CA WORLD SERVICE BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR QUARTERLY MEETING MINUTES
November 7 th– 9th, 2008
Approved
Since this report is a confidential CA document, for members only, it may contain members’ full names. This usage to facilitate communication within the fellowship was approved by the 1990 WS Conference. Such confidential use does not, of course, violate in anyway out Tradition on anonymity in public communications media (press, radio, TV, etc.
Page 1 of 109
Friday, November 7, 2008
Hayward: Welcome everyone this is the WSBT November quarterly: It is 9:00. So we completed personal sharing and now we have role call:
Hayward Hunt: World Service Trustee, Chair of the WSBT
Willy Bailey: World Service Office Trustee
Nicholas Lynn: European Regional Trustee
Richard Schafer: Trustee at large
Trevor Scheible: Pacific North Regional Trustee (and no longer secretary!)
Lawrence Matlock: Atlantic South Regional Trustee, WSBT Vice-Chair
Robert Lyle: Atlantic North Regional Trustee
Randy Groen: South West Regional Trustee
Joy Hutcheson: Pacific South Trustee
Kim Sherwan: Midwest Regional Trustee (and the new secretary to the WSBT!)
Hayward: Richard will you read the twelve traditions for us please
Richard: sure:
- Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon C.A. unity.
- For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
- The only requirement for C.A. membership is a desire to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances.
- Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or C.A. as a whole.
- Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the addict who still suffers.
- A C.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the C.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property or prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
- Every C.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
- Cocaine Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
- A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
- Cocaine Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the C.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
- Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, television and films.
- Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.”
Page 2 of 109
Hayward: OK we will have discussion on Tradition 6 so who’d like to begin? (We want to keep it kind of short.)
Silence
Hayward: No one? OK let’s move on to the concepts, (it’s a grab bag so everyone has to read and share on a concept of their choice) so pick one and jump in!
Nicholas: 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.
Good leaders will lead good leaders and appropriate methods of choosing them. The reason you people are sitting here is because we got appropriate methods of choosing you. And the tech does that you know. Leadership needs to lead from the front, not push from the back or follow, you know, and the things that we put in place have been true. I remember the fellowship was a bit disappointed, but I think God spoke two years ago when one of the trustees wasn’t elected. The gap was supposed to be there but the process is tried and tested and we do have ways and appropriate means and functioning elections that brought you five people here so that Concept is held dear to us. Leadership is vital. Bill used to write lots of essays about it and used to give lots of speeches. He writes about it in “As Bill Sees It”, he mentions it quite a lot. We are the planners we are the leaders, we are expected to lead not sit on the fence but make some decisions (people may or may not like) and I think it takes a leader, or a man, or a person of a special quality who can work out from all this stuff and all the people who don’t like what’s the call that are afraid to move forward, or afraid to make decisions. That’s what we are entrusted by the fellowship to do. For the purposes of this, WE are the leaders, they’ve asked us to do it. Sometimes they don’t like the answers but it’s the tough questions that leaders have to take, sometimes you’re wrong but standing still and having a narrow opinion doesn’t do anyone any good. I think the Concept applies to this body here; but it goes all the way down the line. You can’t choose someone and not tell them what they’re doing and not put them there in a proper manner, and when they make a mistake, tell them that they made a mistake, because you put them there. I think this Concept is to make sure of all the methods that choose appropriate people with leadership skills that can do the job that we asked them to do.
Trevor: My favorite, the 5th Concept (commonly known as the DCM concept).
I’ve been on the conference floor and I’ve seen the way we sometimes go about business and sometimes we, for the purpose of expedience (or if somebody makes an argument and everyone jumps on the bandwagon without thinking of it from another way) make a decision that could be harmful to the fellow ship as a whole. I guess I’ll use the example of a pamphlet on the Gay/Lesbian/Transgendered addict, when that first came up the initial reaction from the floor was “NO – we don’t want it”. There were some people who strongly disagreed with that and voiced their opinion. So, we got that motion brought back up, and when it was voted on a second time it went through with a resounding “Yes!”, because there were some key arguments brought up. It’s such an important Concept in that it gives us a check on ourselves, so that if we do jump off on a tangent, and we might not consider something a certain way, it gives us an opportunity for that one or two person voice to stand up and say “I disagree with that because of…” and give their reasons. Those reasons, can, have, and will continue in the future to change the minds of enough people to have it overturned. I think for the purpose of our structure it’s really important that we have the right of appeal. That ability to appeal: It might not overturn something
Page 3 of 109
immediately, but down the road your opinion might make a difference. It’s about the ability to participate and freely voice our own opinions on things. I’m happy we have that and I think it’s important.
Lawrence: Concept 12. General Warranties of the Conference: In all its proceedings, the World Service Conference shall observe the spirit of the C.A. Tradition, taking great care that the Conference never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that the sufficient operating funds, plus an ample reserve, be its prudent financial principle; that none of the Conference members shall ever be placed in a position of unqualified authority over any of the others; that all important decisions be reached by discussion, vote, and whenever possible, by substantial unanimity; that no Conference action ever be personally punitive or an incitement to public controversy; that though the Conference may act for the service of Cocaine Anonymous, it shall never perform any acts of government; and that, like the Fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous which it serves, the Conference itself will always remain democratic in thought and action.
You know as I look at this I think about “unqualified authority”, we really need to remember that we are here not to just tell somebody what they can do; we are here to educate them on the traditions, principles and the guidelines. They can then be empowered to make a decision based on these and can learn on their own. Give them the chance to have the ‘right to be wrong’ and then to learn from that. That’s what we’re here for.
Joy: Concept 3. As a traditional means of creating and maintaining a clearly defined working relation between the Groups, the Conference, the World Service Board of Trustees and its Service Corporation, staffs, and committees, and of thus insuring their effective leadership, it is here suggested that we endow each of these elements of World Service with a traditional “Right of Decision.”
That’s the group conscience. Thank God for the group conscience! I always go for the group conscience, I always think we should be a group conscience and I don’t think any one person should make a decision about anything. But that’s why we have the concepts, so we can go back to them and say “Well here it is in the Traditions, and here it is in the Concepts, and this is what we as CA should abide by.” Whether I agree with the group conscience or not, I always follow it – because that is the ultimate authority.
Hayward: And you’re sticking to that story? Concept 2. The C.A. Groups delegate to the World Service Conference the complete authority for the active maintenance of our World Services and thereby make the Conference — excepting for any change in the Twelve Traditions — the actual voice and the effective conscience for our whole Fellowship.
I will just sum that up by saying that is the ‘Establishment of the Conference’. The Conference is an event which happens when the trustees and office meet and report to the fellowship (which happens to be the delegates and any concerned CA members) what business was done that past year. While being there, we also get to work on some of the guidelines, and debate on all kinds of stuff. The delegates get to go back and tell their areas what went on.
Robert: Concept 11. While the Trustees hold final responsibility for C.A.’s World Service administration, they should always have the assistance of the best possible standing committees and service boards, staffs and consultants. Therefore the composition of these underlying committees and service boards, the personal qualifications of their members, the manner of their
Page 4 of 109
induction into service, the system of their rotation, the way in which they are related to each other, the special rights and duties of our staffs and consultants, together with a proper basis for the financial compensation of these special workers will always be matters for serious care and concern.
The only way we are going to have the best possible standing committees and service board is if they’re educated. That’s part of my job to guide and educate. We don’t govern as trustees, we may use a firm hand to guide along, but we don’t have a stick (and we might have a carrot at times). The one thing too, is that the spirit of rotation is very important. It’s very important not to get kingdoms (our own little territories that we’re good at lording) because we need to allow other people to grow too, and allow others to rotate in and out and so the fellowship continues to grow. The financial compensation for the special workers refers to the workers that we have in the world office. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. So, we need to be fair and equitable about the compensation packages that we offer our special workers.
Willie: Concept 6. On behalf of C.A. as a whole, our World Service Conference has the principal responsibility for the maintenance of our world services, and it traditionally has the final decision respecting large matters of general policy and finance. But the Conference also recognizes that the chief initiative and the active responsibility in most of these matters should be exercised primarily by the Trustee members of the Conference when they act among themselves as the World Service Board of Cocaine Anonymous.
I believe in this Concept because I believe trustees had a decision to make about the convention over in Canada where the Conference said “yes let’s do this“, and the trustees when they got by themselves saw that it would affect Cocaine Anonymous as a whole. And if their decision making, they really had to come up with a tough decision, that authority goes to the end. I believe that is what Concept Six is all about, giving the authority to the Board of Trustees, so if the Conference mandates something, the trustees can take a look at it. That’s why these quartiles are so important because we take a look at some of the matters that the Conference mandates and say “that may not be the best for the fellowship”.
Kim: Concept 1. The final responsibility and the ultimate authority for C.A. world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.
It’s so awesome because it gives us an opportunity to all be a part of. The foundation of this concept lies in tradition two: For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern. And this is in opportunity for all of us to participate, on a daily basis, in the decisions that make Cocaine Anonymous evolve. We can go to the groups and the groups give us direction. The responsibility ultimately resides, for me, as the GSR and the critical staff, in God. I think it’s awesome and is an opportunity for us all to participate on a daily basis and God speaks through all of us.
Richard: Concept 7. The Conference recognizes that the Charter and the Bylaws of the World Service Board are legal instruments; that the Trustees are thereby fully empowered to manage and conduct all of the world service affairs of Cocaine Anonymous. It is further understood that the Conference Charter itself is not a legal document; that it relies instead upon the force of tradition and the power of the C.A. purse for its final effectiveness.
