CONFERENCE REPORT
C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2025
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTS:
It is the Finance Committee’s responsibility to oversee the prudent control, management, and use of monies donated by the individuals of the Fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous.
We meet as committee the 3rd Sunday of each month on ZOOM at 11am PST.
We have spent the past few months reviewing the budget and adjusting numbers where appropriate to make sure our expectations were as close to accurate as possible.
The 2025 numbers are coming in right on track with what we expected.
We completed a full budget review proposal for 2026. This is being submitted here for approval.
During breakout sessions at conference, we will be making revisions on actual budget numbers in real time, as new information comes in.
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COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AT CONFERENCE:
| Position | Name | Phone | |
| Chair | Clinton R | Clintonrackley@gmail.com | 602-772-7179 |
| Vice Chair | Garrett M | Gmorris172@gmail.com | 480-861-9478 |
| Secretary | Denise R | Denise.m.russ@gmail.com | 49+177-843-8378 |
| Treasurer | Jonathon | treasurer@ca.org | 520-990-1983 |
| Havens | jonphx602aa@gmail.com | ||
| TAL1 | Gary Parker | tal1@ca.org | 405-570-3168 |
| Member | Jim Gillespie | jimut2501@gmail.com | 801-243-7604 |
| Member | Maria Klassen | ca.maria@hotmail.ca | 587-988-1258 |
| Member | Alan Siegel | alan@et-op.com | 917-693-9114 |
| Guidelines | Patrice | trice956@msn.com | 303-596-5592 |
| Chair | Fitzpatrick |
SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE MOTIONS:
MOTION 1:
To approve the 2025 Amended Budget
Proposed Amended Budget for FY 2025
The Finance Committee, along with our WS Treasurer and oversight from assigned WS Trustees, have diligently reviewed the recent history of expenses, income trends and sources, and considered the requests for all the needs for project funds of the Trustees and standing Committees. From these reviews and considerations, we have strived to balance the projected growing needs of CAWS with the projected revenues for the coming year.
MOTION 2:
To approve the Proposed budget for FY 2026
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Present the Proposed FY-2026 Budget, amended at Conference
Although largely based and founded on the Year to Date (YTD) actuals and the Amended 2025 budget there are a few adjustments. These adjustments are largely due to committees sending in budgets ahead of conference.
REFERRALS WITH MOTIONS:
None
REFERRALS THAT WERE FORWARDED TO OTHER COMMITTEES:
None
REFERRALS STILL IN COMMITTEE:
None
CLOSED REFERRALS:
None
PRESENTATIONS OF CURRENT ACTIVITIES OR TASKS (no motions)
None
CLOSING COMMENTS:
I express my gratitude, and that of all the committee members, for the opportunity to serve the fellowship in our roles on the Finance committee. We do so with an eye towards sustaining the Traditions and mindful of the importance of exercising prudent financial practices at the WS level as well as providing guidance and support to Groups, Districts, and Areas. In these challenging times and with the advances and changes in how we receive donations in so many different, and evolving, ways we must strive to remain grounded in spirituality and adhere to the precepts of the 12 and 12 in making changes to the guidelines, managing the fellowship’s resources while still practicing our duties to the addict that still suffers.
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Respectfully Submitted:
Clinton R
Chair/ Finance Committee
Conference Parliamentarian to complete
Date of receipt of Conference Report:____10 Aug 25______________
Comment:
Date of receipt of final Conference Report:__10 Aug 25____________
Parliamentarian Signature:_____DM __________________
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AT END OF THIS CONFERENCE:
Clinton R – opening report/going
Finance Committee presentation shown on the floor.
Jonathan H – Explains the group donation flow of funds to World Service Office.
Jonathan H- Explains the amended budget.
Clinton R – Continues to explain the amended budget.
Clinton R. – Motion 62: To approve the 2025 Amended Budget Seconded
Russell S – Motion on the floor its been seconded Would you like to speak to your motion
Clinton R – Not at this time
Peter McG – Question – It is about value and benefit. Do you agree that the budget allocation Q1 and Q2 WBST meetings. What is the contributing value having the WBST attending these events given the perceived input they have at those events?
Denise R – Point of Order – Motion to approve the amended budget but the speaker asked the chair if he agrees.
Russell S – Peter is in order.
