Adult Children of Alcoholics--World Service Organization
Agenda
Monthly Teleconference
Saturday, May 11, 2013
1:00 p.m. CST
Access number: 712.432.0075, Pin 427266# Press *6 to mute or un-mute. Please notify the secretary with changes, additions, or motions for this meeting.
A. Call to Order: Please be sure that any background noises in your area are eliminated since the sounds make it difficult for participants to hear. When speaking, please say your name first. This will help us record your name with your input. Thank you.
1) Open with the Serenity Prayer
2) Concept V: Throughout our structure, we maintain at all responsible levels a traditional Right of Participation.
B. Roll Call:
1) Board Members Present:
2) Establish Quorum
3) Introduce Committee Chairpersons
4) Introduction of Guests: Welcome guests. After the introductions, we respectfully ask that guests hold their comments until the end of our meeting. To allow all of the vsitors to have a chance to share, we will limit guest comments to 3-5 minutes. If someone needs to talk further, they may do so after the close of the meeting. Only board members may talk while we have discussions.
C. Minutes: Motion to approve the April 2013 Teleconference Minutes (Joan)
D. Monthly Reports (5 minutes each)
1. ACA WSO Treasurer, MaryJo (this month's report by outgoing Treasurer, Phyllis)
2. ACA WSO Literature Committee, Larry A
3. ACA WSO Office Report, DiAnne A
4. ACA WSO Outreach Committee, Vonnie G
5. ACA Website/Database Committee, Scott R
6. Hospitals & Institutions Committee, Joan B
7. European Committee Report,
8. Executive Committee Report, Larry A.
9. 2013 ABC Report, Karen
E. Old Business:
1. For the ACA WSO Board of Trustees to provide guidance on any concerns about anonymity and possible Tradition concerns regarding making a video of a Sponsorship workshop by a group. The group would like to put this video, (or audio, whichever is the best to protect anonymity) on YouTube, the ACA WSO website, and offer it directly to other ACA communities to use to promote sponsorship. (Phyllis) (2nd MaryJo) Discussion indicated uncertainty about anonymity, tabled for discussion at this TC.
2. Repurposing 7th Tradition donations to be solely used to fund various ACA Board committees and projects.
Background: Current balance sheets show that 7th Traditions are subsidizing the Distribution Center which leaves the WSO vulnerable to the ebb and flow of 7th Tradition donations.
3. To create a budget and also establish an annual budget review process for when year-end numbers become available.
Background: Having a budget is critical to being financially sound because it establishes our financial priorities and limitations. Not having a budget leaves us constantly unsure of our resources to carry forward important initiatives.
4. Regarding book orders, To insure that we are not paying shipping and storage feesthat potentially offset most of the savings of placing large orders with Bang.
Background: A delivery of books shipped on a truck with a lift gate costs extra $350. It was recommended that we obtain a donated forklift to save this money. To consider: 1) we would need a trained forklift operator (Trudy qualifies); 2) would need to rearrange the warehouse and add shelving which would allow us to get larger orders delivered as we grow further; 3) additional insurance requirements, if any.
5. We subsidize costs of UPS drop shipments to other countries.
Background: UPS told us of the possibility of using them to send drop shipments abroad. Currently only the Finns and Danes seem to be in a position to receive drop shipments.
6. Investigate potential cost savings of printing soft cover BRBs and workbooks in Valencia to save shipping costs.
Background: The Bang California site prints everything except hard cover books. Larry spoke with Kay at Bang and found we would save on freight but incur a one-time cost of setting up the printing.
7. Moving foreign language books and workbooks to the extra room in the office area, unless shelving is added to the warehouse.
Background: Foreign language books are not moving and taking up valuable warehouse space.
8. Enhance Outreach and H & I programs by donating damaged books to libraries, etc., as these books take up valuable floor space. Alternate recommendation: sell less blemished books as a reduced "final sale" rate.
9. Create a Purchase Order System
Background: suggestion from Patricia
10. Ship new meeting packets unassembled.
Background: Reduce task load of staff members in order to cut costs.
11. Do we continue to provide space for an ACA group to meet at Warehouse/Distribution address?
Background: small room only houses coffee, a small refrigerator and a portable desk and could be used more efficiently to free warehouse space of damaged books, foreign books and workbooks and/or filing cabinets; additional concerns of privacy issues withunlocked desks, file holders on desktops, if meeting grows, where will overflow sit? Is warehouse locked during meetings? Liability or insurance issues?
F. New Business:
Motion #1: To establish a new committee under the auspices of the WSO Board entitled European Committee. (Joan)
The activities and responsibilities of this committee will be established by the Board and describe duties, define the geographic boundaries of this committee and budget for them to attend the ABC. Majbrit and any Chairperson in the future must be accessible for teleconference meetings, have access to and respond to emails, provide information concerning meetings, intergroups, contact information, translations as well as working on projects the Board has decided to investigate, e.g. overseas printing options.
Background: This past year a European Committee was active and reported to the Board when information was available. This committee had not been officially established by the Board, but had been active since the 2012 ABC. Anja, the former Board member reporting for the European Committee resigned her position on the Board at the end of the 2013 ABC. She suggested Majbrit as her replacement. Majbrit has offered to serve on this committee beginning with the 2013 ABC.
Motion #2: That the Chair be authorized to sign the affidavit in support of the application to trademark the term "Adult Children of Alcoholics" on behalf of the ACA. (Larry as Literature Chair)
Background: The 2012 ABC asked that the WSO trademark the term Adult Children of Alcoholics. This is a follow up to the application that was filed last year.
Motion #3: To approve the expenditure of up to $2,960 for the audio version of the BRB.
Background: The audio BRB was donated to us last year and the production company is asking for a partial payment before finalizing the audio BRB (Larry as Literature Chair)
Motion #4: To approve the expenditure of $260 for the preparation of the copyright application and the filing fee of the Danish BRB.
Background: The WSO is entrusted with the responsibility to protect the intellectual property of the fellowship. Filing for Copyright protection for each version of the BRB ensures that no one else can use the BRB without the WSO's expressed written permission. (Larry as Literature Chair)
Motion #5: To have webmaster investigate use or access to Skype as a way for the fellowship to have access to ACA events. (Karen)
Background: The questions of this possibility kept coming to surface at the 2013 ABC
Guest Comments:
Announcements: The next ACA WSO Teleconference is scheduled for June 8, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. CST
Adjournment:
Close with the Serenity Prayer
Respectfully Submitted,
Karen Ragan, ACA WSO Secretary
