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C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2004
WORLD SERVICE BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS
Point of Information- Addendum is following our report
Opening Comments
First, I wish to thank the entire World Service Board of Trustees (WSBT) for their hard work this year. Two members of our current Board are rotating out; Jahi B, TAL and Elizabeth S, WSOT. Their dedication and commitment to the CA Fellowship is as unique as each one of them are as individuals, but they are very much the same in their passion and love for Cocaine Anonymous. I wish to thank them for their service. They will be missed.
Between our quarterly meetings and conference calls, the WSBT has continued to work on many of the matters of business by e-mail. In our ongoing efforts to communicate with the Fellowship we are now providing records of all motions which are passed as a result of our online business.
We, the WSBT, will continue to be of service and to do what is best for Cocaine Anonymous as dictated by a loving God that guides us through our group conscience and it is our great pleasure to be of service to the CA Fellowship.
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Committee Introductions
Teri K., Atlantic South Regional Trustee & WSBT Chair
Jahi B., Trustee at Large & WSBT Vice Chair
Cynthia C., Pacific North Regional Trustee & WSBT Secretary
Jackie S., Atlantic North Regional Trustee
Jay F., Southwest Regional Trustee
Tony D., Midwest Regional Trustee
John B., World Service Trustee
Elizabeth S., World Service Office Trustee
Jay F. please take this home and read it. There are important matters here.
COMMITTEE WORK THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
None.
REFERRALS THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
#3501: Per the attached NewsGram article, “CA and the AA Big Book,” Vol. 7, No. 2, 4th Quarter 1994, page 7, please propose another advisory opinion allowing use of Bill W’s “Twelve Concepts of World Service” at CA meetings. CA has adopted AA’s Steps, Traditions and Concepts. But until Bill’s AAWS-published writings are similarly available, it remains a violation of CA Tradition to use these valuable writings for, say, a “Concept Study” meeting by a CA Group. We desperately need this tool to educate our Fellowship about these vital Concepts! (See Attached)
We can find nothing official to date which adopted these writings of Bill W.’s. Nonetheless, these writings have become the cornerstone of reference for delegates, service leaders and others throughout our fellowship. In fact, these writings are made available by the WS Office at the WS Conference for delegate use and are given to each new Trustee upon election. We also know of at least one concept study by a group which uses these writings weekly. We need to further investigate whether CA has ever obtained permission to use these writings, which might have been done when it received permission to use/adopt the Concepts in the first place.
Motion to approve the following advisory opinion:
The book “A.A. Service Manual Combined with the Twelve Concepts for World Service” is a valuable tool of recovery and service and as such, it is the opinion of Cocaine Anonymous that meetings and service meetings within the fellowship should be allowed to have this book available to support the members in their recovery. Second
Karen L.- I speak in favor of the motion. I believe it is necessary for the service structure. I know it has been invaluable to us in CALA.
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Nicholas L.- I speak in favor of the motion.
I had a trustee interview and it has been valuable to me personally.
Kevin M.- Point of information- Do you think that this motion would indicate that those books would– be available for use in service at the conference?
Jay Yes
Bryan S.- Point of information- How can we insure that what we are using is the most current manual for our purposes?
Jay F.- We just want to leave it generic, as it already is for the Big Book, e.g.
Rana D.- Speaks in favor.
Motion to approve the following advisory opinion:
The book “A.A. Service Manual Combined with the Twelve Concepts for World Service” is a valuable tool of recovery and service and as such, it is the opinion of Cocaine Anonymous that meetings and service meetings within the fellowship should be allowed to have this book available to support the members in their recovery.
Motion Passes with minor opposition.
REFERRALS OR ITEMS TABLED UNTIL NEXT YEAR; AND ITEMS THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE WORKING ON THROUGH THE YEAR
#3945: Review the Area Structure in Pacific South with reference to several very small Areas. Consider whether in the interests of CA Unity, and in the interest of creating more viable areas, several PS Areas should be combined. Particularly, merging Orange County and San Diego together and incorporating Central Cal into SF Valley.
We will continue to work on this throughout the year.
REFERRALS OR ITEMS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES, WORLD SERVICE OFFICE, OR BOARD OF TRUSTEES
#3364: I would like to see the Trustees come up with a CA – 12×12 book (no time line). They are the guardians of our Traditions and know them, the 12 Steps and Traditions (I have to say better than any of us) well. I think this would facilitate the fellowship survey’s requests for our own literature. One of the pieces anyway I think they would be the most knowledgeable and capable to carry out this task.
