CLOSING REPORT C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2008
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS
This year, the Finance Committee started our committee meeting with the Serenity Prayer and the reading of a portion of the 11th Concept. We found ourselves guided with the words from this concept because they speak to our duties as members of the fellowship who must take on the hard task of handling the financial affairs of C.A. as a whole. “The main responsibility of this body is to see that we do not become money-crippled or go broke. This is the place where money and spirituality do have to mix, and in just the right proportion. Here we need hard-headed members with much financial experience. All should be realists, and a pessimist or two can be useful. The whole temper of today’s world is to spend more than it has, or may ever have. Many of us consequently are infected with this rosy philosophy. When a new and promising C.A. Service project moves into sight, we are apt to cry, “Never mind the money, let’s get at it.” This is when our budgeteers are expected to say, “Stop, look and listen.” This is the exact point where the “savers” come into a constructive and healthy collision with the “spenders”. The primary function of this committee, therefore, is to see that our Headquarters operation is always solvent and that it stays that way, in good times and bad.”1
Just as many individuals and families worldwide may be experiencing some ‘economic insecurity’, the CA Fellowship is not immune to these same challenges. The unifying Spiritual principles we live by assure that if we are painstaking in our efforts we shall become free from the ‘fear’ of economic insecurity. To fulfill our responsibility to you, the CA Fellowship, we have had to consider and make some difficult choices. This may become apparent during this presentation. Join us in OUR unified effort.
The Finance Committee was very busy this year preparing the 2009/2010 budget. We also had, perhaps, a record number of referrals.
We are considering the benefits of changing to a calendar fiscal year (i.e. January 1st through December 31st) in addition we are discussing the possible advantages of beginning to use a three year budget to aid in long term projects and planning. Over the past couple of years the Finance Committee has proactively made adjustments to the current year’s budgets based on the actual performance of our previous year’s projections which is something new and beneficial to CA. In that same vein, altering the fiscal year and budget term indicate that CA is growing and continues to increase its potential.
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We have a great committee that is committed to working throughout the coming year on special projects and the continued success of C.A. finances.
GO FINANCE !!!!!!!!!
Committee Members:
Idea People: Jay Parker
Lawrence M. McGee
Jane Sisson
Tom Svoboda
Jeffrey Ushry
Elizabeth Saldebar
Carl Jenkins
Tom Walsh
Tom Phelan
Secretary: Carl Jenkins
Vice Chair: Tom Walsh
Chair: Dan Santa Maria
WSO Treasurer: Tom Phelan
WSO Director: Ms. Patty Flanagan
Trustee Representative: Earl Henderson
Finance Sponsor and Distraction 🙂 Brian M. Tenenbaum
Individual Contribution Program Advocate: Brian M. Tenenbaum
REFERRALS THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
Referral #5758: That the current H&I and PI soft literature discounts be abolished and all pamphlets be priced at .15 cents. This will level the playing field and prevent abuse.
Cynthia Cronkhite – Parliamentary Inquiry – we seem to be missing the forms.
Motion to adopt the following discount policy:
Effective immediately, all price discounting for the sale of books, chips, literature and all other WSO products, is based on volume only. The following is the new discount structure:
Orders of $200.00 – 10% discount
Orders of $500.00 – 20% discount
Per case discount on books – 25%
The percentage discounts apply to the aggregate of all items ordered excluding books by the case. Books by the case receive no additional discount. There is no discount on taxes, shipping, or handling.
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Second.
Steve Edwards – speak to your motion?
Dan Santa Maria – yes and I yield to Earl Henderson.
Earl Henderson – speak highly in favor of motion. Promotes unity, brings equity in. There are several committees at this Conference that are worthy of discount. H&I. Your Home Group. This removes the temptation of a few members and groups who inappropriately claim H&I discounts. Early in our history we offered H&I a discount to get them started. I want you to think of a sense of fairness.
Kurt Lynn – Point of Information – I understand the sense of fairness. I’m used to see a discount in some economies of scale. You order more, you get a discount. I see in case lots there is no discount. In case lots, is there an opportunity to discount by drop shipping from printer?
Dan Santa Maria – are you perceiving there are no case lots? Savings through direct drop shipping? We don’t do that now but you could submit a referral. It is under investigation but practice.
Bryan Seid – If I approve this motion, then I will be working off Yellow Light budget and if I don’t, I’m working off Green Light budget?
Dan Santa Maria – Budget Delta page – Green Light is reflective of elements of the budget if this motion passes. If not, we move to Yellow Light budget.
Brian Tenenbaum – speak in favor of the motion. We only have so much revenue around and we aren’t getting the 7th Tradition so we have to find another way – like the Contribution Program . We discussed the Trustee budget yesterday and the Conference budget, if we don’t pass this motion we may have work from Yellow Light budget.
Dan Dickey – Orders being 10%, 20% and 25% off books and no discount on taxes, shipping and handling. Is that right? Case price books should already include shipping and handling.
Patty Flanagan – on the order form, it’s simplified and does include the discount on shipping, but not taxes only for the cases.
Tom Phelan – it is calculated is appropriately consistent with the motion.
Nick Alexander – speak in favor of the motion. In the spirit of fairness that we should not exclusively give discount to H&I and this seems to be the fairest way.
Joan Johnson – the math is not adding up as far as the largest amount spent, the discount doesn’t seem to work out.
Dan Santa Maria – I didn’t follow.
Joan Johnson – I spent $500 – $200, $200, $100 – at 10% on each $200 – 30% all around.
Randy Groen – speak against the motion as written. The fairness of applying discount if a good thing. Effective immediately is not function. We have committees right now and working off current budgets, ordering and as of Monday are not valid. The intent is fine.
Tom Phelan – speak in favor of the motion. Read from Tradition One. This motion goes a long way to repairing a structure riff we have had…how you buy products. Randy’s concern that there are some practical parts that aren’t in order
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and if there are orders out there but when they get the new order form they will be able to use it.
Rose Jones – speaks against the motion. I have heard that we have sent out a lot of new starter packs and I could come from a small group in which someone has to pay out of their own package. People who are trying to grow and spread the message, these discounts don’t apply. Some of these new meetings need help.
John Bodkin – speak in favor of the motion and I like the thinking behind it. I am sensitive the people who often have to go out of pocket but it may not be the right lesson to teach people.
Willie Bailey – Call to question
Second.
Steve Edwards – 2/3 majority to pass
Motion carries.
Original motion with substantial unanimity.
Dan Santa Maria – now the committee will take a little break to print the budget and we will come back to the floor after the S&B Committee. At this point we recess our committee report and will have the budget to you within the hour.
Steve Edwards – we will now hear S&B committee report.
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