Page 5 of 109
Wow. What catches me here is the fact that it’s describing this document, our charter, and the bylaws that make the world service board legal instruments. The Conference Charter itself is not a legal document but relies on the power of the CA purse for its final effectiveness. For me, what that’s describing is the fact that anywhere we find the need to utilize the charter, we still need to use the foundation of the traditions themselves. And, that’s the heart of it. Our Charter has changed; and can change as needed. I’ll leave it at that, thank you.
Randy: Concept 2. The C.A. Groups delegate to the World Service Conference the complete authority for the active maintenance of our world services and thereby make the Conference — excepting for any change in the Twelve Traditions — the actual voice and the effective conscience for our whole Fellowship.
The General Service Conference has become for nearly every practical purpose the active voice and effective conscience for our whole society in its world affairs. So what’s already been said in the traditions within this inverted triangle, we have a World Service manual that was build from the ground up. Every year we get together in an annual conference and we continue to tweak that from the ground up. The authority and that symbol of what Cocaine Anonymous is on a world level resides in that manual therefore resides in this group and in the maintenance of that. So when individual issues come to any of our areas, any of our regions, we initially go to the World Service manual for its direction. We go to a single place where our concepts, our direction, from the God above has been put into words, and therefore it represents that collective conscience of the entire group.
Hayward: Review the agenda.
Joy: If you don’t have a hard copy, the last item isn’t on there. It’s on the email. There’s an addition of the “Ratification of the WSOB Director nominees.”
Hayward: Does anyone have any additions or deletions to the agenda? Or anything they want to talk about before we get started.
Silence
I’ll take that as a no.
Chair’s opening remarks. Well welcome everybody! Here we are and I’d like to say that everybody has been moving right along. That last quarterly was pretty busy and everybody has been busy here. I believe the Director of Resources and Development has something she wants to discuss with us tomorrow, so we’ll be pretty busy this next quarter too figuring out some stuff. So we’ll get to that. That’s all for the opening remarks.
Items requiring discussion before the board: everybody has had a chance to look at the items to go before the board, and there are a couple of items there. Does anybody want to bring forward a discussion on any of these items?
Trevor: I’ll ask the question first: a) permissions (#4). Is that regarding the big book?
Page 6 of 109
Hayward: Yes that’s from the question at the Conference when we asked Patty about the permission to revise and reprint “How it Works.”
Trevor: OK understand. I wondered if that was regarding the inclusion of the first 164 pages of the Big Book.
Hayward: No, I had asked Patty about that referral, it’s included in the email I sent you guys.
We can talk about both of those items together.
Trevor: Would now be the appropriate time to voice an opinion concerning that matter? I would rather voice it here and have the opinion of the WSBT before we take it to the WSOB meeting.
Affirmed
I am strongly opposed to any move to include, (now I love the Big Book), but whether they say we can use it or not, that’s their book. For us to say “they said we could so now we’re going to print it”. And I do understand that it’s our responsibility to oversee and be financially prudent with the funds of the group, the growth of the fellowship etc. To me that just stinks of “the cable guy said I could do it so I’m stealing cable”. To me that isn’t right. And I would vote against any move to do that. I don’t think that’s something I would like to see this fellowship do. I don’t think it serves the good of this fellowship not to try and move ahead and develop our own literature. I don’t think it will be in their best interest either, because it opens up a can of worms. If they let us to do it then suddenly anyone (let’s say chap stick anonymous wants to use it)…
Hayward: We have a referral to discuss that. Does anyone want to join Trevor on that or do we want to wait until we get to that item of business to see if anyone else wants to join?
I will because I have a different opinion on that.
Kim: I have the same opinion as Trevor so I’ll let these two guys talk on that.
Randy: Actually it’s my understanding that the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous has been public domain for a twenty years now and it would be OK, and not irresponsible to print that. But I would like to check those facts before I jump on that soap box.
Hayward: Is there anything else that we need to discuss about the Board to Board agenda?
Willie: Understanding the TL: Why doesn’t the TL have a budget? It’s probably the same reason why the WST and the WSOT does not have travel budget despite special permission. If you have to do something within the region, or take place in as a Regional Trustee there is a budget for you, it’s that Regional Trustee budget that you use. I asked the question and that was the answer that was given to me by the office. That there are certain things that you automatically can go to and other things you have to do which are regional and that should be paid out of the regional funds.
Page 7 of 109
Richard: The concern is that every TL is obligated to go to the Regional Assembly, which is travel, and that affects the budget of whatever region that TL happens to live in at the time. So I believe that if there are any specific annual requirements for any TL they should have a budget for at least that minimum of travel that is required annually.
Hayward: I like that.
Randy: I would agree too, and not just because travel would be on my budget. But budgets are foreseen expenses it’s what we use to plan our financial future. And knowing that our TAL whether you have the ability to put your nail on the three things he may be asked to do, the idea or the irresponsibility of thinking he will not be asked to do something, goes against the idea of the budget. If we’re going to have a TAL position, and we know that he does need to attend a regional assembly, and he is required to be available to be used for another special permission events, and to not put some kind of financial planning into what that may cost is against the purpose of a budget.
Hayward: O.K. is that one of the items of business? Yes it is. I think we’re getting too far into discussing some of this before we get to it. Not to cut anyone off but we need to move ahead.
O.K. approval of the minutes: For the Quarterly Minutes of May. We have May completed, and we haven’t received the August minutes yet. I’ve been going back and forth with the transcriber and I haven’t received them yet.
I will entertain a motion to approve the May Quarterly Minutes.
Trevor: Move.
Lawrence: Second.
Hayward: Motion made and second to approve the May minutes of the WSBT quarterly meeting. Is there any discussion?
Joy: Do the prior trustees get to make the changes?
Hayward: Motion passes.
Kim: Motion to table the approval of August 2008 Quarterly Minutes.
Joy: Second
Hayward: Motion made and second to table approval of the August 2008 quarterly minutes.
Hayward: Motion Passes. I’ll stay in touch with the transcriber hopefully we will get the minutes soon and we can approve those online and get the recording equipment back and give it to the new transcriber.
Page 8 of 109
Hayward: Approval of the October conference call minutes
Joy: Motion to approve the October 2008 Conference Call.
Trevor: Second.
Hayward: Motion made and second to approve the October Conference Call Minutes.
Hayward: Motion passes.
Kim: I have forwarded minutes regarding business that took place at the Conference. There are a couple of items for everybody to have. I make a motion to approve the record of that business.
Randy: Second.
Hayward: There’s a motion to approve business that took place at the Conference 2008 by the trustees. Is there any discussion?
Trevor: Would that not be part of the transcripts for the sessions of that period.
Kim: This was that which took place regarding 2 items: one the PI and one the Denver piece.
Hayward: Motion passes.
Kim: Another item to approve, I forwarded the record of Online Business between the quarterly meetings between August 2008 and November 2009. Motion to approve that.
Joy: Second.
Hayward: Motion to approve the record of Online Business between the August quarterly meeting 2008 and November quarterly meeting 2008.
Hayward: Motion passes.
Hayward: Next item of business: WSBT officer reports.
Lawrence: Motion to approve WSBT officers report.
Nicholas: Second.
Hayward: Motion made and second to approve the WSBT officers reports.
Hayward: Motion passes.
Hayward: Next item: Trustee reports.
Page 9 of 109
Joy: Motion to approve all the trustee reports.
Lawrence: Second
Hayward: Motion made and second to approve the trustee reports.
Hayward: Motion passes.
Hayward: Next item of business: WSTB Sub-committee reports.
Trevor: Move.
Joy: Second.
Hayward: The only comment I have is the reports need to be approved by the sub-committee before they are posted.
Trevor: This might not be the right time; tell me that if it isn’t. I was talking to Nicholas earlier today, and when we were dividing these up, he got two leads, and I got no leads. That’s O.K., (it means I don’t have a report) but I was trying to do the spirit of rotation, and now I would like to rotate back into the lead of “Newsgram”. Nick would like to remain the lead of International Structure and Development.
Hayward: Nick’s all right with that?
Nick: Yes I’m O.K. with that.
Hayward: Does anyone else who didn’t receive a lead on anything want to jump in there?
Discussion amongst members…
- Trevor’s going to lead Newsgram
- Nick’s leading International Structure and Development
- Hayward is the lead of Trustee Negotiation in the World Service Conference
- Robert is lead on the conference committee.
Is there anymore discussion on the WSTB subcommittee reports?
Motion passes.
Hayward: Next item: Trustee Conference Committee Reports.
Nick: Motion to approve.
Richard: Second.
Page 10 of 109
Hayward: Motion to approve the Trustee Conference Committee Reports with the exclusion of convention reports?
Nick: Yes, motion with exclusion.
Kim: Second.
Hayward: Motion passes.
Hayward: Next item: Motion to approve Convention Committee Reports separately.
Kim: Motion to approve CAWS 2009 report.
Joy: Second.
Hayward: Motion Passes.
Kim: Motion to approve CAWS 2010 report.
Joy: Second.
Hayward: Motion Passes.
Kim: Motion to approve CAWS 2011 report.
Joy: Second.
Hayward: Motion Passes.
Kim: Motion to approve CAWS 2012 report
Nick: Second
Hayward: Motion Passes.
Hayward: O.K. Business item number 2008.08.1 that’s per diem. Kim and Nick travel reimbursement, present at .17/mile. Referring back to the discussion we had (earlier in the meeting) on travel budgets and review to justify increases. Kim had a question and Patty will do some looking into. Is there anything you want to discuss?
Nick: Motion to change the order of this until we have had time to talk to Patty and neither has Kim about the important facts that she had mentioned. Motion to table this
Joy: Board to Board?
Nick: Private meeting with Patty tomorrow morning and then we can bring it up again. We do
Page 11 of 109
not have the information now.
Kim: Second.
Hayward: Motion to table this item until after the meeting with Patty. Motion passes, and we will table that until after we meet with Patty.
