2014 ABC
April 25-26, 2014
Meeting Minutes
Trinity University, Deerfield, IL Hosted by West Great Lakes Intergroup
A. Called to Order: The 2014 Annual Business Conference of the ACA fellowship and WSO was called to order at 10:03 a.m. on Friday, April 25th by reciting the Serenity Prayer, led by Larry A.
1. Laura read our ACA Traditions
2. Charlie read our ACA Commitment to Service
3. Martin read the reading of the day from Strengthening My Recovery
B. Welcome: by Al, Chair of City Hosting Committee and West Great Lakes Intergroup
1. Gratitude to all service committees and volunteers who helped bring this ABC together
2. Larry A. was elected as Chairman for the conference.
C. Roll Call of Board Members: Larry A., Chairman; Joan B., Vice Chair, H & I Committee Chair; Mary Jo L., Treasurer; Karen R., Secretary; Vonnie G., Trustee, MPS Committee Chair; Majbrit M., European Committee Chair and Trusted Servant; Ines Z., Trustee, Spanish Liaison Subcommittee Chair and Allen C., Trustee, member of Treasurer Committee
1. Introduction of ABC Delegates
Amendment(a) made at the 2015 ABC, to add to the list of attendees provided by the 2014 ABC Chair, that Vonnie G was present to represent ACA meeting # TEL173 as a delegate and that historically, this was the first representation of an ACA Telephone meeting at an ABC.
D. Quorum established
E. 12 Concepts of Service read by Phyllis
F. Presentations
1. sharing from Terri (30 yr. ACA member)
2. Scott and Phyllis (also pioneers of the fellowship)
(break for lunch 11:05 a.m.; reconvened 12:25 p.m.)
G. Presentation ACA WSO Annual Reports
1. Approval of Minutes: 2013 ABC minutes read and approved
2. 2013 ABC Report
3. Treasury, Mary Jo L.
4. Literature Report, Larry A.
a. Translations, Ines Z.
5. Distribution Office, Larry A.
6. ACA Members and Public Service (MPS) Committee, Vonnie G.
7. Hospitals and Institutions Committee, Joan B.
8. Website/Database, Scott R.
9. European Committee, Majbrit M.
10. Executive Committee Report, Joan B
a. small video tour of Distribution Center
b. "We Are Actors," a letter/call to service from the Chair, read by the fellowship
H. Presentation of Group Conscience Survey Ballots
(day's meeting adjourned 4:30 p.m.)
Day 2
The 2014 Annual Business Conference of the ACA fellowship and WSO was called to order at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 26th by reciting the Serenity Prayer, led by Larry A., and the reading of the day from Strengthening My Recovery.
H. (continued) Presentation of Group Conscience Survey Ballots
1. Proposal 2014-4 Submitted by Telephone Meeting (TEL173), 8:15 a.m. EST Thursday, brought forward to motion by Bob: Amendment (c)made at the 2015 ABC, to remove wordings of "brought forward to motion by (name) on 2014 ABC proposals 1-5 as the motions were brought forward by the groups who submitted them, not by the people who read them. That the literature available within the ACA fellowship on the Basic 5 Needs and the six essential recovery tasks be made open for discussion within ACA, in order to have it approved and integrated as part of the official fellowship (conference approved) literature.
Motion Carried (15 yes, 7 no) 22
2. Proposal 2014-11 Submitted by The Bronx, NY (NY084), Fridays 7 p.m., brought forward to motion by Al: Amendment (c)made at the 2015 ABC, to remove wordings of "brought forward to motion by (name) on 2014 ABC proposals 1-5 as the motions were brought forward by the groups who submitted them, not by the people who read them. That the WSO develop a piece of literature further elaborating the materials briefly described in the first pages of the first chapter of the Fellowship Text concerning the other Laundry Lists and its implications for Adult Children recovery.
