Chair Report for Dec 2024
And so, another month of service to our groups…
Annual Meeting 21 December, Elections and Budget Approval
There is perhaps no assembly more important than the one when we choose both our leaders and approve our annual budget. Let’s first look at choosing leadership.
How many of you have experienced an election in your group when someone left the room, and came back chosen as a trusted servant because others thought he/she could do it? Since we are in a virtual environment now, maybe that doesn’t happen. Have you ever been voluntold by your sponsor? Have you stepped up because you have been told that service facilitates recovery? If you have before you are ready, I make my amends. Service does facilitate recovery, but service before you do any homework about the position may be a recipe for disappointment and resentment. Although I asked my service sponsor about volunteering for this service position, I did not ask the person who was chair of the organization at the time, about the time commitment and specific responsibilities. Although I had served in general service all the way through my area, that service was different than that I found here. I regretted that I had not done more homework. That is why a service sponsor who has served in the position is helpful. We are working with other alcoholics and that has its own challenges. I always felt my service sponsor helped me negotiate those landmines without developing resentments I couldn’t resolve or without hurting someone else. I have written many emails I ran past my service sponsor, and I have written many emails I didn’t send. (But they made me feel better.) A service sponsor is essential.
But you may not be willing to stand for a position at our assembly, but you have the responsibility to consider the qualifications of those who are standing for service who will help to serve not govern us, providing careful leadership for the next two years.
Ultimately, we need to consider—at all levels, are we choosing our trusted servants with care, or are we filling the hole of the position just because we don’t like vacuums. Sometimes vacuums allow the time for someone more qualified and prepared to hear the voice of their Higher Power to come forward to serve.
At our Annual Election and Budget Assembly, you have a responsibility to look at both the general qualifications as well as specific trusted servant qualifications, listen to the summary of experience each person brings to the table and ask yourself, is this a candidate who can serve us well? If you think so, vote yes. If you don’t think so, you can vote no or abstain. If you vote no, you have a chance to state why in the minority opinion. Then, the chair could ask if there was a motion to reconsider. And if there is, there could be a revote, and your minority voice can affect what we do. It is a weighty responsibility when we are given a voice. It is a responsibility you have taken on as a voting member of our assembly to choose our trusted servants with care.
Similarly, consider our budget. We are responsible for spending the basket money your group generously contributed. Our treasurer has posted the budget for you and your groups to consider, and she will go through it line by line at the assembly. Both the Finance Committee and Board have approved the expenditure, sometime with minority expressed. But you have a voice as well. Does each expense seem reasonable? Does the budget seem balanced in supporting the whole organization? Is all infrastructure supported? Is any one-line-item out of line in your opinion—under or over supported? Does this year’s budget for any line item warrant an increase or decrease based on the service provided? Is the detail provided in the budget clear enough to give the information you need to make that decision? Do you have any questions or concerns? This is your chance, through your own groups’ conscience, to look critically or appreciatively at how we spend your money. This is the time to ask or take the opportunity to come to the Finance committee meetings and see how the budget process works.
So, at the December elections and budget approval, we invite you to come and participate. We are grateful you are willing to serve. Ask any questions you need to have answered to help us make an informed group conscience.
Elections:
This year we are electing a Vice Chair, Secretary, Technology Chair and Trustee at Large. If you would like to stand, please submit a service resume of your intention to the board. I would advise you to contact current standing officers to get an idea of the time commitment and skills needed. A suggested service resume format can be found here: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/documents/resume-presentation-page/
Additionally, our guidelines best describe the general requirements of the positions. These and our bylaws can be found on the board page under the OIAA in Action tab.
From our Guidelines Guideline Descriptions and Eligibility 2024
1.1 Eligibility & Qualifications for all Trustees.
Trustees will be at least 18 years of age and need not be United States citizens or residents of New Jersey.[1] OIAA suggests that ten years of continuous sobriety is preferable for trustees, though it is not mandatory. A committed program and leadership experience can enable a member to deal with OIAA growth and its affairs with serenity and ease in problem-solving. Such candidates can bring to the board the quality of decisiveness and the fortitude of their guidance and convictions, along with objectivity and prudence. They should be generally well suited to represent the OIAA board and interpret its actions. A business background or other professional experience is helpful. The board and membership are also interested in other skills and qualities that trustees can offer. Trustee officers must also have served in an OIAA service position to be eligible to stand.[2] [Bylaws Section 4.02.] Trustees who are not officers do not need to meet the OIAA service position eligibility requirement.
- Vice Chairperson
The vice chairperson acts as chairperson in the absence of the chairperson. The chairperson may delegate responsibilities to the vice chairperson, including the chairperson’s position as a non-voting member of the standing committees, as the chairperson deems advisable and agreed upon.
5.2.1.3 Secretary
The secretary maintains the corporate records, including but not limited to the following: minutes of all board, assemblies, and special meetings; committee reports; motions, and election results; bylaws, certificate of incorporation, operating guidelines, annual reports, and correspondence with government agencies, except for financial matters that are the responsibility of the treasurer. The secretary presides over elections; posts ballots; and collects, tallies, and posts the results of elections and motions. If the secretary is standing for election to an office, the chairperson will perform the election duties or appoint a disinterested third party to do so during that election. The secretary coordinates with the technology chairperson on the electronic storage and maintenance of these records.
5.2.1.5 Technology Chairperson
The technology officer chairperson leads the effort in providing, supporting, maintaining, securing, and enhancing the essential information technology needs of the intergroup, including the OIAA website, the OIAA meeting directory, electronic communications (including email, video conferencing, electronic voting, and surveys), and file sharing and collaboration. With approval of the board, the technology chairperson oversees and maintains any technology-related professional services.
