Conference Opens
Steve Edwards, Conference Chair, reconvened the World Service Conference at a.m. on Friday, August 29, 2008 at 2:40 pm after Committee Breakout sessions. We will begin roll call in a minute. State name, affiliation and number of votes you carry. Any questions before we begin? Then we will begin as always with Ms. Patty.
Roll Call.
158 votes on the floor. Quorum is 106.
Apologies to the Conference. Agenda item skipped. Please join me in the Serenity Prayer.
We now will hear Closing Reports from Committees and Boards. The first committee will be Archives.
CLOSING REPORT C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2008
ARCHIVE REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS
Opening Comments
We had an absolutely unproductive week, filled with sleep and relaxation, we took funny pictures, ate local fare and took full advantage of the junior suite by ordering room service between group discussions. We were not a glum lot.
Committee Introductions: Joy Hutcheson VC, Dot Thompson, Mary McGrath and our trusted Trustee Lawrence Matlock and Patrick Potter, Chair.
COMMITTEE WORK THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
MOTION: TO APPROVE ARCHIVE COMMITTEE GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES AS APPEARED IN THE DELEGATE MAILING SR-14.
Second.
Steve Edwards: would you like to speak to your motion?
Patrick Potter: over the past couple of years and some guidelines from AA, NA and on the Internet, we designed a procedure guideline that will help the fellowship archive in very simplistic and easy way. The document that was included in the SR14 mail out is available to you. This process begins with the individual himself or herself. As small as Districts and liaison to Area and then to WSO. The WSO then liaisons with the committee. There is an important thing called
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“chain of custody.” If someone wants to donate something but wants it back, there is a form that can be filled out (Request & Receive, Archive ID form). We will do what we need to do to preserve the archive and return it. If anywhere along the process and the donator doesn’t receive information that his archive has been received, it can then be tracked and tell them exactly where it is. The process allows some discretion the WSO about how much archive information they can receive over the course of the next few years. So they don’t become overwhelmed with 150 boxes of archives.
The next part is what the Archive Committee does here. We take that physical archive and run it through the process. The Conference level will be the place where the work is done. Photographing of textiles, objects and copying and sorting of documents and such. This process also allows us to determine if we keep for long-term storage and the others of the same document/memorabilia and turn it into a mobile archive and can go to State Convention to State Convention and abroad.
Archival storage and courier is left to the WSO as to what is the best to use. They are entrusted to do that job and this guideline allows them to do so.
Steve Edwards – any debate on the motion.
Motion passes unanimously.
REFERRALS THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
- REFERRAL NUMBER 1. # 5577
MOTION: TO EXTEND CHAIR PERSON TERM TO 4 YEARS.
Second.
Steve Edwards – I have a procedural question. How do you do this without amended the WSManual on Page 32? Do you intend to ask for an amendment to that item?
Patrick Potter – I wasn’t in support of this motion at first. The referral discusses the necessity of someone being on task to know the day-to-day intricacies of the Archives format procedures. We offered the writer of the referral a friendly amendment to change the term to 4 years. We thought about this and believed it was a good idea and would allow this committee to have a chair would be available the same term as a Delegate term.
Michael Chiki – Point of Order. Your motion falls under SR 13.
Steve Edwards – rules this out of order. It was referred to the appropriate committee prior to consideration, which it was.
Michael Chiki – Speak against the motion. It was not brought to us and you have a non-Delegate Chair and
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Bobbie Harmon – Point of Order. Read portion of SR. My understanding of that is that S&B couldn’t just change the term of Committee Chair because they wanted to….
Steve Edwards – rereading of SR13 and reverse my original ruling and it does requires referral to the appropriate committee and wasn’t referred to S&B for revising of the WSManual.