Referred to LCF.
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REFERRALS THAT DID NOT RESULT IN MOTIONS
#006: Regarding Milwaukee slideshow (unable to locate original referral language):
Due to copyright material on the Milwaukee media presentation it was necessary to get approval to use and or distribute this presentation with in our fellowship. The publishers of the copyrighted material denied this approval thus the presentation would not be available for any use by our fellowship.
#1137: The Trustee Election Committee should obtain the names of at least five persons from the office of the California Secretary of State from the registry maintained pursuant to California Corporation Code Section 18 of qualified women and minority persons who are available to serve on corporate Boards for evaluation and review for selection as a new non-Addict Trustee.
The WSBT whole-heartedly supports the spirit of this referral but after much research and examination of our finances, we find that at this time we are unable to fulfill the referral for two reasons. First, California Corporation Code Section 18 has been changed and no longer contains a list/database of qualified women and minority persons available to serve on corporate Boards. This database was transferred over to the State University systems where it was merged with MBE/WBE business through the state. This list would provide names of Minorities and Women business owners in the state but does not automatically insure that they are willing to serve on corporate Boards. Second, although CA’s finances are improving they have not improved to the point where adding a non-addict Trustee is fiscally prudent.
#2228: Define gender specific meetings or groups
In our CA literature, including the WSM and the pamphlet “the Home Group,” there is no mention of the idea or concept of special interest meetings or groups. In fact, reference to such meetings and groups are not found anywhere in our CA approved materials.
The idea of a special interest meeting or group, however, can be found in writings and materials of other fellowships, an example is found in the AA Pamphlet entitled “the Group” and is as follows:
“Some A.A.’s come together as specialized A.A. groups—for men, women, young people, doctors, gays and others. If the members are all alcoholics, and if they open the door to all alcoholics who seek help, regardless of profession, gender or other distinction, and meet all the“ other aspects defining an A.A. group, they may call themselves an A.A. group (page 15, 16).
While we are mindful of the notion of special interest meetings and groups as found in this reference from AA and from our research within other fellowships, we decline to officially define them for use in and by CA or to recognize them as anything separate formally from any other type of group. In addition, we as a board decline to sanction them or to not sanction them.
Further, we are reminded of our Traditions, specially Tradition Numbers 1,3,4,5 and the fact what makes this fellowship great is that we come together not because of our differences but
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because we’ve found a common solution to our problems.
#2681: Is it a tradition violation for a District to receive contributions for donations from outside sources for District or Area events?
We thank you for this referral and the chance to study the Seventh Tradition. In the 12&12 under the explanation of the Seventh Tradition is a great narrative which guides us here. It provides that, related to accepting gifts from outside sources, fellowships must remain poor and have running expenses plus a prudent reserve and no more. It further adds that if the groups or areas were to receive funds from outside sources, its Trustees might be tempted to run things without reference to the wishes of the fellowship as a whole. The 12&12 goes on to say, “The pressure of that kind of fat treasury would surely tempt the board to invent all kinds of schemes to do good with such funds, and so divert (the fellowship) from its primary purpose.”
#2863: That the proceeds from the Regional conventions go directly to the Trustees to be used to defer cost for their travel, food and lodging cost that incur during the year. (In other words; to the Trustee fund or budget.)
The spirit of this referral certainly addresses a very creative solution to finance the Trustee’s expenses and to allow more funds to be available for other endeavors supporting CA. As each group is autonomous, so is the hosting Area of a regional convention and any decisions made with regard to proceeds from a regional convention must be made by that committee/group conscience.
Minority opinion (Elizabeth S.): I feel that suggesting allocation for 7th Traditions donations to be earmarked for possible funding of Trustees may bring disunity to this fellowship. As Trustees are fiscal overseers of this fellowship it is not prudent for us to suggest allocation that could impede the program services of our fellowship. Some examples of program services include starter kits, inmate books, Public Information, literature and W.S. Conference and Committees. I believe that this response to the referral could send the wrong message by not supporting program services of our fellowship and carry the message to addicts who still suffer by limiting our contributions to any one entity.
#2868: What is the original referral number and final response regarding CA announcements at CA meetings?
We were unable to find the original referral number, but here is the WSBT’s response:
Announcements at CA meetings may include any business or event(s) pertaining to CA Groups, Districts, Areas, Regions, the World Service Conference or World Service Office. No other announcements may be made before, during or after a CA meeting.
