Feb 19, 2022 – WSOB Minutes

WSOB MINUTES FEBRUARY 19, 2022

OPEN MEETING @ 9.00 AM

SERENITY PRAYER – Brenda invites the room to open with the serenity prayer

TRADITION – Lolita reads the 2^nd Tradition

CONCEPT – Laurie reads the 2^nd Concept

ROLL CALL & QUORUM DETERMINATION

Present:

• Brenda – Chair
• Laurie – WSOT
• Joni – WST
• Lolita – DOO
• Alesia – Vice Chair
• Robert B – Director of Conf & Conv.
• Yves W – Secretary, NewsGram editor
• David C – DAL
• Jo P – DAL
• Susan L – DAL, CAWS 2022 Chair
• Mike S – CAWS 2023 Chair
• Jay P. – CAWS 2025 Chair

CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS

• The chair reads the relevant day from ‘A Quiet Peace’.
• In March training for WSBT and WSOB and employee, training on sexual harassment in California
• January 15, 2022, minutes were approved with no housekeeping.

SEVENTH TRADITION –

Observed in the office, online members are directed towards ca.org

CAWS CONVENTION REPORT

CAWS 2022. (Austin). Susan L

Highlights:

• We currently have 392 registrants (up 64 so far in February) and 1076 room nights reserved, up from 902 last month the prices will go up on March 1^st so we should see an uptick.
• As far as fundraising goes, we had our first suite auction for the Presidential Suite, which ended Friday with a $3050 bid. We will commence the next suite auction right away.
• David, Jo and Susan met regarding the European registration push. A direction has been decided on and the group met yesterday. I have asked David to take over leading this group as I have plenty on my plate right now and they know best what they’re looking for in this endeavor.
• The Trustee lunch menu has been chosen and they are beginning the sale of those tickets. The Cigar event has been changed to Coffee and dessert, and they will have a Cigar meeting every night outside in the smoking area at 11:00 pm.

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• We are still in the process of getting all outstanding contracts shored up (Armadillo/Longhorn guy, food trucks, etc.) in the couple of weeks. All outstanding information is to be presented to the Steering Team at the next committee meeting in Austin on March 5.
• We will be receiving bids prior to March meeting from sound and light folks. Contracts will be coming for execution and check requests will be prepared, approved, and presented.

CAWS 2023 (Atlanta) Michael S

Highlights:

• Things are progressing well, and I think we are back on track. I see no problems with the website going live on time and with all the events fleshed out. The contract (agreement) for the registration software is attached for vetting and signing. The artwork for approval was sent earlier this month. There is a check request for fundraising shirts and hoodies for the ASR Convention in Little Rock AR next month in the mix. We are getting use to that part of the process. All in all, life is good, committees are getting filled out and excited, and the work is getting done.
• Registration with RegFox program. We were able to set up a free account, it will remain free until registrations begin to come in. The program is very flexible, and we were all able to access and make changes. We began to put packages together to see the function within the program. This committee would like to put a motion on the floor to accept this as our registration program.
• Convention will be pitch while in Arkansas and at the ASR Regional convention.

CAWSO 2024 (Amsterdam) Joost van K (not present), report sent

Highlights:

• Finished negotiations with the hotel, contract shared with Trustees through Director C&C
• Call-out for speakers went out
• Found an amazing IT Chair.

CAWSO 2025 (Arizona) Jay Parker

• The Steering Committee met and had a kickoff meeting. The hotel Liaison is officially engaged.
• Timeline is as follows
• March – Make contact and do site walks in March
• April – Proposal’s submissions
• May- Final negotiations started for 2025 Hotel o June- August – Contract executed.

OFFICE DIRECTOR REPORTS

Director of Operations- Lolita S.

Highlights:

• Continue working with Cameron to keep the Online Store up-to-date and user-friendly.
• Working on selling books on Amazon. HFC II has been created in paperback on Amazon using their “print on demand” feature”, correction required for cover, waiting for approval after.
• Created an Amazon Sellers account to research selling cases of books on Amazon & other options of selling paperback books. Possibly lower shipping rates, particularly in Europe than “print-on-demand” Amazon Fulfillment Center, Amazon Sellers, and various Amazon entities/platforms are being researched. This project will be ongoing, and more research and information will be provided after Conference.
• Final Sheraton LAX bill payment for $519.79 will be mailed.
• New merchant account for conventions is integrated with Cvent, working properly and transactions were settled with Authorize.net as of January 12^th

Motions:

• Motion: to price the new This We Grow (Pocket card) $0.75 Passed

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• Motion: to price the new Our Common Welfare pamphlet $0.35 Passed
• Motion: to price the new Cocaine Anonymous Online-Unlimited Seating 24/7 pamphlet $0.35 Passed

DIRECTOR REPORTS

Chair – Brenda M

Highlights:

• One-on-One with Directors for project updates
• Worked to DOO on project updates
• Meet with WSBT Chair for projects updates
• Review guidelines for various committees
• Prepared Harassment training for WST in March
• S&B created a subcommittee to look at the impact for our literature to become gender neutral.