I/WE WOULD URGE THE ARCHIVE COMMITTEE TO EXTEND THE DURATION OF THE SERVICE TERM FOR THE CHAIR OF THE ARCHIVES COMMITTEE FROM THE EXISTING TERM OF TWO YEARS TO AT LEAST FIVE YEARS. WILST FULLY ACCEPTING THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE SPIRIT OF ROTATION I/WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT A “LONG TERM VISION” IS NECESSARY IN RELATION TO THE BUILDING OF A QUALITY ARCHIVE. I OFFER A SUPPORTING DOCUMENT TO THIS REFERRAL AND SO HOPE YOU WILL ALL HAVE THE TIME TO APPRECIATE THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THIS REFERRAL. (SEE ATTACHED)
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE MOTION: THE ORIGINAL REFERRAL ASKED FOR A 5 YEAR TERM, WE CONTACTED THE REFERRAL MAKER AND OFFERED A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO A 4 YEAR TERM SO THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD NOT BE IN A MANDATORY POSITION TO FUND A NON-DELEGATE CHAIR THUS INCREASING THE BUDGET FOR THE COMMITTEE. HOWEVER, WE ARE AWARE THAT A NON-DELEGATE CHAIR COULD BE ELECTED AND WE WOULD HAVE THE PREVIOUS TERM TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION AND PREPARE A NEW BUDGET ACCORDINGLY. WE THE COMMITTEE AGREE WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF THE REFERRAL. WE FEEL THAT ARCHIVING DOES REQUIRE A FULL TERM COMMITMENT TO INSURE THE PROPER FACISILTATION OF THE ARCHIVE AND THEREFORE WE HAVE MADE THE MOTION TO EXTEND FOR 4 YEAR CONGRUENT WITH THE DELEGATE TERM.
- REFERRAL NUMBER 2.: #4757
THE MAKER OF THIS REFERAL HAS WITHDRAWN THE REFERRAL.
REFERRALS OR ITEMS TABLED UNTIL NEXT YEAR; AND ITEMS THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE WORKING ON THROUGH THE YEAR
#5167 Tony Drake, Wisconsin
Please initiate contact with the IT Committee
This referral was tabled until a committee policy is in place.
#5138 Susan Brendan, San Fernando Valley
Create timeline of CA for the 25th Anniversary
This referral was tabled and we hope to have a time line by the 30th Anniversary.
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#4971 Caryl Morton, Southern Alberta
To submit Archive electronically
This referral has been tabled until committee policy is in place.
#5135 Ellen Uhlig, Greater MO Area
That all conference minutes be available online with last names omitted.
This referral has been tabled until committee policy is in place.
REFERRALS OR ITEMS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES; WORLD SERVICE OFFICE, OR BOARD OF TRUSTEES
NONE
REFERRALS THAT DID NOT RESULT IN MOTIONS
NONE
NEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AS OF THIS CONFERENCE
Chair: PATRICK POTTER
Vice-Chair: JOY HUTCHESON
Secretary: DOT THOMPSON
CLOSING COMMENTS
Respectfully Submitted: PATRICK POTTER
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Steve Edwards – any questions for Archive Committee?
Mona Ibrahim – did you review the budget you submitted to Finance?
Patrick Potter – yes. We will be revising.
John Whitaker – earlier in the week, the Unity Committee came to Archive Committee requesting documents. In the future, will documentation be made available to us here at the Conference.
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Patrick Potter – I would love to say yes. We talked about committees archiving their own work so we wouldn’t get more backlogged than we already are now. Suggest in the future that any requests that is historical, the request will need to go to the WSO and we will work with them.
John Whitaker – may I make a suggestion?
Steve Edwards – suggestions are best made in form of referral.
Gloria Bridget – you something in place for a chair for a period for 2 years for a Delegate Chair and you roll out and you would have 2 more years as the Archive Chair, the Conference would have to pay for the next 2 years as a non-delegate chair.
Rose Jones – when we voted on the SR14, I have last year’s manual and there is nothing. How do I get that piece?
Patrick Potter – you have it in your Delegate mailing and on the back table.
Steve Edwards – any other questions? Please join me in thanking them for their report.
Next up is Convention Committee.
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