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Jason L- Point of Order – I think this is about tangibles and the person standing up there can’t answer the question
Russell S – Peter is in order
Clinton R – When it comes to individual budgets the WBST/WSOB and other committees. They are trusted servants. We don’t question them. The numbers are coming in lower than proposed. Maybe as it is overseas this is the issue but maybe this should have been brought up with the WBST not with finance. Maybe do a referral to their committee.
Robert B – Speaking in favour of the motion.
Clinton R – The actuals are in the BOX.
Crawford B – Speaking for the motion.
Georgia R – Question – In regard to the budget and the actuals Why when we were predicted at a loss was the travel overseas for WBST approved.
Clinton R – It was approved on this floor. But we were not projecting a loss in first quarter but annually
Harry P – Speaking for the motion
Uvonna W – Speaking for the motion
Jackie R. – Question – What is the gratitude can contribution Clinton R – They are cans used in gratitude month donations.
Anita L – Question – Give butter – historically there was a different platform have they been transferred over.
Clinton R – They have not.
Anita L – How do we differentiate the people who think they are donating to freedom fund.
Jonathan H – Its separate due to where the funds are being sent from. There will not be a transition as the people on PayPal will continue to give that way. The give butter/freedom fund is kept separate, but it is combined together.
Chad – Question – Why is there a variance with meeting 3 and meeting 4 Jonathan – Meeting 2 is convention Meeting 3 is conference and TEC. Robert B – There is a change to the Per Diems and went up to $68
Cassandra – Question – What is the benefits for Trustees to travel I don’t believe the question asked first has been answered.
Russell S – Bear with us please.
There are question coming regards to certain activities from our boards. Clinton is unable to answer. We are caught between a rock and a hard place. There was question in WBST reports but maybe member wanted to see the budgets first. Barry H has agreed to make himself available to answer questions later on.
Please itemised questions till after the motion has been voted on. There is always the ability to amend the motion at a later date. Is that ok.
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Lou B – What is utilities?
Bills.
Clinton R – Explains how the budget is formatted, and why they seem out of order. Jonathan H – Explains how the report is built and where the information is gathered from.
Lou B – What happens if we don’t approve the budget.
Jonathan H – We go back to committee and bring back a new budget with the different suggestion we need an approved budget.
Russell S – Seeing no one else for debate.
Prepare to vote
Motion passes with Minor opposition.
Jason L – Concept 5 – Grievance when I started doing service for the fellowship and a position was open, people put themselves forward (me as well) and they asked about resumes, what I said was, I could pay my way. Someone stood up and said “don’t do that, because then you’re being put in a position why you should get the position and someone doesn’t”. I understand that now. People have been saying that here a lot and I would like to say please stop doing that because other people will feel that they can’t afford to do that and won’t get the position
Motion 63: To approve the Proposed budget for FY 2026 Seconded
Russell S – Motion has been seconded
Any debate?
Peter McG – Would like to make a motion to amend the budget.
Russell S – Point of order – You wish to amend the budget? At the moment, the motion still belongs to finance. You can’t directly override this. Your amendment can’t be seconded until other people can see it. What is it?
Jason L – Would be an amendment or a Friendly Amendment?
Russell S – Amendment
Russell S – This is how we do it – if an amendment is made, I ask the floor for approval, if it’s denied, we go to a formal amendment.
Peter Mcg – It would be a change to specific line items.
Russell S – You will need to take it to the finance committee, and they will say whether they will accept your amendment.
Peter McG – Will do
Clinton R – This involves meeting 1 and meeting 2 and roughly involves 16k. Clinton R – We are prepared to respond, while many of us agree with the heartfelt underlining principal, we’re saying no, we do not accept the amendment. Peter McG – Point of Information now?
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Russell S – No
Clinton – Parliamentary Inquiry – Was the reason we had to amend it was because it wasn’t debated on the floor yet.
Russell S – This is now to tell you what will happen.
Robert B – Question – Looking at some of the numbers, you estimated numbers in other years, you amended other years. Read off the estimated, amended and then actuals. Is it reasonable to believe that based on the historical’s that we’re not going to be near the -61k
Jonathan Ha – The reason why we put this presentation together was to show each year that there were a few things that got us from the negative to the positives and where expenses also went up and down. The moving of the office, etc that we didn’t expect to happen. The concern is that if we keep rolling the dice on the un normal, what will happen if those items don’t continue. We can’t count on times that haven’t happened yet. We are predicting a loss for next year. If those things don’t continue to happen, we will end up in the negative.
