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FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:
Once again, we had a great committee this year. We started our committee work with re-examining the goals and activities of the Finance Committee, both for this Conference, and as long term goals. To expound on this, I’d like to turn the mike over to Bill Wright.
REFERRALS THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS:
None
MOTIONS FROM WITHIN THE COMMITTEE:
See attachment 1; Powerpoint presentation
MOTION 1: To accept the flier for the “One is not enough” campaign for distribution to the CA fellowship.
Second
John – Speaks in favor of the motion.
Paulette F. – Point of information – are there going to be tapes available of mc kartoon?
Arnold M. – call for the vote
Second
Motion to closed debate passes unanimously
The main motion passes unanimously.
An important fact to be aware of is the CAWSO budget is an important tool to manage the fellowship’s finances. This is NOT REAL MONEY. If we don’t have it, we can’t spend it. Your committee, Trustee, and Office budgets are not funded budgets. The approved budget does not necessarily mean that there is money in the bank.
MOTION 2: To accept the proposed CAWS budget, to be in effect from July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005.
Second
Quorum call
Chair – we don’t need one to listen to the motion. I think we have enough
Tammy – Question regarding the budget and the Newsgram.
Brian T. – Hoping to sell subscriptions.
The motion passes with substantial unanimity.
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(Please note, that this year we have passed out a condensed budget for you to take back to your Areas. If you want a copy of the full, 40 page budget, we have limited copies on the table in the back of the room).
REFERRALS OR ITEMS TABLED UNTIL NEXT YEAR; AND ITEMS THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE WORKING ON THROUGH THE YEAR:
Three referrals from the 2002 WSC:
# 2131, # 2602, # 2672
These three items were combined into a subcommittee project we worked on this year to develop “Guidelines for Effectively Managing Funds for Areas, Districts, Groups, and Events”.
Progress Report: As part of this project, we asked Delegates from each CA Region to share financial guidelines, best practices, and experiences from their Areas and Districts. We also obtained financial guidelines and handbooks from other 12-Step fellowships. We have compiled and reviewed the information we obtained and we have begun developing the draft guidelines for CA. The following paragraphs are included in the first section of our draft guidelines:
In today’s world, it is almost impossible to carry the message of Cocaine Anonymous to the still suffering addict without sufficient funds. It costs money to print literature and distribute it, to have hotlines, and other services which connect the newcomer to us.
The moment one of our member’s hard-earned money is put in the basket at a CA meeting, our responsibility as trusted servants begins. It is expected that we do everything possible to see that the money is used wisely, cared for judiciously, and that a prudent reserve is kept for the following month’s expenses.
When that has been accomplished, we suggest that the group forward the balance to the next level of service. In the case of a District Service Committee, this would mean transferring funds to the Area Service Committee, and in the case of an Area Service Committee, it would mean transferring funds to the World Service Office. If you are not part of a larger service committee at this time, it is suggested that you forward any funds over and above your prudent reserve to the World Service Office.
These guidelines are intended to serve as an aid to all members of Cocaine Anonymous, particularly those charged with the responsibility of handling funds. If these guidelines are followed closely, our experience tells us that they will help avoid mismanagement of fund, and lessen the chance of financial misfortunes.
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It is our hope that these guidelines will help our Fellowship achieve financial intelligence and integrity. Doing so will maximize our efforts to carry the message of recovery to the still suffering addict.
Referral # 3468 (2003)
A new, separate contribution envelope where members of the fellowship can donate money in honor of sobriety birthdays, marriages of sober members, new additions to families, or “in memory” of deceased members.
ACTION TAKEN #3468
We will be working on this during the coming year. This referral was received to late to be given adequate consideration during our committee breakout time.
REFERRALS OR ITEMS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES; WORLD SERVICE OFFICE, OR BOARD OF TRUSTEES:
None
REFERRALS THAT DID NOT RESULT IN MOTIONS:
Referral #1976 (2002)
Before any significant changes are made to a committees budgets. That the finance committee discuss these changes with the committee in question.
ACTION TAKEN #1976
Yes, we agree. In the past, the finance committee has consulted with committees on budget adjustments. We will continue to do so when the need arises.
Referral # 3595
There needs to be a “cap” on the amount of monies that can be donated to WSO, possibly $5,000, or another $ amount that is reasonable for the contributor – or contributor’s family. World Donor Program.
ACTION TAKEN #3595
Last year, the WSO increased the annual limit on the on the amount of annual contributions that can be donated by individuals, from $2,500 to $5,000.
Referral # 3642
What is your opinion on having the treasurer “bonded? To include area, district, convention and meeting treasurers as well.