5.3.2 Trustee-at-Large
The trustee-at-large will work in partnership with the OIAA committees to foster communication, collaboration and avoid duplication of efforts. The trustee-at-large will be available to serve in other areas as determined by the board. As the membership grows, additional trustees-at-large may be added at the discretion of the board.
Budget:
The budget has been posted on our website well in advance of our assembly. Additionally, you could ask our treasurer questions or come to the Finance Committee Meeting the second Saturday in December. Also expect to see a discussion of disbursements of excess funds from 2024. Our treasurer will be conducting the budget discussion during the assembly.
The Assembly Procedures
Our guidelines, approved by the Assembly in March of 2024 suggest responsible behavior at the assembly: You might want to review these, and certainly you can ask question at the assembly if you are uncertain. We are there to serve.
Responsible Behavior at assemblies and Assembly Procedures:
2.7 Responsible Behavior(OIAA Guidelines)
In the intergroup assembly, all participants should keep in mind that everyone shares responsibility with the chairperson for keeping order.
The following are not permitted in the assembly:
- Any comments intended to disrupt the proceedings
- Offensive or aggressive comments
- Personal attacks or insults.
Self-expression is encouraged, but comments should address the issue at hand and not any individual, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Assembly Procedures.
We will use the assembly procedures as found in our Guidelines.
The Summary of Assembly Procedures can be found in Section 3.2-3.3 of our Guidelines.https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/documents/oiaa-guidelines/#3.2
Elections Procedure:
Our secretary will be conducting the election. We will be using the Third Legacy Procedure to conduct the election. You can review that in our guidelines here: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/documents/oiaa-guidelines/#4.3
Committee Service Work:
Our service committes’ work is the nuts and bolts of the organization. We have 9 standing service committees and subcommittees within committees. Come and explore the possibility of service beyond your group! Service facilitates recovery. Please use our website for more information about these committees and when they meet. This information can be found under the OIAA in Action tab on our landing page. These 9 committees are as follows: 12th Steppers-who “answer the phone” when anyone anywhere reaches out for help (Chair-DC Dave), Policy and Admissions (PAC) (Chair-Jan BB), Public Information (PIC),(Chair Mary M), Finance (Chair -Jennifer B), Technology-which has various subcommittees (Chair-Mark M), Vancouver International Convention Committee (Chair-Barry M.), Communications, (Chair-Lesliee A.), Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) (Chair-Gwen M.,), Unity (Chair-Carlos D.) Each committee has its own webpage with contact information. You can also find when they meet and sign on the Calendar page. The chairs have email addresses posted and would love to meet you! If you would like more specific information about these committees, contact the committee chairs.
What’s Next:
OIAA Assembly—21 December 2024@ 2:00 pm – 4 pm ET, Meeting ID: 839 1683 1125
Passcode: OIAA. All members are welcome. Please request interpretive services by 7 December (treasurer@aa-intergroup.org) and register (registrar@aa-intergroup.org) or update IGR information by 14 December 2024!
IGR Forum-highlighting the Communications Committee-19 January 2025
OIAA Safety Workshop-2 February 2025
Reminders: Voting Members and Updating the member directory:
Another update we have made to our website is a clearly marked page to update any changes to IGRs within your groups. It is the responsibility of each group to update any changes in advance of assemblies, so that your vote can be counted. Although anyone can attend the assembly, only elected IGRs or in their absence, the alt IGRs can vote or make motions. Group contacts can come to assemblies, but they cannot vote. Please note, I give a deadline for group changes with every assembly announcement I send out. Please look for this deadline if your group is holding elections. Here is the link for making those changes: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/group-rep-update-request/ The link can also be easily found under the IGR Hotlist tab.
For More information about our OIAA group listing guidelines go here: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/meeting-directory-guidelines/ If you have any additional regarding group listings, contact PAC.chair@aa-intergroup.org.
Tradition 12: “Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.”
Tradition 12, Long Form: “And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe that the principle of anonymity has an immense spiritual significance. It reminds us that we are to place principles before personalities; that we are actually to practice a genuine humility. This to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us; that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation of Him who presides over us all. ” (https://www.aa.org/the-twelve-traditions)
In the essay of the Twelfth Tradition, Bill writes that its substance is about sacrifice, putting personal desires or agendas aside for the common good. This is symbolized by anonymity. It is not I, Susan, who did this. It is not Susan Last Name who did this. I try to take no credit for it unless the credit is given to we. We did this thing. I try not to use a title when it is not necessary. It is a small thing really, that helps me keep my ego in check. I am just another drunk trying to stay sober a day at a time. And I was willing to serve because I had the time and service experience.
Bill writes about the beginning, when anonymity was born out of fear of losing our reputation, if we had any left, fear of the stigma of alcoholism. This changed as Bill’s understanding of the spiritual power of anonymity in helping us deal with our egos looking for validation and accomplishment.
An example of how Bill practiced this tradition was his refusal to personally accept the Lasker Award, to instead accept it for Alcoholics Anonymous. Bill, who throughout life was driven by the desire to be Number One Man, found that ‘humility, expressed by anonymity’ -and when practiced, were the greatest safeguard A.A. could ever have.
Humbly and respectfully submitted,
Susan R
OIAA Chair
chair@aa-intergroup.org
Our Bylaws and Guidelines buttons can be found on the OIAA Board heading under the OIAA in Action Tab on our landing page: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/oiaa-board/#
[1] New Jersey Nonprofit Act and IRS law.
[2] Bylaws Section 4.02.] Eligibility. Anyone who has served in an OIAA service position is eligible to serve as an intergroup officer.