Item 2008.08.03 NADCP – Do you have information to add to that? Know the dates etc?
Richard: I have overviews at this point and have been told that details will be discussed and firmed up in March.
Hayward: OK we’ll look at it on the next Conference Call.
Next item: 2008.08.04 – that’s the trustee rotation. Did everybody get a chance to read the article draft that Joy and I put together? That was mainly for information, there’s no motion put together on that, it’s just for your information. That will be removed from the agenda.
Next item: Non profit tax Newsgram item. There was not a number assigned to that, but Nick wrote an article on that so if there’s not a subcommittee on that yet, it’s Trevor, Richard and Lawrence. Nick will post it to the group, we’ll review it and Nick will pass it on after that.
Trevor: Can I ask a question? Did that article I wrote for the Newsgram get passed onto Cynthia?
Hayward: OK so the one we approved was the last one which Kim corrected. And now as the new Lead of the Newsgram subcommittee Trevor will forward.
Trevor: Yes that’s the last one I have saved.
Hayward: OK so you WILL forward that? And the one that I wrote for the Trustee corner, you already forwarded that one?
Trevor: That I did not because I just became the lead, but I will get those two articles to her.
Hayward: since we’re talking about Newsgram, everyone needs to start writing articles. We want to keep a nice flow to the editor. I heard that Randy as the lead on Outreach had been setting fires under former trustees about articles and such which is great. The more we get the better it is.
Trevor: Just wanted to add to that. Anything that’s recovery related, if it’s your experience as a new trustee, something to do with your subcommittee, if Randy wants to write about H&I, anything that you’re passionate about and is recovery related: write an article!
Hayward: You can write about any of that stuff and send it to us, we’ll review it and give you the O.K. to forward it to Trevor and he will forward it on to the Newsgram staff.
Page 12 of 109
Kim: So the “non for profit” Newsgram article is done? So we’re removing that from the list for the board?
Nick: No it’s not. It needs to be approved.
Hayward: I’m going to send Nick’s copy back to Trevor, I’ll send you the one for the Trustee corner, so you can include the article you wrote and have those two to send first. Nick will send the non profit one to the board first.
Hayward: Next item: 2008.10.05 article of communication between WSOB and WSBT.
Willie: The communication in going through the guidelines may clear-up. Now for reimbursement of travel, or something that’s outside the scope of what you would normally do, then all of that should go through the Chair of WSBT. The Chair contacts the office, Director of Operations and makes a decision one way or the other, and all he does is CC the Office Trustee and the WSBT Chair because he has to let you know if that travel is approved.
All the other communication to the office, if you need a report, financial information, something you’re requesting from the office: That request should be made through me and vice versa. It’s getting confusing, especially coming from the office and they say “who do we give this information to?” I had a request and someone emailed me and was concerned because the office was giving requests to other Trustees other than me. I’m new and now we’re bringing up two new Directors and we need to keep up the communication so we are all aware of where we are supposed to be, where the responsibilities are supposed to be, and where you are supposed to be.
Hayward: Any other discussion on that?
Nick: I may put my foot in my mouth here but I just want to go through the reasoning. I got a seventh tradition report that said nothing from the European region. I was quite late, already late, so in order to expedite matters, I went to the office and they had screwed up because of the time thing. So my amends, I should have come through you. That is the proper way.
Richard: You chose something specific about the travel, and that’s what I did when I went through Hayward, was that something that I did wrong?
Willie: No, No. I wouldn’t point out any certain incident; I’m just bringing it forward both here and to the office board because of the lack of communication. The chain of request needs to go the way it’s supposed to. They may just say “OK” I gave the information, but then the WSB Chair doesn’t know what’s going on. The problem has been that nobody knows what’s going on, and issues are springing up at the last minute, the office is pushing them through, the requestor is expecting a sign -off at and I’m not signing off – I can’t. I’ve had a couple of emails today where the issue is very last minute items for the agenda, and it’s impossible to communicate these items effectively, because I don’t have the right information. I need to bring the information to this board, but it hasn’t been communicated to me. Sometimes you can just CC me; I need to be in the loop of communications so I can speak to the issues at hand. I have to be informed so I can have a reasonable explanation of the requests.
Page 13 of 109
Off record
Hayward: Ok we’re back on the record. We’re down to the section to be completed by or updated at the November Quarterly. Next item of business is 2006.02.20 copy right and trademark protection. This stays on the agenda from quarterly to quarterly and I just recently forwarded something to the legal committee. The renewal of the protection of the letters C.A. in the United States is due in December, we can renew that for a period of 10 years for 500 dollars and the legal firm will tack on their fee of 150.00. That doesn’t require a motion, just an FYI. That will stay on the agenda and I’ll update this so we can keep a running tally of where we are.
Hayward: Next item of business: 2007.10.14 TC status. Kim and Trevor
Kim: As of right now, I’m in the process of putting together the spreadsheet of all the TEC delegate names, so as you have your assemblies please send me the delegate and alternate delegate information. I need phone numbers and email address of the delegates. Once your slates are decided, I’ll need their information. I’ve given, just this evening; I’ve given Trevor information regarding all the TEC documents I have. I’ve emailed Earl in regards to specific questions regarding that position. That’s the one item I don’t have.
Hayward: I think I may have that for you.
Kim: Of course, I’ve caught him between the wedding and the cruise, so hopefully I get that after. However, it’s important that I get the TEC information from all of you. Please shoot me an email with whatever information you have.
Randy: Our assembly put forward to two people. One gave a resume that used the standard format; the other gave a self formatted resume. I’ve asked him to use the format provided, but is that a requirement to use the standard document?
Kim: Yes that’s why there’s a format. If you have electronic copies of their resumes that’s the best, but if you don’t, send them to me and I’ll scan them and get those out to everyone. But yes, they should be using the standard resume form. Does everybody have that?
Hayward: Next item: 2006.08.13 Signature of annual corporate documents. It comes straight out of the World Service manual. It’s just saying that by signing it you agree to abide by what’s in the Service Manual, the traditions, steps, concepts, and any information listed under WSBT. Please sign so that Kim can scan and it to the group. We do this every November.
Richard: So it’s not a notarized document?
Trevor: I thought that was so we couldn’t get sued as directors.
Hayward: I don’t think so. If we go back to the 2006 quarterlies it will explain the reasoning. Does anyone want to do the research?
Trevor: I was just asking a question. If you need me to I can.
Page 14 of 109
Joy: Want help Trevor? Because I think I may have it on the archive.
Hayward: if you want to go back and look it will state in there exactly why we do this. So Joy and Trevor will do that.
Hayward: Next item: Helpdesk. Well as you all know, or maybe don’t know, the office recently moved over off value web to network solutions web hosting. Once that and the store are completed then they’ll start the work on the helpdesk thing. They keep moving it down for whatever reasons, but they say that once the store is completed and the transfer of information is secure then they will work on the helpdesk site.
Kim: Did everyone get a copy of the email from Mike?
Joy: no, not everyone did.
Hayward: what did the email say?
Kim: the website portion of the website is now fully functional, stated the address it can be viewed, the store is functional but we still have two outstanding tickets to find out how to change 15% of the total with 5 dollar minimum for shipping and exclude items from bulk rate discounts. The Helpdesk is now up and running and is fully functional on the new server. I have the information here and will forward the email – it resides at www.ca.org/help I’m going to forward this now to the WSBT. I apologize; I don’t realize that some of this stuff comes just to me.
Trevor: As the secretary Kim, that’s going to happen. You get stuff and then you forward it to everybody else.
Hayward: I don’t get anything at that web address.
Richard: It’s still on Valueweb.
Kim: Here I go there to the website, and you guys can come see? He has it at some sort of strange address.
Richard: Correct. It’s the new domain but not active yet. So ca.org and the store are still up and running on Valueweb. There are two locations right now as he’s testing and moving everything. So that’s why it’s got the funny link to it; it’s hosted on the new server but it’s not active on the internet. If any individual were to go search right now they would still go to the original website on Valueweb while he’s doing his transition and cutover. Does that make sense to everybody?
Kim: So he has a temporary http address for both of those. In the email you can click on either one of them and it will take you directly to the site. He says the administrative name and password has had to change. It does not indicate what that is.
Hayward: It had to change?
Page 15 of 109
Richard: It had to change. The original was setup back in the day by Katie. That was a long time ago, and I couldn’t communicate with her that same day that Mike and I needed to do the change, so Mike and I went ahead and made the change. Has that been communicated to someone back at the office so that he’s not the only holder of that information?
Kim: I would imagine that Taffy has got that information.
Willy: That should be right. Taffy is the contact for the website.
Hayward: You’re going to forward that information?
Kim: I have.
Hayward: Can we move on? So I’ll update you at the next Conference Call on the Helpdesk item.
Now we are down to referral matters from the Conference for Action/Response by the WSBT and WSBT any conference referrals. The first one is referral number 5788. I believe we can remove that from the agenda.
Joy: yes that is correct that was done on 9/27/08.
Hayward: So we will remove that. Next is referral 5794 and 5821 Willie and Trevor.
Willie: Motion to move this online.
Trevor: Second.
Hayward: motion passes to move referral 5794 and 5821 to online.
Hayward: Next item: WSBT post conference referrals. That is referral number 5784.
Willie do you want to speak to that? Remember that I sent you that draft and you were going to add something else in there.
Willie: I haven’t.
Hayward: We will work on number 5784 here at the quarterly. If we can’t find time for that then we will move it on.
Willie: Here’s what the problem was. It’s not written anywhere, that’s something that never got into the guidelines.
