World Service Office Board of Directors Meeting
October 10, 1996
Proposed Minutes
MEETING was called to order at 7:34 PM
SERENITY PRAYER led by Scott
TRADITION ELEVEN was read by Jeff
CONCEPT ELEVEN was read by K.D,
ROLL CALL
Scott Stevenson, Chairperson
Jeff Schachter, Vice Chair
Ed Godfrey, Treasurer
Chuck McCollum, Secretary
K.D. Zager, WSO Director of Operations
Susan Turnbull, WSO Trustee
Meredith Amos, WS Trustee
Joe Stephens, Pacific South Regional Trustee
QUORUM was met
Motion: To approve minutes of September 26, 1996. Seconded. PASSED.
OFFICER’S REPORTS
Chairperson: Scott reported that he has consolidated all of the board members’ employee reviews, re the Director of Operations, into a single review which he gave to K.D, earlier today.
Vice Chair: No report
Treasurer: We have a reserve balance of $53, 958.87, which breaks down as follows:
$41,028.74 WSO Prudent reserve; $12,748,13 Book reserves; $182.00 PSA fund. * For the month of September 1996 we took in $22,773.40 in sales of Chips & Literature, $4,934.32 in book sales, $5857.70 in seventh tradition contributions, $10,000 as a transfer from CAWS 1996 convention proceeds and $1130.00 in miscellaneous income. • In the first ten days of October we took in $1,690,77 in chips & literature sales, $975,10 in book sales and $265.22 in seventh tradition contributions. * We need to make the office reserve contribution. The last one made was in July 1996.
We experienced difficulties with our accounting software, resulting in checks being issued/ printed in error. All of those checks were voided in the computer, but as KD was able to rescue the blank check stock from the printer before all of them actually printed, we were able to issue other checks with some of the same check numbers that appear to have been voided, The software problem has been resolved with the aid of our accountants.
Page 1 of 5
KD announced at this time that we need new signature cards for our bank accounts.
These were completed.
TRUSTEE REPORTS
WSO Trustee: The Trustees had their conference cal!–we now have the answers to the three question which we referred to the WSBT; they can be found in the Operations Report. [1] Susan is working on a “chain of command” policy proposal which will be presented to this board after review and approval by the WSBT. Trustees’ meeting will be moved to the last weekend in January rather than February. There will be no conference call in October.
WS Trustee: KD and Randall will work together with Meredith on the 1998 Conference hotel negotiations.
P.S. Regional Trustee: The Trustees are concerned that some requests coming into WSO have bee relayed directly to the WSBT without the WSOB being notified, if only as an FYI. This falls under the “Chain of Command” policy that Susan is developing. •
CAWS 98: The committee has narrowed the hotel selection down to two; The Country Inn or Holiday Inn. Both are presenting rates of between $85-95. The committee will meet at the Holiday Inn, look it over, and make a final decision. • They have a question: What is the process regarding reimbursement of their ongoing expenses; gas, etc.? • They have been discussing the prospect of holding a fund-raiser in Las Vegas at Halloween 1997; a mini-convention, as it were. They suggest that, if it were to succeed, it is something that Inter-area could coordinate in the following years. • Their next meeting is December 1. • The South Central Vice Chair has called the office, requesting a letter as a sort of personal voucher, stating the number of years he has been a member of our fellowship, etc. This is desired for the purpose of re-gaining a job lost a few years back. Joe suggested to him that this should come from the people that know him, in his own area.
It was noted that, in the future, we will include a separate CAWS report at ail board meetings.
OPERATIONS REPORT – K.D. Zager
Operations Report read and incorporated into these minutes. Notable discussions;
- Direct internet access/WEB site – Referred to new biz.
- Cease and desist letter (designed to protect any 6th Tradition violations and/or trademark infringements): The Trustees do not want a standard letter available, as it might eventually be subject to indiscriminate use.
Page 2 of 5
- Page 1, 3rd paragraph from the bottom should read, 3rd Quarter Financial Report not Tax return.
- We could be looking at a November 1 move date. KD will have all three carpet bids by next meeting.