John: 5th concept statement. I think we just got into a weird area of trying to tell a meeting what it can and cannot do. I tend to agree with the spirit of what we were trying to accomplish, but to me it gets into the dicey area of governing; I would have preferred to refer it, but wasn’t able to do it timely enough.
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#3516: Please construct and write a statement such as “Cocaine Anonymous uses the Big Book of AA as our basic text.” We have been somewhat divided on this issue for the past 4 to 5 years. In my 13+ years of recovery in Cocaine Anonymous, neither I or any of many other recovering addicts have had a question as to the value of the Big Book in our recovery or the fact that using it does not affiliate us with AA. I would like to see a WS Conference approved statement which would, once and for all, affirm what we have been saying informally for the past 20+ years.
For background, we attach a copy of an entire NewsGram article from 1994 which provides detailed background on this question. In pertinent part we quote:
“… in an effort to clarify our relationship with these two books, making clear the complete lack of affiliation with any outside entity in keeping with the Sixth Tradition, the World Service Conference — the voice of the group conscience of the whole Fellowship — passed the following advisory opinion on August 20th, 1989: “THE BOOKS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AND TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS ARE TWO OF OUR MOST VALUABLE TOOLS OF RECOVERY AND AS SUCH, IT IS THE OPINION OF COCAINE ANONYMOUS THAT MEETINGS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THESE BOOKS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT MEMBERS IN THEIR RECOVERY.”
What this quite clearly means is that we do not own these books, they are not ours to change or even say that they are “ours” in any sense of the word. These books are generously loaned to us, for our use, by AA, and for that we are truly grateful.
About this same time, while many of us acknowledged“BigBook,” thmatnytheo heart of the recovery program
About this same time, while many of us acknowledged that the heart of the recovery program was described in the first 164 pages of the “Big Book,” many of the personal stories were hard to identify with, particularly for newcomers. We needed a book to call our own, and felt strongly that we couldn’t improve on the set of directions in that first 164 pages, but we could certainly tell our own stories! As a result, we are able to hold in our hands Hope, Faith and Courage — our own book of stories — through the efforts of many trusted servants. But we also have the “Big Book” and ì12 & 12î to refer to for guidance in reading the roadmap of recovery.î
At this time, the WSBT does not believe it is necessary to modify or seek any change from the Conference to this Advisory Opinion, or to issue any new statement regarding CA’s use of the AA Big Book.
Please note also that the WSBT is bringing forth a separate motion to present at the Conference to seek inclusion into the World Service Manual of a complete list of all Conference approved literature.
#3583: Is there anything wrong or a violation of any Tradition, By-Laws, Concepts or Charter to sell water as a fund-raiser, or to sell past memorabilia, as a fund-raiser, to raise funds for upcoming events. Clarification: a group or meetings.
The 7th Tradition states that each CA group ought to be fully self-supporting declining outside contributions. Thus to raise funds in of itself is not a violation of Traditions. In fact, the Long
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Form of the 7th Tradition starts out that: “The {AA} groups themselves ought to be fully supported by the voluntary contributions of their own members.î The paragraph continues and warns though, ì{we} view with much concern those AA treasuries which continue beyond prudent reserves, to accumulate funds for no stated A.A. purpose.”
Therefore, the sale of water or soda or similar refreshments at a meeting by a group for a stated purpose would be acceptable, as long as the sales were solely to members of the fellowship. The same would hold true for approved memorabilia as long as the funds were raised for a stated purpose. The phrase in the referral references “funds for upcoming events” which is of some concern as the phrase has no clear specificity which the Tradition seems to require.
We need to remember that the CA trademark should be utilized only after prior approval by the applicable service body as set forth in WSM 1.9.
We are also mindful of two earlier Traditions which come into play here. The 5th Tradition states that “Each group has but one primary purpose… to carry its message to the addict who still suffers.î Careful consideration and possible alteration of a planned activity should always be given if at any time an activity within our group or meetings infringe upon this vital Tradition. The sixth Tradition, to paraphrase, states that we should not let money, property or prestige divert us from our primary purpose. Once again, this Tradition comes prior to the seventh and illustrates the importance of our primary purpose. Therefore if selling water, memorabilia, future or past, diverts or distracts from our primary purpose then it would be against Traditions.”
#3647: To revive the Trustee P.I. Committee. This committee was composed of a Trustee, a WSOB member and a volunteer working through the WS Office. This committee addressed issues of CA on a national and international level. These would be newspaper articles, TV, radio and motion pictures: and other related outlets – magazines, periodicals, etc.