Kim: Actually I inquired about this last year, because there was quite a bit of discussion and I asked Earl to research that, and he went back to Elizabeth and Elizabeth said that it took place at a Conference, and we went through the minutes but it’s not written in the minutes anywhere. So I
Page 16 of 109
don’t know that it’s written anywhere
Willie: That’s what I got to, it happened, it’s understood that it’s a $5000.00 limit, but it’s not down anywhere.
Hayward: Can we add that to our private discussion with Patty?
Willie: Yes, I believe we should because we are doing it, and suggesting a $5000.00 limit but it’s not down in black and white anywhere.
Kim: I agree because we need to clarify and it needs to be in black and white somewhere because we’ve just been “making a suggestion”.
Hayward: Is that an operations question? Would it go to Patty or would it go to Taffy?
Willie: Probably both, because Patty is risk management/assessment, so it probably needs to go to both.
Kim: And I think Patty was probably more involved at the time and Taffy was not on board yet.
Hayward: So, does that go on the Board to Board agenda? Or that’s just something we can come up with at the private meeting?
Willie: It can be brought up at the private meeting but I think it should be brought up at the Board to Board as well.
Randy: Are we talking about limits? Annual limits that individuals can have?
Kim: Yes.
Randy: So that should include the auction value of any items at the Convention? Those aren’t considered contributions?
Willie: It could be, so that’s why we really need to take a look at it because at the auctions we’re kind of… hmmm,
Hayward: So, you’re question didn’t get answered yet, right Kim?
Kim: My understanding is that there’s a difference between seventh tradition and fund raising. That’s how it was explained to me at one point. What happens at an auction, or a silent auction, or a live auction is fundraising. We have nothing on the books regarding limits at an auction, there’s no reason that something couldn’t go for $ 10,000.00 at a live auction.
Hayward: And we’ve seen those limits rise very quickly.
Lawrence: That was one of the items that I put on the agenda, that was one of the questions
Page 17 of 109
(referring back to the response we just wrote) that was a question I was going to bring up because I saw something that the Finance Committee wrote in their report about contributions and donations.
Hayward: so that’s under new business item number 2008.11.06, do we want to wait and discuss all of it then?
Hayward: Next item: Referral 5784.
Lawrence: Non issue
Hayward: Next item: Referrals, continuing with post conference referrals; the next one is referral number 5771. Anyone want to work with Trevor on this one?
Willie: Actually I will because it goes along with the next referral which Trevor and I are both on.
Trevor: So you take the lead on one and I’ll take the lead on the other one
Hayward: Well you take the lead on 5771 and Willie’s the lead on 5858. Anyone else want to jump in and join that one?
Robert: You can put me down for both.
Nick: Both
Hayward: 5771, 5858 are Trevor, Willie, Nick and Robert. Now we are down to referral number 5817.
Joy: So will they be working on those during the quarterly?
Hayward: Yes.
Next Item: 5817 Willie needs some help on that one.
Joy: Yes, I’ll help.
Trevor: I want that one.
Randy: Me.
Lawrence: Yes.
Hayward: Joy, Trevor, Randy and Lawrence, and you will be working on that during the Quarterly. Who will be the lead on that?
Page 18 of 109
Joy: Joy will take the lead.
Hayward: Joy will take the lead.
Hayward: Next Item: Referral 5796. Trevor is the lead and Lawrence will work with him on that
Kim: I’ll work with him on that
Richard: was volunteered.
Hayward: Next item: Responses to correspondence received from the fellowship. Item number 2008.10.03 Southern Ontario /C.A. New York problems.
Robert: Regarding the C.A. N.Y. problem: When I was at the Regional Assemblies/ the C.A. New York Area Convention, I sat down with the parties who were having the problem. What they were looking for at C.A. New York (what Ben was looking for) he wants a separate listing for his group. One that says “Big Book Experience” instead of Big Book Study. In talking to him and gaining some feedback from other trustees is: what does the area feel about that and what are your bylaws saying? So they were going to bring a motion to the area, they haven’t, so both sides have led to a place where there is no issue at this time concerning that C.A. New York Area problem.
The Ontario problem: the letter to Kurt L. I’ve sent him the famous Michael P. letter; I haven’t received any response back from Kurt L. on it. It was forwarded all over the place in Ontario. I’ve received feedback from one other person on it, which I’ve not responded to yet, but, I’ve been in contact with the lead delegate down there Siobhan, and she says that everything is prime right now, and it’s just my opinion that it’s a pissing contest. That’s all it is. I have a flyer of the group that came out against what this other group was doing. It’s one group of pots calling the kettles black. I think it’s going to be a continual issue up there and it’s just going to be a case that needs a little bit of water thrown on the fire. I will continue to stay on top of it and I am in contact with the delegates up there. Hopefully we’re going to be able to work that one out eventually…
Hayward: Did they ever straighten the web page out?
Robert: They took out formal links
Hayward: Did they take the “Wally P.” stuff out?
Robert: That was a special case. Those guys that came up against Wally P. are doing a 2 day workshop. And my only problem (Trevor said this) is that it’s sponsored by the Area, so it has the Area backing down here. I have the signup here and I think it’s an unofficial endorsement against the other, which is, in my opinion, no big deal. If anyone wants to look at the material they are welcome to. I think we can work it out.
Hayward: So what do you need from us?
Page 19 of 109
Robert: At this time, I’d just say that I have addressed it. I haven’t had negative feedback from Kurt L. disagreeing with it. I did forward it, and have been including on the list: Michael, Siobhan, the Area Chair and the full name of the person making the request, and I haven’t been hearing any comebacks on it.
Hayward: You want this to stay on the agenda and update on the Conference Call?
Robert: Yes, I agree. I just think it’s calming down again. The decided they wanted to have a little fire fight.
Randy: I personally don’t have any issue with the flyer as written, at all. The one thing that allows a little leniency on the flyer (compared to what the issues were regarding weekly meetings and those kind of things, and linking them to books, and where you can buy other material) That is absolutely identified as a Cocaine Anonymous sponsored two day workshop. We have workshops all the time at our Conventions, that with people that go into meditation practices that don’t come out of the Big Book. We have workshops go a lot of different directions from people with experience in those things so we make workshops. That’s a Cocaine Anonymous workshop. So it falls underneath a different kind of scrutiny when it comes to what they’re doing. Is it a little pissing contest between the other groups? Maybe, but, as written I think that’s rude of them.
Trevor: F*ck*n Mucking Canadians! That’s on the record!
Hayward: So Robert will give us an update on the Conference Call or if something unfolds before then he will give us an update and present that to us online.
Hayward: Next item: New Business. First item is.
Trevor: Motion to adjourn this session until tomorrow morning at 9:00am.
Hayward: but I thought you all wanted to go to breakfast at 8:30am.
Trevor: I’ll withdraw the motion if you want to go through a few more things.
Hayward: O.K. Let’s go through a few. First item: 2008.11.01 Date and time for next WSBT Conference Call. That usually happens in January so let’s take a look at what’s going on in January. Sunday 4th, 11th, 18th or 25th?
(Discussion about personal schedules)
Joy: I make a motion that we have our Conference Call on January 4th, 2009 at 10:00 AM Pacific Standard Time.
Lawrence: Second.
Hayward: The motion for a conference call on January 4th, 2009 has been seconded.
Page 20 of 109
Nick: I’ll be in Sweden.
(Further discussion about personal schedules, conferences and the outrageous cost of Swedish calling cards ensues)
Hayward: How about the 25th?
Joy: I withdraw my motion for the Conference Call on the 4th.
Joy: I make a new motion that we have our conference call on January 25th, 2009 at 10:00 AM Pacific Standard Time.
Everyone: Second!!
Hayward: Motion passed to have our conference call on January 25th, 2009 at 10:00 AM Pacific Standard Time.
Hayward: Has anyone had a birthday or anything recently? for the calendar?
Trevor: Cynthia’s birthday was yesterday.
Hayward: I mean anyone here tonight.
Kim: I left last years trustees on the calendar after discussing with Hayward.
Hayward: Next item of business: 2008.11.02, date and time for next WSBT Quarterly Meeting. Now, there may be some discussion with Patty about us not doing that Quarterly, but doing some kind of retreat or something.
Joy: Motion to table until we have a discussion with Patty.
Randy: Second
Hayward: Motion Passed. Item tabled until after the private meeting with Patty.
Next item: 2008.11.03 WSO Bank accounts consolidation.
Willy: Motion to consolidate all WSO bank accounts under one bank branch closest to the office
Joy: Second
Richard: Are there any institutions that will be moved, or are they all under the same institution?
Willie: Right now we have two accounts being managed out of San Francisco, two accounts being managed in another place, and some smaller accounts being managed by yet a different
Page 21 of 109
branch. Bring them up under one bank, one bank management and it’s more accessible to get a relationship with that management.
Trevor: Is that something that’s brought from the Office Board?
Willie: No that’s something that when Hayward and I went down and I became a signer, they spelled all of this out for us and showed us how it’s been mismanaged. That was right after the transfer. If you get up under one bank, they know us, they know who the signers are and they can eliminate these teletransfers. The office has been informed that this was to be brought up to the WSBT to move forward with
Joy: I also think it gives better checks and balances and more internal control.
Hayward: Motion Passes
Hayward: Next item of business: You all ready to call it a night?
Willie: Yes because my next two items will need to wait for the private meeting before they are able to be brought forward.
Hayward: OK it’s now 11:10pm and I think we will adjourn for this evening. We covered quite a bit and we went through it pretty smoothly.
Kim: Motion to adjourn for this evening
Chorus: Second
Hayward: Motion Passed.
Hayward: We’re back on the record. It’s Saturday evening, November 8, 2008 at 7:38 P.M. We’re back off of dinner break and a long day with the private meetings with the paid Directors and B2B meetings.
