Agenda

Monthly Teleconference

Saturday, July 13, 2013

2:00 p.m. EST

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. **You can also attend the Teleconference using your computer.  Click here for information.

A. Call to Order:

     Serenity Prayer

     Reading of Concept 7

B. Roll Call:

    1) Board Members Present:

    2) Establish Quorum:

    3) Introduce Committee Chairpersons:

    4) Welcome guests

C. Minutes (of June TC made available prior to this TC): 

       *Motion to approve the previous month's Teleconference Minutes

D. Monthly Reports (5 minutes each)

1. ACA WSO Treasurer, MaryJo

2. ACA WSO Literature Committee, Larry A

3. ACA WSO Office Report, DiAnne A

     3a.  Progress on Special Office tasks (Larry)

4. ACA WSO Outreach Committee, Vonnie G

5. ACA Website/Database Committee, Scott R

6. Hospitals & Institutions Committee, Joan B

7. European Committee Report, Majbrit M.

8. Executive Committee Report, Larry A.   

E. Old Business:

     1. To create a budget and also establish an annual budget review process for when year-end numbers become available. (Original issue from May 2013) 

F. New Business:          

Motion #1: Move to remove from our ACA Meetings Referral List, Phone Bridge meeting  TEL159  at 712-432-8808, pin: 2233#  that meets  on Tuesdays and is called “The Fourth Tradition” meeting.  This meeting was registered in January 2013. (Karen)

Background:  While ACA WSO does not monitor or “police” meetings, we do have a serious responsibility to ensure the compliance of the meetings we do list as being respectful and adhering to the ACA Traditions and Concepts, as per their agreement when registering.  We do make attempt to follow up on any complaints regarding Tradition Violations, advertising, and/or solicitations. The ACA WSO Meetings referral list is a service provided by volunteers within Tradition 5, Concept III.    No meeting is ever presumed to be speaking for ACA as a whole, the WSO Board, or making implications thereof.  After complaint and investigation, we have found the above mentioned meeting in violation of several ACA Traditions, advertising and soliciting donations for a personal business, and making statements implicating they are speaking on behalf of ACA as a whole.       

 

Motion #2: To authorize the Chair to sign the Affidavit of continuing use for US registration No. 3,460,353 ACA & Design and to pay our Trademark attorney $750 for the preparation of the affidavit.  (Larry)

Background:  Our Trademark is due for renewal and this affidavit will allow us to continue using until our 10 year anniversary when we will renew our trademark for 10 years. 

 

Motion #3: Move to approve the use of the Staples aggressive pricing plan for non-profits. (Larry)

Background: We are looking to bring down the cost of the tri-folds as much as possible. Even though the aggressive pricing plan will forego rewards which can be received on purchases with another account, this will achieve the goal of reducing the cost of tri-folds.

 

Motion #4: Raise the price on the New Meeting Packet from $9.50 to $15.00. (MaryJo)
  
Background:  The cost to produce the binder is currently about $9 plus the labor to assemble it.

 
Motion #5:  Sell a package assembly called a New Meeting Essentials for $35.00 that will include the New Meeting Packet, BRB and Workbook. (MaryJo)
  
Background:  This will give anyone who is thinking of starting a meeting the essential components of the ACA program at a reduced rate that will hopefully encourage people to think more seriously about starting a new meeting. 

 

Motion #6:  Move to approve the expenditure of $59 to shred between 21-24 boxes of order forms over 4 years old. (Larry)

Background: We are only required to hold onto business records for four years. The boxes are taking up space in the warehouse, and the cost is reasonable given the labor cost we would incur if we did this in-house. 

 

Motion #7: That the Board of Trustees adopt a policy of conducting an annual ACA WSO Inventory/Processing Audit  for the purpose of orientating the Board to the Literature Distribution Center processes and exercise oversight over the personnel. To promote consistency and the rotation of service, the Inventory/Audit shall be conducted by a team of two (2) Board members (whose membership will include one member from the previous year's team and another member of the Board) going to the Signal Hill, California ACA Literature Distribution Center (The Home Office). (Larry)

Background:   Two board members (Larry and Mary Jo) went in February, 2013, in order to better understand the ACA Literature Distribution Center's workings, storage, general office management and effective response to the fellowship. The 2013 Inventory/Audit produced positive brainstorming ideas to increase efficiency and effectiveness.       

 

Motion #8:  Move to send $100 to Scott and Phyllis for partial reimbursement of personal expenses related to a Signal Hill ACA Home Office visit. Their expenses included taking available staff members out for a meal, as well as time spent by the webmaster investigating and discussing computer issues. (Karen)

Background: This trip was not authorized or assigned by the board, however Scott and Phyllis took a personal trip in the area of our home office and Scott as webmaster took the opportunity to stop by and check on some computer issues with the WSO Office staff. Prior to the trip, the board was asked to consider reimbursement, but we gave no response. Scott and Phyllis worked in the side trip and the meal for available staff from their personal time and resources anyway, which was a good show of support, encouragement and inclusion to the Home Office staff in relation to initial changes being brought on by this new board.

 

Motion #9: That the Board adopt a policy that allows the Board to decide minor issues by either:   general consensus with a majority of Board members agreeing in principle with an overall goal without defining the specific method of achieving that goal and leaving the means of achieving that goal to the Board Member who is leading that effort or specific concurrence that I would define as the majority of the Board agreeing with a specific goal and the Board Member raising the issue specifying the method of achieving that goal. (Larry)

Background:  We have concerns raised in e-mails that are not resolved.  This will help in moving the items along to resolution.  Major items will be decided by Motions at the regular teleconference.             

 

Motion #10: To authorize the Chair and or, if available, the Spanish Translation and Group Liaison to travel to the conference "Addiction and its Affects on the Family" in Puerto Rico September 6 & 7, 2013 to present and or distribute literature provided that each acknowledges that they are only speaking of their own experiences and not on behalf of ACA WSO as a whole.  The costs of attending (travel and incidentals) are being paid for by the conference organizers. (Larry)  

Background:  ACA WSO received an invitation to participate in this Latin American   Health conference that will bring together families, students, and health care professionals and other 12 Step Programs to address addicted families. ACA WSO's Outreach, Public Information and Hospitals and Institutions effort to reach Spanish speaking ACAs will be greatly enhanced by attending the conference.  The program organizers have decades of recovery and appreciate the need to maintain anonymity.

 

 Announcements: The next ACA WSO Teleconference is scheduled for August 10, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. EST.

Adjournment:  Close with the Serenity Prayer 

Respectfully Prepared

 Karen Ragan, ACA WSO Secretary