Motion Carried unanimously 26
3. Proposal 2014-16 Submitted by Madison, WI (WI076), 10:30, brought forward to motion by Marsha: Amendment (c)made at the 2015 ABC, to remove wordings of "brought forward to motion by (name) on 2014 ABC proposals 1-5 as the motions were brought forward by the groups who submitted them, not by the people who read them. To include in the 25 QUESTIONS, AM I AN ADULT CHILD trifold, how someone who was raised in a home with mental illness can grow up to have some of the same issues an adult child of an alcoholic has.
Motion Carried (25 yes, 1 no, 1 abstention) 27
4. Proposal 2014-19 Submitted by Grover Beach, CA (IG#076), 1st Saturday 3:45 p.m., brought forward to motion by Phyllis: Amendment (c)made at the 2015 ABC, to remove wordings of "brought forward to motion by (name) on 2014 ABC proposals 1-5 as the motions were brought forward by the groups who submitted them, not by the people who read them. Move to have Hospitals & Institutions Chair and/or committee develop and publish guidelines as a brochure for Intergroup use when contacting jails, hospitals, community mental health professionals, halfway houses, shelters, and prisons. This includes, but is not limited to, information about ACA, ACA literature, educational presentations, programs, and/or materials, volunteer speakers, and initial meeting leaders to be used to begin meetings where none exists.
Motion Failed (9 yes, 13 no, 0 abstention) 22
5. Proposal 2014-23 Submitted by Grover Beach, CA (IG#076), 1st Saturday 3:45 p.m. brought forward to motion by Vonnie: Amendment (c)made at the 2015 ABC, to remove wordings of "brought forward to motion by (name) on 2014 ABC proposals 1-5 as the motions were brought forward by the groups who submitted them, not by the people who read them. Move to institute an annual international day in January to celebrate the ACA Birthday.
Motion Carried (24 yes, 1 no, 1 abstention) 26
I. Other Items*
1. presented Mary Jo L, chairperson of the Meditation Book Project (Strengthening My Recovery) with book #001, signed by all the board members
2. presented Terri (30 year ACAer) with BRB signed by all current Board members
3. short preview of ACA's new web design, by Larry
4. ACA was presented with donation of $1,000 by West Great Lakes Intergroup
5. A motion made by Martin and 2nd: to bring the issue to the fellowship delegates for vote at the 2015 ABC of adding the words: "...and other public media of communication.," to the 11th Tradition.
This motion carried, (23 yes, 2 no, 2 abstain) and the Board will bring the issue to vote at the 2015 ABC.
6. Mary Jo L. nominated Martin C to join the Board as a Trustee. Martin, having served on the Treasurer committee for almost 2 years, agreed to the nomination and was unanimously voted to serve and was welcomed by the WSO fellowship as a Board member.
7. Speakers
a. Peter, 6 years recovery, said that 6 years ago, he couldn't put 2 words together, and yet there he was telling his story at the Annual Business Conference of the fellowship.
b. Nate Amendment (d)made at the 2015 ABC, to correct spelling of speaker's name from "Nate" to "Nayt." Nayt, 6 years recovery, compared ACA to an exercise bike: you have to pedal to strengthen the muscles of recovery.
8. Various draft literature pieces were available and passed around by the Literature Committee; consensus was to post to the ACA website, edit and publish.
Amendment (b)made (2015 ABC) to show objection to the wording of item #8 in the minutes by Bonnie K-M (TX081)
I humbly submit these minutes. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.
Karen R, WSO Board Secretary
*note: For simplicity and continuity, all ballot proposals and results are listed under Section H of these minutes. There were breaks, presentations and a lunch break not quite in timing with the proposed agenda for the day. The 2nd day of the ABC did begin at 9:30 a.m. and we adjourned the ABC at approximately 3:00 p.m. with the Serenity Prayer.
These minutes of the 2014 ABC as amended were approved by majority vote at the 2015 ABC. Motion 0424151/abc