Hayward: Next item: 2008.11.02 Date and time for the next WSBT Quarterly Meeting. We had our private meeting with Patty. So I need a motion to call the previously tabled motion back.
Joy: So moved.
Trevor: Second
Hayward: Motion passes.
Willie: I will make a motion that we schedule a meeting for the February Quarterly.
Hayward: So let’s take a look at some dates Friday 6th, 13th, 20th or 27th?
Page 22 of 109
(discussion about schedules)
Nick: Motion to schedule our WSBT Quarterly Meeting on February commencing the 20th ending on February 22nd.
Trevor: Second
Nick: I just wanted to say that I’ll have to book my flight earlier than you lot. I didn’t hear any really strong objections or anything. I had some stuff for Patty and this and that and it’s going to be a bit tough, we all know that. The funds are coming in, I’m one of those that sees all the accounts that Willie sends in, donations are still there, don’t hear any panic bells, prudent reserve is strong. I didn’t think Patty was that controlling, but there were some objections. I think it’s really important for the five new people to get a feel for how this is done, practice getting their reports in on a timely manner, get used to the discussion, rather than go from here straight into Denver, and it’s this stressful time where there’s lots to do. And I just think its good practice, its best practice and therefore am strongly in favor of doing this.
Hayward: Motion passed.
Hayward: Next item: 2008.11.03 WSO bank account consolidation.
Willie: I would like to make a motion to consolidate all WSO bank accounts.
Kim: I have that we made a motion to consolidate all WSO bank accounts under one branch closest to the WSO office. And I have done.
Hayward: So we will remove item 2008.11.03 from the agenda.
The next item: 2008.11.04 purchase of CD
Willie: You can remove that from the agenda
Joy: Actually I wouldn’t remove it from the agenda; I would push it to the January Conference Call.
Kim: I have here that we’d wait for the Board to Board but we didn’t bring it up on the Board to Board.
Randy: Yes we did, we talked about it and when they moved the insurance levels up they decided not to.
Trevor: Can we do it online?
Joy: I make a motion that we move the purchase of the CD to the online meeting.
Randy: Second.
Page 23 of 109
Hayward: Motion Passed.
Hayward: Next Item: 2008.11.05
(Group goes off record)
Hayward: We were at 2008.11.05 the office restructure project. Where are we at with this? The office should give us some position descriptions.
Trevor: I think it would be wise at this point to for us to decide what we want from them as far as positions all that stuff as far as finances; what the payroll is. I think we need to start seeing that stuff, and checking, and seeing what’s really going on, in order to eliminate the questions.
Hayward: So there’s an overage on the money. They told us about $4000.00 over. I wouldn’t want to deal with that.
Willie: That’s the main issue and that’s why I asked the history to be brought back. Do we want to just rubber stamp what they’ve already done? Or, do we want to take a look at, how much it’s going to be, and have them come back with a more viable plan? I don’t know. The way it was presented felt like they were saying “we’ve already done this, so we hope that you guys go ahead and follow through with it”. They were not owning up to their part in this thing, the procedural part of it. I think that needs to be addressed.
Hayward: So can we pull that motion that was originally made at the WSOB meeting from the minutes prior to the Conference? Which was the motion to transfer certain line items around? Remember that motion?
Joy: That was at the Board to Board.
Willie: Yes we can pull that motion up, but I don’t believe that motion has anything to do with them being over budget and over south. Over the 5%. The guidelines clearly show all nine directors: under five percent then the director of operations have that line up, and anything over 5% has to come through the WSBT.
Hayward: Do I have any motions on this item of business?
Randy: I would like to make a motion that we ask for a formal organization, chart including job descriptions, accountability and employment contracts, payroll records, and to ask them to consider the viability of reducing our bookkeeping expenses.
Joy: I’ll second that, but can I make a friendly amendment: Book keeper’s job description.
Randy: Yes, I’ll accept that
Hayward: Motion was seconded, with a friendly amendment. Friendly amendment was accepted; can we have that read back with the amendment please?
Page 24 of 109
Kim: Motion for job descriptions, budgets, payroll records, viability of reducing our bookkeeper expense, and job description of bookkeeper’s position.
Randy: Organizational chart
Kim: Motion for job descriptions, budgets, payroll records, organizational chart, viability of reducing our bookkeeper expenses, and job description of bookkeeper’s position.
Joy: Do we want it by a specific date
Trevor: Yes we do. I’d like to suggest a friendly amendment to receiving materials two weeks prior to our January conference call. We would like it by January 11, 2009 for the purposes of review.
Randy: I accept that
Willie: I don’t know if I’m discussing a motion, or if I’m really taking a look at it. If we put this off another month and a half then we still have employees in place who are drawing a salary. What’s going to happen to them? Are we going to allow that to roll for a month and a half and then go back and say “we don’t think it’s a good idea; so redo everything that you’ve done?”
Trevor: I understand what Willie is saying, I hear him, I agree with him, but I think that may be a different motion. We need to figure out where we are at first. We need to take steps to solve the problem as it is at now, but we need to take steps to understand that problem first. I know it’s a month and a half out. I don’t want to see us pull the trigger on this, but I don’t want to see us go all off half cocked. I’d rather take that month and a half, investigate it, figure out what we really want, discuss it and give them a clear picture of “This is what we want you to do, this is how we want you to operate”. Also taking the time to realize that while they are answerable to us, they are also their own entity and we don’t want to have to micromanage them. Let’s figure out what the process is, and how we can manage that, and then go back to them with a concrete business plan on how we want the organization to run.
Willie: So what are we going to do with these people who are in place now? We can’t tell them to go sit in the parking lot while we make decisions for them.
Robert: I want to say something else that concerns me. The issue with a certain employee and what that person is paid; that has to be rectified by the 31st of this year. Going into an unstable economy, future accountability, taxes and etc, I think that should be rectified by the 31st of December.
Hayward: Are we talking calendar year or fiscal year?
Robert: Calendar year for tax purposes, and that’s why I’m stating the 31st.
Trevor: I’d like to motion to move this online or strike this from the record.
Page 25 of 109
Joy: Second
Hayward: Motion Passed.
Hayward: OK we’re back on the record now and Randy you have a motion?
Randy: I’d like to withdraw my earlier motion regarding the items required for the next quarterly.
Hayward: OK, motion withdrawn. Kim?
Kim: I’d like to make a motion to approve the office restructure project with a condition that it does not exceed 5% of the budget and that any restructuring of the budget must be present to the WSBT by January 2, 2009.
Chorus: Second
Willie: I vote in favor of this motion. This allows for the opportunity for the WSOB chair person to hold two directors accountable for better communication to the WSTB especially the WST and the WSOT for future planning that they have going on at their office.
Hayward: Motion Passes.
Hayward: Next item of business: 2008.11.06 contributions/donations.
Lawrence: We located a response from the Norith about participation of non C.A. members in fund raising (about that being against the traditions). I was looking at the Finance Committee report and they had a referral: referral #5955. It was about clarification of the Seventh Tradition, and they had a statement that was contradicting our one and I’d like us to take a look at it to see who might want to make some changes or discuss what we want to do. It states “In the context to C.A. contributions are most closely associated with the concept of donations. Generally speaking a donation is a gift or something tangible such as items, money or service. With no anticipated tangible return having of having made the donation. The acquisition of tangible item made equally made available for purchase, tee-shirts, mugs, meals and beverages at a CA fundraiser is not a donation but actually a purchase for consideration and as such, we believe this is not an outside contribution, thus our deliberation leads us to believe that the contribution/donation falls under the principal of the seventh tradition and is not a purchase. So in this it is saying if someone went to a pancake breakfast at a carwash they would be breaking tradition, and here they are saying it’s a purchase not a donation. I thought we may want to clarify our point on this.
Hayward: Is there a motion on this or is it just an FYI? Do we need to take action on?
Joy: We haven’t sent that response yet have we?
Kim/Lawrence: Yes we did.
Page 26 of 109
Kim: And that’s in the Finance guidelines?
Lawrence: This has come from the closing report of the Finance Committee.
Hayward: This year’s closing report?
Lawrence: Yes, referral number 5595.
Hayward: To get this straight: we responded to a referral?
Lawrence: No. We responded to a question from the fellowship.
Hayward: Who did?
Lawrence & the group: We did.
Hayward: Who was the lead on that?
Lawrence: Me.
Hayward: Do you want to go back and add some more information to the response.
Lawrence: That is the issue we need to discuss. Do we want to change our position on that?
Hayward: Well, have we heard anything back from the member expressing dissatisfaction?
Lawrence: No. That member hasn’t contacted me, hasn’t emailed me or anything.
Randy: This was the ‘Bingo Night’ thing?
Lawrence: Yes and I can see the bingo night being another issue. But you have the email about taking your kids to…
Randy: Yes because I take my kids to banquets and breakfasts, I play C.A. golf tournaments with my father. The way we were wording our response back to him, our entire conventions were in opposition, to a certain degree, paid for in part by wives, children, business etc. So we get a rigid position that I’m not even sure we held ourselves up to. This gives it a better wording.
Nick: Jay could help us here. There was a referral from an old sponsee of mine: should we read a statement out at CA UK conventions that we wouldn’t accept money from people that weren’t C.A. members. Jay and I countered the referral and we said to them that you didn’t have to read out the statement because implicit in the statement is that we are only fully self supporting. So, if your son or your daughter went up to the C.A. stand and bought a mug, they would be allowed to buy a mug but we wouldn’t want them to put money in the pot.
Lawrence: And that agrees with what this says.
Page 27 of 109
Nick: That’s what I’m saying. It would be likened to buying a tee-shirt. He’d be allowed to make a purchase but he couldn’t put money in the pot (make a donation). You just described it; and what I’m saying is that, that fact, is a consistent position. Unless anybody would like to go against me, that seems to hold consistent.