Vice Chair- Alesia F.

Highlights:

• Worked on referral
• I attend PACSOUTHREGIONCA Meeting this month.

Treasurer – Michael T. (absent – reports submitted)

Highlights:

None

Secretary– Yves W.

Highlights:

• Read what are my duties on the board and ready to handle my responsibilities
• Sat on WSC Archives committee, they are very pleased with the way Archives are well identified and planning a visit to address the physical organization of the racking

Director at Large: Robert B.

Highlights:

• For WSC Conference Submitted 2024/2025 Contract drafts to WST
• For CAWS 2023 RegFox Letter of Agreement submitted to WST.
• Flyer requesting bids for 2026 Convention committee was sent in Delegate Mailing.

Director at Large – David C.

Highlights:

• Refocus on Freedom Fund. REGAIN momentum.
• From LTP work on licensing agreement, there is a recommendation: Based on World Bank index for average income in each country. Ceiling of $10 for US grading down in increments of $2.50 to less prosperous countries e.g., Indonesia. Awaiting WSBT sign off and IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY for WSOB

Director at Large – Susan L.

Highlights:

• Will be meeting with LCF soon.
• Serving on three LTP committees; one is almost over.

Director at Large – Joanne P.

Highlights:

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• Membership and attendance of meetings regarding CAWS 2022 – European outreach – how to generate more interest and buzz to support members from Europe to register and attend the convention

CAWS Unity Committee highlights

• They are collating email addresses for Area Unity Chairs – I am collating those for Europe and passing onto the Liaison Chair
• There is a Roberts Rules Workshop on the 26^th February 2022 online – facilitated by NY Area
• North American PI Summit is being held from Thursday 17th Feb to Sunday 20th Feb in Calgary (with zoom option as well).
• The European PI Summit has struggled with members. It has been confirmed now that it can be held at the upcoming European Regional Convention which is being held in Birmingham over 15th-17th April 2022.

Researching international banking.

• I have started to review the options for International Banking – primarily banking access for WSOB in Europe
• There are several different ways that this could be achieved, and they will need careful consideration to make sure we have the right option for the fellowship
• Reviewing the banks there are 2 options for the Board to consider:
  • A Community/Charity style account – most of these require the officers to be resident in the UK or whichever country the account is opened in. HSBC do have a further option – they have requested if this is required to contact them – are the board happy for me to do this?
  • International account – these require a minimum deposit to be held in the account usually ranging from £10,000 – £50,000 – would the board like me to explore this further?

TRUSTEE REPORTS

WST Trustee – Joni E.

Highlights:

• Need to check on whether the Newsgram is trademarked
• Trademark Registrations for Emerging Areas.
  • This project is ongoing; we are analyzing the various new areas and the numbers of meetings in each to decide as to whether the registration of our trademarks in each new area is necessary and/or economically feasible
• We are currently reviewing the 2024 Convention Hotel Contract for Holland.

WSOT TRUSTEE – Laurie R.

Highlights:

• At the WSBT Q1 conference call, the following motions were made and passed for the WSOB
  • Motion to recommend the office provide royalty agreement for each published book, seconded, passed unanimously.
  • Motion to recommend the office apply the same cost index system for the license agreement to the royalty agreement, seconded, passed unanimously.

• Also discussed at the meeting and provided to the WSOB is the recommendation voted on and approved from the WSBT regarding cost levels for licensing agreements. I have attached it here for your reference.

NEW BUSINESS

• Motion: David C. proposed to change the deadline for the board members reports submission from Friday to Wednesday before the monthly meeting, seconded Robert B.: Passed

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• Motion: David C. proposed to approve the concept to print T-Shirts for Freedom fund at CAWSO Austin presentation waiting for pricing at next meeting, Susan second, Passed
• Motion: Laurie R., propose that the WSOB adopt use recommendations for licensing in royalties’ agreements, seconded, Passed
• Motion: CAWS2022 Robert B. proposed to approve CR-2022-036 one room night for the master of ceremony for the Drag show at the amount 139$ plus taxes, seconded: Passed
• Motion: CAWS2022 Robert B. proposed to approve speaker airfare for Thomas Anderson 443$, seconded: Passed
• Motion: CAWS2023 Robert B. proposed to approve 2 artworks for their Theme for convention, seconded: Passed
• Motion: CAWS2023 Robert B. proposed to approve CR 2023-01 for the fundraising, T-Shirts/hoodies and masks check request 594$, seconded: Passed

Yves White, WSO Secretary

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