Robert B – Based on historical’s, is it reasonable to assume that we won’t be at a -61k? Clinton R – I think it could be lower than that, but we don’t have predictable things happen we will lose more.
Russell S – We will now break for dinner. Please return at 7:30
Russell S – session resumed at 7:37pm, I hope you enjoyed your extended dinner. We are returning to debate on motion 2 (Motion 63) of the finance committee report for financial budget for 2026
Peter McG – Motion 64: to amend the WSBT quarterly expenses in the proposed 2026 budget.
Seconded
Russell S – you have handed in a report to the secretaries to support this. Would you like to speak to your motion?
Peter McG – I would-
Jason L – Parliamentary Inquiry – how can a document that hasn’t been seen yet be seconded?
Russell S – some people have seen it and heard discussion, and some people believe that is sufficient.
Peter McG – Speaks to the motion.
Judd W – Question – nothing to do with this motion.
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Russell S – we are speaking on the motion on the floor. Pt your hand up later to ask a question.
Crawford B – Point of information – Is this not something that should go back to WBST as it’s their budget.
Russell S – We are in a rock and a hard place – I spoke to WBST chair, and they are ok with this coming to the floor.
Chris M. – Speaking against the motion
Eric H – Speaking against the motion.
Barry H – Speaking against the motion
Robert B – Speaking against the motion
Gary P – Speaking against the motion
Steven C – Question – how many days of work does a trustee miss? How many days do they miss with their family?
Jesse Go – Point of order – who is he asking this question to? This is the fiancé committee.
Russell S – Barry Can you answer this?
Barry H – Q1 7 days Q2 10/12 Q12/15 Q7. You can’t put a price on the amount of sacrifice. A total of 36-41 days annually.
Kurtina K – Speaking against the motion
Georgia R – Speaking in favour of this motion
Shen H – Speaking against the motion
Kalob T – Speaking against the motion.
Aurora L – Speaking against the motion
Melanie R – Speaking against the motion
Jacob M. – Speaking against the motion
Garrett M. – Speaking in favour of the motion
Mel VanR. – Speaking against the motion
Gary P – Point of order – The WBST was not asked to come to finance committee to discuss budgets and we did not decline.
Randy G. – Speaking against the motion
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Jason L – Speaking against the motion
Veronica W. – Speaking against the motion
Donna K – Speaking against the motion
Jennifer G – Speaking against the motion
Candice I – Speaking against the motion
Motion 64
Russell S – Prepare to vote
Motion fails
Russell S – Back to Motion 63.
Prepare to vote
Motion 63 – Motion passes with minor opposition
Clinton R – Closing remarks
Russell S – Questions for the finance committee?
Robert B – Rules were recently changed to submit a budget with the Standing Rule 14 packet, hopefully you received them. What can we do to get you the information you need so that the budget can be presented and not 40 minutes before?
Clinton R – Nothing
Jacob M. – How does the prudent reserve get billed, is it even split?
Clinton R – The PR and ER is used at the discretion of the World Service Office Board.
Jonathan Ha – The last few times we put funds there it is voted on how much to use. The ER fund is in case of emergency. It is going to be used to purchase everything until insurance kicks in.
Parthi T – Is it possible for us to be given the convention budget with the financial budget? just for the financials. When I was putting together the bid, I wanted to see the entire income profit.
Johnthan Ha – It’s all in there – the main CA financials.
Judd W – How difficult would it be to provide a quarterly budget spreadsheet and not all at once? Do you have a quarterly?
Johnathan ha – The quarterly financials’ are sent out in the quarterly mailings.
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Joe B – Can we have help demystifying it? Would a recording of you presenting the PowerPoint so that I can watch it while you talk, be possible? What you did here tonight is what they are looking for.
Clinton R – If you (conference) are willing to share the recording, I’m fine with that.
Jennifer G – Would you be willing to record it with you going through it? If you could make that available to all the areas, by putting it in the box. You would only have to do it once.
Clinton R – Yes, I’ll do it.
Russell S – We’ll see what we could do with the recordings. That presentation was phenomenal, thank you very much.
We have one other bit of business that we are going to conclude this evening.
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