Hayward: I don’t want a long drawn out the discussion, if there is no action. It’s a good position to take and good piece of information for us to make note of for the future. That financial report, the closing report, is in our archives.
Hayward: Next item: 2008.11.07 Canadian Region
Trevor: I’m going to be honest, Hayward was the one who brought this to my attention, and I know we talked about this before as a Board. And at the time, my feelings were that it’s unnecessary and I don’t see a need for it or a desire for it back home. And that was my opinion, and I don’t know if that’s what decided the fact that we did nothing with it. I don’t want this to happen so I want to open it up for you to give your input. As it stands now, Canada is the largest land mass in the world for a country. It’s huge. We have C.A. right across the country but it’s a big deal as far as size goes. And it’s expensive. As a country we don’t get along very well, and that’s not an excuse, but mainly it’s expensive to get around. For example, I can fly to L.A. for $400, if I want to fly to Montreal it’s at least $ 700 or $800. So, my opinion hasn’t changed. I don’t really want to see it personally, but I want to know if the board sees a need. There are at least two other trustees here who have parts of Canada within their regions. Do I want to move forward and explore the possibility of turning Canada into a separate region within itself?
Hayward: My question is this item in long term planning also? Richard, is that in your agenda as well?
Richard: No it’s not.
Willie: I like the idea of unifying, and yet there might be some differences, and yet if they become one region it will unify Canada. I believe this is something to look into. I believe with the TAL help, this is something that needs to be researched and looked into, and that in time this may be something that’s viable.
Robert: I’m trying to understand a need for them because talk about the Canadian region goes back to when I served as a delegate many years ago. Canada is very diverse, Montreal as a French Canadian population doesn’t necessarily get along with the rest of the population. But I think it should be put out to the fellowship and see what they want. I would hate to lose part of my region, but I think it would be right to see what works best for the fellowship as a whole.
Randy: Is this coming from the bottom (where we are up)? Or is this something that we’ve been asked to look at?
Hayward: It came from me.
Randy: I know my charter was to come here and, in the best way possible, serve what the
Page 28 of 109
fellowship wants and the desires of that fellowship. If the groups in Canada are participating in Atlantic, in Pacific North, Mid West, and they’re not going “I don’t think we’re being heard because of this” then that’s a viable option for this table.
Hayward: That fellowship up there is over 20 years old, and I’d like to see the TAL meet with the three regional trustees, talk with them about what goes on in each of those Assemblies, and maybe each Regional Trustee can put some feelers out to the delegates in their regions about it and see what comes back, you guys can compile something and go from there.
Richard: The TAL will take that suggestion and be happy to look into that with you all.
Hayward: Care to move that to Long Term?
Richard: Yes, absolutely
Kim: Off the agenda and moved to Long Term?
Richard: Please
Hayward: Is that a motion or would anyone like to say anything before that’s given a motion?
Nick: WSN our region is defined as a loosely structured division of areas. I like that. I imagine no one in Spain thought they would become a region, or nobody in Ireland, or Africa would become a region. My experience is that the Regional Trustee associated with the Area that was to become a Region, saw the need, talking to other people, came and talked to me as a Delegate, we went and talked to Spain, we did a few things and a couple of people who sit on the risers suddenly saw it in the risers, that there could be a benefit, that they could be heard, and I am the product of that discussion. And it’s a new region. So nobody had to be coerced, or forced, somebody said “hmm you read this page? A loosely structured division of areas”. You have to go and ask people. I think you made a fantastic point for long term planning, just throw it out there. I hear that Trevor’s not a hundred percent convinced, but that doesn’t matter. We are the planners. We are here to plan, to lead from the front or shove from the back. We have that longevity and history and our own literature. We need to find out if they have the wish or desire, we can make the suggestion and then it’s up to them if they do it. They have to ask all the groups and districts. There’s quite a lot involved. But within the European Region, it took us two meetings, and there was 100% agreement to do it. They didn’t know they could do it before we brought it up. Newcomers do not study the World Service Manual, you know. It wouldn’t come up on their horizon, and I think it would be great to put that into long term planning.
(Pause)
Hayward: Ok we’re back off of a short recess.
Hayward: Next item of business is 2008.11.08 Regional Websites
Nick: I don’t know if anyone’s had this come up before. I’ve got a couple of members in Europe
Page 29 of 109
who said they want a Regional Website. Mainly because travelers have a hard time finding an online meeting listing. Our own website seems outside scope and a great deal of work and maintenance. I was wondering if anyone has had this before? Because we’re on another continent I thought about asking Mike the Webmaster if he could do a more expansive webpage with consideration of anything to do with the European site. If anyone can figure out how best to approach this request. Where we could put all the places that weren’t America such as France, Canada, and Europe. So that someone who is looking for a meeting wouldn’t falter because they don’t know where to find one. What I’m saying is that people whose first language isn’t English can’t navigate their country, so they don’t think any meetings exist where they are. They can’t work it out. I was thinking to make the suggestion to not keep it in one region but to expand it so it’s accessible to others. We’re trying to make it inclusive for people who are foreign nationals and get lost on the website.
Hayward: Can we go to ca.org because I’m lost. I thought it showed all the regions, like all the states within the region, and you’re saying the European region isn’t defined like that?
Nick: I don’t think so.
Trevor: According to the contact page on ca.org, there’s the United States and then under that all the alphabet letters, and there’s Australia, Canada, Denmark, Dominican below all the countries. I think what Nicholas is asking is that, beyond the United States and Canada, have a European listing so that you can
Nick: Yes have the Areas under one European region. Would that be a big problem?
Willie: Actually if you scroll down from there they are listed under what would be each region, and you can link from there to the page that shows all the specific areas from the region.
Nick: I forgot one thing as well. There are several loner groups, groups that are not recognized as a region yet, but do have meetings. So there’s one guy sitting in Bulgaria.
Richard: Are you saying that not everything is listed.
Nick: If it is, then it’s fantastically confusing.
Richard: What are you asking for? How many things are not listed?
Nick: Roughly a dozen. It would be nice to put us all in one place. It makes complete sense to us, but not someone who has English as a second language maybe.
Richard: Any Area or Trustee, or individual can send an email to the Web server with that suggestion and he is free to organize that.
Williey: It’s got to go to the Office first.
Richard: That’s correct.
Page 30 of 109
Trevor: I just wanted to say much the same thing. The website is owned by the WSO, they have control over that. I think that for simplicity sake I don’t object for there to be a European Region link on there. As far as the loner group that aren’t recognized, we would then have to go in and changed the IT guidelines at their conference, unless this group wants to do that as a blanket decision. There is a point in the IT guidelines that it’s a region or area that can have a website that’s linked to ca.org, and that’s a conference mandate from the IT guidelines.
Nick: How about a contact number, if there’s a man in Bordeau for example, would he be able to have his contact information posted.
Richard: No
Nick: Well that’s what the member is asking. She feels that some people are excluded.
Joy: Next to the regional menu, there’s an area that says “find a meeting”. Click. “Find a meeting around the world”. Click. Scroll down; it says European region, and what’s in the European region. I think it might work if you set it up so that if you click on, for example “Germany region” you get an option to view a meeting list for the Germany area. That would help your foreign nationals’ issue, but as for the loner meetings…
Trevor: I was just going to say while it’s not permitted to link a website from a non-district area, I’m looking at the website now and I’m not aware of many of these countries being recognized areas and they are listing a phone number for these places. So that is permitted, non recognized areas can list a contact number on the C.A. site. You as a Trustee for that Region can forward the contact information to Mike the Web servant with Taffy as a CC and say “Please consider adding this as a contact.”
Nick: That’s the answer I needed.
Hayward: I hate to give you extra work, but is there other places that you may contact and a stand alone site that need to be on here that’s not. Is everything on here and up to snuff? Should anything go away? Is that our job or the IT committee’s job to make sure that the site is up to par? Or should the area region review their area
Richard: We review it. We do and have done always. We usually do it at least twice a year. We would like to do it more often, but it happens twice a year at a minimum.
Willie: I see here beside the regional contact information. It says on the boxes to the left.
Add/Change Regional information. It just pops right up so you can put it in there.
Richard: That will go to the office, Taffy approves it, and they verify the information, then when it’s approved it’s added to the site.
Hayward: So there’s already a procedure to add or verify regional information on the website.
Nick: So is there a ticker on there that you can get all the registered information for a specific
Page 31 of 109
region on one page?
Richard: CA around the world.
Kim: Since we’re talking about websites. I have four Areas and some are bigger than others, and they send me Newsletters for approval, for the most part they’re approved. It’s been about 2 quarters that I’ve been refusing to approve newsletters, for different reasons, logo violations, lack of Tradition 6 disclaimer that is not a requirement, but a suggestion. One newsletter has holiday pictures on it. So I didn’t approve the newsletter, but it’s posted. So, I have to say that…
Willie: You told her not to post it?
Kim: I told her it wasn’t approved, I suggested they add the Tradition 6 disclaimer, and I also said it’s suggested that we not reference our events on the email that I wrote them. And they added the disclaimer, but they have all these holiday pictures on the newsletter so I’m looking for some direction on what to do. And it equally disturbs me that the person that sends me the Nebraska newsletter is Mike, and I send my disapproval to him, and on more than one occasion he seems to want to get into confrontation with me and the most recent bit of email confrontation that we got into….
Hayward: Do you want to go off record with this?