Thank you for bringing this matter forward. Although the WSBT agrees that this committee should be reinstated so that issues of CA can be addressed on a national and international level, at this time, it is felt that it can be an extremely time consuming activity as well as having a financial impact which the CA Fellowship cannot currently afford. As such, this referral will remain with the WSBT and be turned over to the WSBT Long Term Planning Committee to develop specific objectives and guidelines which will help with implementation and financing of this committee.
#3946: Trademark: “and all other mind-altering substances” (John) – from draft May minutes:
The WSBT has investigated the cost considerations of trademarking and determined that the cost would be $800-1,000 U.S.
#3993: What can we do to protect the 5th Concept statement on the floor, if anything?
Bill W.’s writings on the Fifth Concept are clear setting forth the importance of Fifth Concept Appeals and Petitions. However, we as a Board have witnessed the possible abuse and ‘s overreaching of this Concept on the Conference floor. We also support the Conference Chair
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right to control both the timing and content of all activities occurring during Conference sessions.
However, in an effort to support the sanctity of Conference floor time and to keep the Conference focused on the matters before it, we will request that the Conference Chair read the following during his/her opening remarks on the first day of the Conference each year:
Our fellowship has had a long history of supporting and embracing the Fifth Concept as set forth in our World Service Manual. On the floor, the Chair has been very liberal of letting most anyone say anything couched under the phrase of the person making a “Fifth Concept statement” when that person does not agree with a vote or action of the Conference itself. However, in recent years this wide latitude has been somewhat abused with such statements straying far off point of the topic from time to time, with the makers of the statements becoming irate and personally attacking the Chair, other members of the floor and others even not in attendance. Please, when you exercise this right during this Conference, remain mindful to keep your comments on point related to why you disagree with the action, please remain as calm as possible and be mindful of our overall primary purpose here. Thank you.
Elizabeth S.- Thank you closing. I want to say to all of you as I walk out the door: remember the newcomer with love in your heart.
Jahi B.- Thank you closing- In four years I have had many feelings about being in this position. I have felt loved and unappreciated. I have felt pressure and I have felt the brunt of those hard decisions. I did not know what being a Trustee was about. When you actually get into it is a whole other thing. I hope that I have done something to CA. I know that this experience has helped me to be a better person.
WSBT Officers:
Chair: Teri K., Atlantic South Regional Trustee
Vice-Chair: Cynthia C., Pacific North Regional Trustee
Secretary: Jay F., Southwest Regional Trustee
CAWS, Inc. Corporate Officers:
President: John B., World Service Trustee
Vice President: Jackie S., Atlantic North Regional Trustee
Treasurer: Tony D., Midwest Regional Trustee
Secretary: Jay F., Southwest Regional Trustee
CLOSING COMMENTS
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We thank you for allowing us to be of service.
Respectfully Submitted:
World Service Board of Trustees
If you have questions or comments on these referrals, or any matter, please contact us at WSBT@ca.org.
Questions?
Don L.- My question is through everything that has occurred with Calgary do you feel soured?
Terry K.- No not at all. We are all addicts
Rick H.- Are you aware that in spite of the fact that I give you a hard time that I have love and respect for you?
Teri K.- Yes.
Rick H.- Is and are the Big Book and 12 and 12 CA conference approved literature?
Jay F.- No, because we did not write them.
Shane M.- You made a motion to approve an AA manual . Can you elaborate on those questions regarding the AA materials?
Cynthia C.- We are accepting pieces from any members and this has been addressed at this conference.
Shane M.- If you guys are not willing to let go of the AA stuff , then how can we?
Cynthia C.- I believe the intent is to allow us to use AA materials until we have our own. –
Teri K.- We keep CA in mind all the time.
Bob L.- In regards to 3647, and with the PI committee issue, why was it turned over to the WSBT long term planning committee to develop?
Teri K.- I appreciate your concern and frustration. We have a long term planning committee. We are working to regain the ground that might have lost in years past. We have a full and robust agenda. This referral is getting our attention.
Billy H. – From Ronald and my self. We want to know if you are passing on the Tiara-Elizabeth S.- The Tiara was a gift to me, but I may give up in time for a CA fund raiser.
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Ronald A.- Are you aware just how spiritual you made this conference?
Teri K.- We are now.
Chair- Thank you to everyone who has served so tirelessly who are leaving us as the last year. Welcome to all the new comers – Keep coming back it works
Break- short
C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2004
Parliamentary inquiry- Ronald A.- Are you aware that you did not stand up as an out going
Chair?
Applause
Ronald – Thanks Dad