areas (or Districts) shall disseminate a ballot to each and every Group therein, previously validating each ballot with the Area Chair’s signature.
7. Groups shall return their ballots as per the instructions provided.
8. Upon the conclusion of the voting period, the WSO will tabulate the votes, resolve any ballot defects by contacting the Area’s Delegates or Chair, and report the vote totals, along with the estimated Group response rate, to the WSC S&B Committee and the WSBT.  Abstentions received do not affect the percentages for and against but are reported in the response rate.
9. Should 3/4ths of the ballots returned, not counting Abstentions, be in the affirmative, the question, along with the vote counts and estimated percentage the Groups responding will be presented to the WSC for final approval.  The WSC may, but is not required to, consider the percentage response rate in its deliberations.
10. A final 2/3^rd ratification vote by the WSC causes the change to be put into effect.

Motion 3:  To approve and adopt the attached ‘Cocaine Anonymous Brand Guide’, to be accessible from our World website.

As part of the work of the World Service Board of Trustees Long Term Planning sub-committee a ‘Brand Review’ was undertaken, please see document attached. Based on the findings of that review a definitive ‘Brand Guide’ has been developed to assist the efforts of our Fellowship, in particular our publications and Public Information work. It is hoped that this ‘Brand Guide’ and associated ‘Downloadable Logos’ and ‘Starting Documents’ (as described within the guide) will prove useful resource to all our Conference Committees and Areas around the World

Passed during Opening Reports World Service Conference 2021.

COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AT END OF THIS CONFERENCE:

 

Position	Name	Email	Phone
Chairperson/TAL1	Jason L.	tal1@ca.org	44 7792 063165
Vice-chair/ERT	Sarah T.	ert@ca.org	44 7903 086171
Secretary/MWRT	Clay P.	mwrt@ca.org	2163224316
ANRT ASRT MERT PNRT PSRT SWRT WSOT WST	George M.	anrt@ca.org	7322618314

CLOSING COMMENTS:

As Conference comes to a close your World Service Board of Trustees has worked tirelessly with the Trustee Election Committee Delegates to fill the vacancies on the Board. Our thanks to those Delegates that participated in the process. The Board members have attended breakout sessions of the Conference Committees when time allowed. The current would like to acknowledge Vanessa Matthews-Jackson and Chris Redd who will forever remain in our hearts. I would like to thank our outgoing Trustees: Kevin Murphy World Service Office Trustee, Tom Phelan Pacific South Regional Trustee/Acting World Service Trustee, Wade Staples Pacific North Regional Trustee, Kerry Wesley South West Regional Trustee, and Yvette Holman for her service. Kudos to the World Service Conference Committee in coordinating this Conference, which in my estimation was a tremendous undertaking and a job well done.

Respectfully Submitted,

George M.

Atlantic North Regional Trustee/World Service Board of Trustees Chair

Position/Committee