Kim: No because although I did not approve, and copied it to the Area Chair person and the delegate, Mike took it upon himself to copy in his response to me, to copy more than a dozen people in the area. My response basically was that it wasn’t approved. Because of the suggestions, I noted the Newsgram article that Carl referred to in 2001. His response to me was one in which he was offended by the article in Newsgram, and he’s against my suggestion, it’s a good thing that it’s not a requirement and that he would pass it on. And then I went on to state, that I was trying to educate the area, I named the Traditions that I thought we should align with, and I explained that it’s suggested that you wear a parachute when you jump out of an airplane, um, so his last comments to me were that he called his sponsor and he’s over it. But I think it was one email too late and I’m not sure how it’s affected the Area. When I looked it up I saw that he’s posted the newsletter.
Hayward: Anyone else have anything to say?
Kim: I don’t know how to handle that now.
Willie: Well his boss is Taffy.
Richard: No not for the CA Nebraska website
Willie: He’s our Web Servant right?
Richard: He’s our Web Servant for ca.org. She’s talking about the CA Nebraska website.
Page 32 of 109
Willie: That sight is linked to us.
Richard: That’s correct.
Joy: Delink it
Richard: We can bring it to the group and have the group review it.
Trevor: Having worked with the IT committee, I got to do this wonderful stuff quite often. There’s two people with the authority to delink one is John Bodkin and the other is now Richard Schafer. They can delink without notice for violation. We are looking at Nebraska. The logo violation right there, which we are not talking about, but I know they have been told that’s an opportunity to delink for posting non approved stuff on there. I’m looking at the site from the area I’m from. The Cocaine Freedom link takes you directly to YouTube. That’s a delink right there.
Kim: Nebraska has cleaned up their logo, as well as St. Louis. There’s enough space between the actual CA logo and the logo.
Trevor: No design element may touch the outside circle.
Joy: It doesn’t touch.
Richard: He barely trimmed it.
Kim: Yes but that’s one of the reasons I disapproved his newsletter.
Trevor: And I’ll tell you guys something, one of the problems this year. And I’d love to say I’ll take responsibility, but I won’t. We were all busy in TEC this year and I was trying to do IT and try to work with the new committee on LCF. I was trying to be in there with IT, but I didn’t have time to try and help them do the reviews like I was last year. And the reviews really didn’t get done, and when I got back home, we tried to get it together and it just didn’t happen. It was one of those things where they tried to do their best, and also deal with other people in the committee causing some stuff and keep bringing it up every time it didn’t go through, so, you know, it was frustrating and less than ideal, and I would be willing to help Richard, but there needs to be a serious going over of everything linked from ca.org because there is some big issues out there right now.
Willie: I don’t know, the issue is still that the Trustee didn’t approve. How did it get on the plane if it wasn’t from the web server?
Richard: That’s how it got on.
Willie: I think the web server needs to be checked. It’s not two separate things, its one thing. The web server shouldn’t take upon themselves to approve to put it on the website. I believe he needs to be placed in check, and he needs to be told by his boss, Taffy, that he can’t put anything on
Page 33 of 109
unless it’s approved by the Trustee or Taffy approves it to be on here. Or we are taking away from the authority the Trustee has been given by the region. And the WSBT said all posts should be approved by the Trustee.
Richard: Just to be clear, I was saying it was two separate entities, because there’s Mike the web server for ca.org who works for Taffy, there’s the Mike the web servant that works for the CA Nebraska website as the web servant and a member of C.A., and that’s the website that this is on, correct. So, it’s the same guy but Taffy has no jurisdiction over what Mike’s doing on the CA Nebraska web site.
Kim: Well I have a concern then, there’s a lack of understanding as to why I’m making these suggestions, and why I say let’s keep in mind tradition 1, 4, 5 & 10, and yet…
Richard: I don’t think it’s a lack of understanding, I think it’s defiance, and I’d be happy to work with you, not only as a member of the committee but to ensure that you have a member in that committee that’s advocating. I’ll post it on the forum that we’re having a member of this Trustee broach the website. If it has to come to bringing it forward like that, I’ll ask him if we can prevent that. And if not, we can suggest that they get another web server for the area, but I’d be happy to work with you on this
Hayward: Do I hear a motion on anything? We’re off the agenda on this so if there’s a motion please bring it forward.
Nick: I feel helped. Thanks.
Kim: I didn’t really anticipate bringing this up and I’ll work with Richard to resolve this. I would hate to shut down a website or shut down a newsletter, because I think they’re in the best interest, but of course being a Trustee I have to keep the best interest of the fellowship as a whole and how this can affect CA as a whole. So, Richard and I will work on this and hopefully resolve it without bringing it back to the agenda.
Richard: Him being the CA web servant or not, I’ve got your back on this. And am happy to work with you on it.
Kim: Thanks.
Hayward: So the question I have on this is: What is the regional Trustee’s responsibility, if any on reviewing the website? Do they periodically review the website, or is that the IT committee’s responsibility?
Trevor: The only part that a Regional Trustee should play is if there’s any kind of personal stories or newsletters being posted on the website. Then it is up to the Regional Trustee to review that and make sure there are no violations. If a Trustee wants to take that on, I know that Richard isn’t going to say “NO” he’s going to say “Hey thanks a lot”. There’s about 50 sites on the link to CA.org, and some of the sites are managed by the same people, Mikes got 3 or 4, but mostly a lot of them are one guy does one site, so you have 40 webmasters and they might update their
Page 34 of 109
site once a month or more, so if Richard and the IT committee can’t handle that and come to us and say hey I need your help and if you check your sites a couple of times a year and make sure there’s no violations. I think that’s a reasonable request if that’s what he wants us to do.
Randy: Just a potential solution. As Trustees, if you’re in areas that seem to have that. We have a position, two advisors in the Arizona area, and they’re elected positions and their only role is to maintain some oversight from the tradition standpoint. All of our flyers, newsletters, etc. have to go through and get approval from both advisors before they are released. From an effort to try to stem it and catch it right there inside of the local group, we have two elected positions in that area that IS their role. That’s something that we just created on our own. I’m not sure there’s a position called advisor in the World Service Manual but for our area we thought it was in our best interest to have a couple of folks elected. To have it be the Chair or the Trustee with as many priorities as we have, three or four flyers a month flying around Arizona for Phoenix, then Tucson, we had that created inside that area. I don’t have anything involved with Arizona’s newsletter unless one of the advisors tells me we just denied someone for this, are we on the same page? Most of the time it’s yes. That helps, so that might be something to consider.
Hayward: Does everybody have a copy of the newsletter guidelines?
Kim: I had someone bring it to my attention that there was something in Ohio, I went and saw it and brought it to the attention of the delegates they didn’t even know it was on there. So the list took off after. And I told people: Delegates take that responsibility to review your Area websites, make sure you know what’s going on there.
Hayward: Have we got this straight? Is there anything we need to update and get back to us or do you have a handle on it?
Kim and Richard: We have a handle on it, thanks.
Hayward: We’re going to move on to item: 2008.11.09 Storybook policy/ anonymity
Kim: I just need clarification regarding what the policy is on anonymity. At a recent convention, this was all brought to my attention, after the fact, I was at the convention, did not see that on the auction table there was an HFC book. In the description of the book up for auction was: ‘to be signed or autographed, by the author’. So this was brought to my attention.
Richard; The author of one of these stories?
Kim: Yes. Through a maze of some type, Cynthia brought it to my attention I did follow up on it, and took care of the situation, of course after the fact, as seems to be the theme of this weekend. I guess I am not familiar with the actual policy with the publication of the books. Is anybody?
Trevor: I’m going on the LCF site. I’m just trying to get up to speed with them. I don’t know it.
I’ would assume that autographing books was not part of the original agreement.
Page 35 of 109
Kim: I think they are supposed to maintain full anonymity. I think that I should just get the policy from Trevor. We should be aware of it and make our areas aware of it. Because one of the explanations by this author was “Well gosh, they did it at the World Service convention, Johnny S. signed a book”, and “OH! We auctioned a Big Book signed by Bill W.” Well they no longer happen to be with us. So, I’m sure they weren’t seeking some sort of recognition of who they are and what they did and ‘look at my story’. So, it’s something that happened at a World Service Convention and they’re going “well it must be OK”. This is how people perceive this. So maybe if we can get that policy then we can all know about it. That would be good, and I would be good with that.
Hayward: So no motion involved here? You just required some action. Who is going to get that information for her?
Trevor: I will.
Hayward: Next item: 2008.11.10 Why Doesn’t the TAL Have a Budget.
Richard: I believe that I was given my answer, and I can submit a budget. What Willie asked for, I will submit a budget and it will be just to include those anticipated costs for my obligations.
Hayward: ok
Randy: Can I just add to the fire of everybody’s resentment tonight. When I asked Bobbie how much I had remaining out of the Southwest Regional Budget. My answer was all of it, everything that I’ve done, I’ve done out of my TAL budget.
Hayward: If you want to know how much you have in your budget, please go through Willie, in contacting Taffy and you can find that out. Email Taffy, CC John and Willie, so if they have anything to say they can chime in, and then Taffy will provide the answer.
Joy: $1,400. As of September 30th. All the regional trustees have $2000.00 in their budget. Except for Nicholas, he has $2500.00. Midwest you have $1396, Pacific North you have $1395.
Hayward: I have to back up a little bit I cut Willie and Randy short on Kim’s item on the Storybook Policy.
Willie & Randy: That’s fine.
Joy: Atlantic North, Atlantic South, for the first quarter, zero money has been spent.
Hayward: Next item: 2008.11.11 Lord’s Prayer in Meetings
Kim: I have issues up in Manitoba, sometime after the conference they got some information that CA has mandated that the “Lord’s Prayer” not be used in any closing of meetings, business meetings etc. So I’m in the process of crafting a reply to an email and I guess I would like to move this to the working part of this weekend.
Page 36 of 109
Hayward: Kim needs some help with the response to the “Lord’s Prayer” in meetings.
Trevor: I would love to be on that with Kim.
