C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2015 STRUCTURE AND BYLAWS REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:
This is my first year as chair. I was blessed to serve with the 2 previous Chairs of this committee and I realized that I have some pretty big shoes to fill. Fortunately I have a fantastic committee I get to work with and each one has brought so much to the table. I am in awe of their wisdom and dedication to serve. I also need to give a special thanks to Jon H., “The Wizard behind the curtain,” your amazing contributions and tireless work ethic has not gone unnoticed. We are very fortunate to have Yves W. as our Trustee, your experience and guidance is so vital to what we do.
We worked throughout the year via conference calls on the referrals given us. Our goal is to put forth a current and amended WSM, as well as answer each and every referral that is sent to us.
I joined S&B because I wanted to learn more about the Structure and Bylaws of the Fellowship.
I didn’t expect to fall in love with S&B and its committee members, I definitely didn’t expect all the joy and laughter that we have while working together, but that is what I found. I know S&B does not sound like a FUN committee, but we do have fun while serving our Fellowship, we are not a glum lot. If you are curious about S&B I encourage you to come to our committee and give us a shot, we are detailed oriented but have fun while being so.
Thank you for letting me serve this Structure and Bylaws Committee and the Fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous
Dana V.
S&B Chair
| COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS: | ||
| Dana V. | Chair | Julia C. |
| Ernest M. | Vice-Chair | Maria M. |
| Jon H. | Secretary | Suzanne V. |
| Maria K. | Co-Secretary | Robert S. |
| Yves W. | Trustee | Maria M. |
| Scott S. | Debi H. | |
| Michael C. | ||
REFERRALS THAT WERE WORKED ON DURING THE YEAR:
Referral Number 2015S&B-1
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To add to SR21 the following after financial budgets insert new language “or other items approve on the conference floor”
Referral Number 2015S&B-2
Add new language under Statement of Policy item A. that No other individual or entity may use the name cocaine anonymous to coincide with the motion that passed regarding area’s incorporating using the name Cocaine Anonymous.
Referral Number 2015S&B-3
ADD A NEW STANDING RULE “24” for C.A. Conference and/or wherever it may be appropriate. Not to limit debate, but because of the limited time we have at the Conference, when any motion remains for debate on the CAWS Conference floor, and at the discretion of the Conference Chair indicating that no resolution to the debate appears eminent and/or has continued for more than 1 hour, such motion will automatically become eligible for being tabled or returned to the committee that brought it to the floor. (At the discretion of the Conference Chair this standing rule would hopefully limit the number of ‘questionable’ or ‘motions that have not been thoroughly vetted’ before making it to the floor … this would by definition force a “Tabling” or “Refer to Committee” motion at @ 1:01 into the debate of the same motion.”)
Referral Number 2015S&B-4
on page 4 of the WSM 2014 ‘ACRONYMS USED IN THE WORLD SERVICE MANUAL’ please add: WSCITC World Service Conference Internet Technology Committee.
Referral Number 2014-1
To create a policy and/or procedure for how to deconstruct a group, district or area. The WSM provides the design and structure for forming Districts and Areas, but it does not provide any deconstruction options if it were to become necessary to close a district. This may come as a shock, but some Areas that had districts split off to become Areas may find themselves wanted to deconstruct that choice and revert back to a district, Or an Area may elect to remove districts from its structure and revert them back to a GSR only assembly. There is no specific language in the WSM that provides guidance in the event that an Area chooses to limit its size or structure.
Referral Number 2014-2
To add where appropriate to the WSM “Districts are not autonomous” “Committees are not autonomous” or some similar language. What came first? The Chicken or the egg? An Area or
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a District? In Los Angeles, the birthplace of CA – meetings formed an Area and as the Area grew it realized the need for Districts to help manage the business of the Area in designated geographical territories. As the ASM clearly states 10 or more groups/meeting can petition their Area to become a district. But those districts are NOT autonomous from the Area, they are merely an extension of the Area for ‘Managing’ CA business. It needs to be stated clearly that District are not autonomous and are not indemnified by the 4th Tradition. This also true for committees or boards of any kind, whether a Standing Committee in a District, Area or World Service Conference – or boards/committees are not Groups and therefore are not indemnified by the 4th Tradition. This needs to be written in black and white to prevent misinterpretation.
Referral 2014S&B-8
As amended and referred back to S&B: To insert on page 24 of the WSM, Area sub-heading, paragraph 3, line 5 after Area Central Office: If an area chooses to or needs to incorporate be advised that the name “Cocaine Anonymous” belongs to the fellowship as a whole and should not be used as the name of any corporate entity.
Referral Number 2014-12
Would the S&B’s committee please add to the world service manual a list of C.A. approved readings for C.A. meetings
CLOSING COMMENTS:
This is a great way to get to know the WSM up close and personal. It has given the committee members an opportunity to bring back the information they learn in our committee back to their own Areas and pass it on. I would like to invite you to the Structure and Bylaws Committee this year to gain more knowledge about the WSM while having fun.
Dana V.
Structure and Bylaws Chair
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Tony D. – Any questions for the committee? Seeing none, next up is Unity.
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