ACTION TAKEN # 3642
Bonding is essentially a form of insurance against the risk of loss. Bonding costs money. There are many ways to reduce the risk of loss in the treasurer function. When considering whether to bond or not, a group, district, area, or special event committee should weigh the costs versus the benefits of bonding. For example,
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a World Service Convention might want to consider bonding a Treasurer that might handle over $100,000. But a local group that stays broke except for a prudent reserve of $50.00 might decide that it is not cost effective to bond their treasurer.
We refer you to concept 9, “Good service leaders, together with sound and appropriate methods of choosing them are at all levels indispensable for our future functioning and safety”, and concept 12, the warranty that states “That the sufficient operating funds plus an ample reserve, be it’s prudent financial principle”.
Also, we can recommend some techniques to ensure financial integrity and reduce risk such as separation of duties, regular treasurer’s reports, and independent comparison of bank statements against treasurer’s reports.
We are working on financial guidelines for groups, districts, areas, and world services that will provide additional information.
Referral # 3672
Create online (CA.org) donations, which would allow persons with available funds to make a one time, or continuous donation.
ACTION TAKEN #1976
Good idea. We will investigate the feasibility of making online donations via the World Service website, www.CA.org. The new CA World Service Contribution Program provides a safe and effective means for making one-time or ongoing donations through the use of a hardcopy authorization form. However, it may be possible for www.CA.org to accept online donations using credit or debit cards, as is now done by another fellowship on their World Service Office website.
Additionally, we would like to make the authorization form for CA World Services Contribution Program available on our website in an easily downloadable format.
NEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AS OF THIS CONFERENCE:
WSC Finance Chair: Brian Tenenbaum
WSC Finance Vice-Chair: Bill Wright
WSC Finance Secretary: Kim Nelson
Returning Member: Heidi Jonathan
Returning member: Skip Heck
Trustee representative: Elizabeth Saldebar
Thank you, outgoing members George Pennington and John “Oliver” Van Horn, for your dedicated hard work and service. Welcome to new committee member Skip Heck
CLOSING COMMENTS:
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We want to mention that $117.98 came to the Finance Committee from the Unity Committee from the Unity Lunch to be put toward the Unity Committee Budget.
As you all know, the new and approved CA World Services Contribution Program is currently being rolled out. We have passed the fliers out to each and everyone of you. Please take this time to consider signing up for this program, to assist your fellowship on the road to financial success. A donation of $5.00 or $10.00 per month can change the financial outlook of our fellowship. If we have 300 people sign up at just $10.00 per month, we would be increasing CAWSO’s ability to carry the message by $36,000.00 each year. We have also included in your handouts the “ROLL OUT FOR CA WORLD SERVICE CONTRIBUTION PROGRAM” flier, which will assist you in giving out information about this program to your Areas. Please look it over and take the fliers to your local Area’s, Districts, Groups and membership, so that every member of our organization hears the message about this program properly. This flier needs to be copied, and given out to each GSR in your Area, along with a supply of the Contribution Forms for this program to be successful. It is the responsibility of the delegates to carry this message to our groups. Thank you very much for you time, effort and cooperation in assisting us in helping CA to financial freedom so that we have adequate funds to carry the message to the still suffering addict.
Questions to the committee
Bob Campbell – I did not hear the idea stressed that money be sent to world. Feels that needs to be acted on .
Brian – we are starting to address that.
Jahi Boseda – Have you come up with a way to make it easier for the general fellowship to understand that report?
Committee response – Our guidelines will include something to that effect.
Ivan Libson – On the 2nd page where it says total receipts and the 2nd page that says total operating expenses – the 92. How did you come up with that ?
Committee response – Mathematical computation. The way the program is set up is cuts out –
Arnold M. – Thanks to the committee.
Kevin Murphy – Regarding foreign contribution . When checks arrive from out of country how do we address that?
Brian – It is in US dollars
Kevin Murphy – I know that there are fees that come with that. Also there are some online payment services that will do the conversion for a lower fee . Have you thought of using these?
Elizabeth – Yes we have considered these and are open to accepting them.
Kevin – How would someone from the UK send funds.
Patti – Use pay pal and make payments to …
Billy H. – About how many CA members are using the contribution program?
Brian T. – Within the last 24 hours we collected enough for another $2400 a year
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Aaron Jacobson – what is the policy with the contribution programs with checking accounts linked with business accounts?
Patti – If it is a sole proprietor we check with the owner . If not it is returned.
Paulette F. – Do you have an email address?
Send inquiries to Brian Tennebaums’ email address
Bob L. – You are also working on the ach debit program correct?.
Brian – yes