Hayward: Kim, Trevor, Joy, Robert and Nick.
Kim: Thanks
Hayward: so are you going to work on it here? We’re all getting tired. We’ve got the subcommittee formed on that right? So Kim’s going to forward the email that came from the member and you will work on that.
Hayward: Next item: 2008.11.12 Ratification of WSOB Director Nominees
Willie: I make a motion that we ratify one or both of the nominees.
Joy: I’ll second that motion.
Hayward: Do we know who they are?
Kim: No, only the names.
Willie: Yvette Holman and Neil Berlinsky
Hayward: Do we want to take this discussion offline?
Everyone: YES
Hayward: As for item number 2008.11.12 Ratification of WSOB Director Nominees, Yvette is ratified by the WSBT as a Director at Large.
Next item: 2008.11.13 AA Permissions
Trevor: Request to go offline during the initial discussion.
Hayward: Yes. As to 2008.11.13 AA Permissions, the World Service Trustee will be in direct contact with the WSOB Chair with this issue and the findings will be reported directly to the Board of Trustees. So this item will be removed from the agenda and as soon as I get the information from the WSOB chair I will report it.
Hayward: Next business item: 2008.11.14 Accounting Internal Procedures
Joy: Motion to move to a subcommittee.
Willie: Second.
Page 37 of 109
Hayward: Motion to move to subcommittee headed by Joy and Willie, does anyone else want in on that? Lawrence. Anyone else want to join this? Any discussion? Motion Passed.
Trevor: Can you add me on that one as well please.
Hayward: Next item: 2008.11.15 Reporting Secretary
Let’s go off record on this one.
Willie: I make the motion that we look for someone else to be our recording transcribe for the WSBT.
Joy: Second.
Hayward: Motion passes. Five in favor, two against?
Kim: Can we have a revote on that.
Hayward: Motion passes.
Kim: Mr. Chair, can I just say that I appreciate Yvette’s desire to serve us, and in the best interest of all involved that’s a difficult decision.
Hayward: Next Item: 2008.11.16 Trustee Event. You know what, we can combine with 2008.11.17 , they are about the same thing.
Willie: Motion to move this to offline.
Hayward: OK
Richard: I’d like to make a motion regarding the Trustee event, that the Trustee at Large be the contact for this event and would coordinate with the Trustee of the Region that the event would be held in.
Joy: Second
Hayward: OK, There’s a motion and a second, that the TAL would be the direct contact with the Director of Resource Planning and Development, and where ever this event is going to be held, that the Trustee of that region be the point person. Motion Passes.
Hayward: Item 2008.11.18 Earmarking
Kim: When did we add that?
Hayward: You emailed that.
Page 38 of 109
Trevor: The earmarking one is the correspondence we receive via Cynthia.
Joy: Motion to move online.
Randy: Second.
Hayward: Motion to move that item of business online with Joy as the lead?
Randy: I’ll take the lead on that.
Joy: Thank you.
Hayward: Who’s going to work with Randy on that response? Randy, Joy, Kim.
Trevor: I want to talk about this. Traditionally, the lead is assigned to the trustee from the region from which the inquiry originates, therefore that would technically be me, now I would be willing to do it, but as I mentioned earlier, that’s my new sponsor, I don’t want to get my ass kicked if she don’t like the answer. I don’t want to say anything that doesn’t, I can, will say anything to Cynthia. So, it’s up to? I would take the lead based on, I don’t want to get in trouble for doing it, and I don’t want to get in trouble for not doing it. She knows enough about our structure to say why aren’t you doing that.
Hayward: For now it’s Randy, Joy, Kim,
Trevor: I will be on that committee.
Willie: Just some clarity because don’t’ the WSBT’s have already something about Earmarked?
Hayward: They will research and add what they need to it.
Willie: Well it’s already done.
Hayward: Well she’s asked specific questions then. Trevor will be on that with them.
Randy: And right out of the chute if anyone after years on the Board has anything that’s been put on, all the questions that are on her email, just to be clear we will need to send them back to her.
Hayward: You go ahead on that.
Kim: Motion to move online: seconded.
Hayward: Motion passes to move on line.
Hayward: It’s late so we will adjourn for the evening, tomorrow we will completely review the agenda complete and work on the online items. Then the last item will be our group inventory.
Page 39 of 109
Joy: There’s an item we need to move off the table 20908.08.01 Per Diem under old business. Travel Reimbursement .17/mile. I wrote down tabled until we meet with Patty, we never brought it up. We wanted to increase our mileage. And I make a motion to move off the table.
Trevor: Second.
Hayward: Motion Passes. That item is off the table.
Joy: I make a motion to leave on the agenda for tomorrow.
Trevor: Second.
Hayward: Motion Passes.
Willie: I’d like to make a motion to move referral 5858 5771 to online.
Joy: Second.
Hayward: Motion passed.
Joy: Motion to move referral 5817 to online… forever.
Randy: Second.
Hayward: Motion Passes.
Lawrence: Motion to move referral number 5796 to online.
Lawrence: I withdraw that motion.
Trevor: I personally would strongly object to moving that online, I think that is something that we as Board would like to spend time discussing. I think that there are 4 people that want to be on it, there are two different sides and it’s 2-2 as far as I could see.
Hayward: Do you want to deal with that now or in the morning? OK we’ll deal with that in the morning and talk about times. Are there any other business items that we have to talk about?
Trevor: 5788, 5794, 5721. Are we going to do anything with those?
Kim: 5788 was done online.
Hayward: What was the next one?
Trevor: Never mind. It looks like 5794, 5821 were done online.
Kim: Motion to move those online
Page 40 of 109
Hayward: We will look at those tomorrow.
Kim: Also, what I have is stuff that is not done.
Hayward: Is there anything else?
Kim: What time are we meeting tomorrow?
Hayward: What time do you want to re-convene in the morning? 9:00am?
Motion to adjourn.
Everybody: Second
Hayward: Motion passes.
Hayward: Good morning everyone it’s 9:15am, Sunday, November 9. We had a long night and now we’re back at it again. Thanks to our secretary, we have three agenda items and anything else will be moved to either conference call or online. So, we will be working on referrals 5784, 5796 and business item 2008.11.11 which is the “Lord’s Prayer” at subcommittee. So, we will be working on those three items and I guess that would be it.
Trevor: I wanted to quickly if we could, talk about a couple of LCF issues, cuz I would like to be able to take those to Cynthia before she starts her conference call in 40 minutes. One of those things for those of you who are new, or who might not remember, or might not know about, this last year at the conference, we had decided that we wanted to try to move in a new direction as far as the way we’re going to do books. Some of you might remember the 20 year wait for HFC, so we had decided to work with Patty in the office to gather submissions. It’s basically the lead role in the meditation book and try to gather new directions as far as centralized publications for all our book sided literature. Apparently that’s going really well with Patty in the lead doing that but there are still things that are falling through the cracks, and Cynthia is asking if we want now to ask LCF to appoint a lead from the committee to start the editing process now, so that we have a chance to get it out. I think that by Denver is a little early, but I think by the Conference might be doable, that’s my personal opinion.
Joy: I say we ask the LCF to appoint a lead so that we can go forward.
Trevor: Right now they have all these stories but nobody is doing anything with the. It’s a new process and everyone’s unsure.
Hayward: Do we need to review those stories or approve them for any violations.
Trevor: Once it’s prepared in a draft form, then it would come to us to review and at such time. Just so you know I’ve already talked to Cynthia and agreed to be on the committee to review them and get the tradition violations taken care of if they are any sooner.
Page 41 of 109
Hayward: Remember at the Conference you had a motion to get us to look at something in there.
Trevor: We sent one of their pamphlets to their committee. And that will come back to us when they are done.
Hayward: Is there anything else.
Trevor: With the Boards permission I will tell Cynthia to go ahead and get that started.
Hayward: I don’t think we need a motion. Does everybody support that?
Everybody: Yes.
Trevor: And the other thing is that back in May we asked again, and I can’t find when we initially asked, but we asked again in May for the office to develop and implement a submissions form for online for the NewsGram or for anything else. I would like to ask Willie to follow up with the office on getting that done as soon as possible, perhaps yesterday.
Hayward: So you asked Taffy.
Trevor: This is back in May and we had asked them at that point to do it.
Hayward: Do you have the original email?
Trevor: It would have been brother Earl at that point taking it to the office from the Board.
Hayward: Do you have something that you could forward to Willie so that he has something to take to the office board?
Trevor: I will get something to Willie by the end of today. And that’s all I got.
Hayward: Anything else you need?
Trevor: No.
Hayward: So we can go offline if there’s nothing else you guys need to discuss and work on those three items. At 11:00am we can come back and do our personal sharing.
Hayward: OK everybody we are back on the record, we have some business to take care of. I need a motion to approve referral number 5784, 5796, and response to business item 2008.11.11.
Randy: Motion to approve in total.
Joy: Second.
Page 42 of 109
Hayward: Motion Passes
Hayward: Is there any other business or anything else we need to discuss.
Kim: So referral 5796, the response to that will actually remain on the business agenda then, at some point, because that referral just says that we are going to further research that right?
Trevor: That will be held in committee it will need to go to legal to investigate. So who’s the head of legal – Willie? OK I will send that to you to investigate as far as getting some sort of contact in aid.
Hayward: Since there is no more business. We’ll go off record and do the last item of business which is our group inventory.
Hayward: Hi everybody we are back from group inventory and there is only one motion that I want to hear.
EVERYBODY: Motion to close.
EVERYBODY: Second.
Hayward: Motion passed. Alright, thank you.
Page 43 of 109
For all attached reports and documents see pdf: 2008-11-07-09-WSBT-Quarterly-Meeting-Minutes.pdf