OLD BUSINESS
-Phone System TABLED
-Voice mail system/800 answering service
TABLED pending evaluation of David K.’s software.
NEW BUSINESS
– Goals & Priorities for 1996-1997
- Financial Reporting Layout: (Scott, Ed & KD) To rework the layout of the Internal reports that provide the financial information for this board and the WSBT. it was suggested that Scott Brown be contacted and included in the process of revamping the layout.
- Finance: To place the budgeted numbers vs. the actual numbers on the 1997 financial statements, beginning the first quarter.
- CAWS 1998: To set all fiscal controls for CAWS ’98 in place by the end of the 2nd quarter 1997, before the 1997 Conference. There have been no fiscal controls for Denver thus far-we want to be on top of this for ’98. Joe will stay involved with the CAWS 98 committee.
- CAWS 1997: To finalize procedures for handling disbursements-Resolve who will do what between the CAWS Committee and the WSO.
- PSA’s: To set into place an easy and streamlined way of getting the spots to the areas, (Chuck)
- Board/Office Communications: To improve all lines of communication; between the Directors themselves as well as between the Directors and Office staff. We should communicate as much as possible in writing—E-mail, memos, faxes, whatever- so that we have documentation and reference.
- Delegation/Assignments: To evaluate projects as they arise, and delegate whether they are Office projects or Board projects, and be clear on who has been assigned to the task and–more importantly–that those assigned follow through.
Page 3 of 5
- WSO Committees: To rejuvenate the WSO Committees (Hospitals & Institutions, Public Information, etc.). Possibly Vice chair could coordinate.
-PI Discount
KD outlined a Public Information discount policy on page 3 of the Operations Report. The discount would be, (as approved on the 1996 Conference floor), 50%–applicable only to the pieces, “What is C A?” and “Self Test for Cocaine Addiction.”
Motion: To approve the Pi Discount as outlined in the Operations Report. Seconded. PASSED.
-NewsGram Subscriptions
It was discussed that some members of the fellowship might be willing to pay to have each issue of the NewsGram delivered to them in the mail. Our labor and material costs would be around $6,00 (the NewsGram would be delivered in an envelope in the spirit of the 12th Tradition). $10.00 was the suggested subscription fee. The fee, above our costs, would be viewed as a Seventh Tradition donation. We would make it very clear that NewsGram is always free of charge if you pick it up at meetings.
Motion: To offer subscriptions to the NewsGram at $10.00 per year. Seconded. PASSED.
-Director of Operations’ compensation.
The was an Executive Session held to discuss a Salary increase for the Director of Operations.
Motion: To grant a salary increase of 5% to our Director of Operations effective Oct. 1, 1996. Seconded. PASSED w/two abstentions.
Motion: To continue., as part of the compensation package, an annual allowance of up to $750.00 for our Director of Operation’s continuing education. Seconded. PASSED.
-Raise range for calendar year 1997.
The WSOB minutes of November 10,1995 compel this board to “on an annual basis, after each World Service Conference, establish a range of “raise percentages” to be applied to each full-time employee evaluation in the coming fiscal year7 The range established at that time (0-7%) was for the remainder of ’95 and the entire year of 1996. It is time to establish the range for 1997. TABLED.
Page 4 of 5
-Direct internet Access
Kevin M. has researched this in great detail. $ 14.95 is the cost that Pac Bell is going to charge us for a telephone direct line between the computer and the internet. Hiring a service provider with the server containing our web site will come later. The question arose, What if we change phone systems? Can we get this charge added in as part of our telephone service package? KD will look into that when the time comes. Meanwhile:
Motion: To approve to monthly expense of $14,95 for direct internet access. Seconded. PASSED.
-Taping of Board meetings for archives. TABLED.
-November calendar
The 2nd meeting in November, as of this point, is canceled due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Motion: To adjourn at 11:18 p.m. Seconded. PASSED.
MEETING ADJOURNED at 11:18 PM with the Serenity Prayer.
Respectfully submitted,
Chuck McCollum
Page 5 of 5