Minutes from the OIAA 15 March 2025 Assembly – Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous

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Minutes from the OIAA 15 March 2025 Assembly

Approved by Membership June 21, 2025

  1. Mark M., Tech Chair, 2:04 PM ET, gave the Membership Zoom/tech an orientation. 
  1. Gwen M., OIAA Chair, opened with the We version of the Serenity Prayer and introduced herself as having been an Intergroup Rep, then Chair several years ago and most recently Chair of the OIAA CPC.

Madeleine P. introduced herself as the new Trustee-at-Large. She has served as delegate to the General Service Conference, the Pacific Region Trustee to the General Service Board from 2006-10, with a focus over 20 years on workshops and information regarding safety. More recently she has been creating access for deaf alcoholics, preparing a forum with GSO for them.

Mark M announced that we had reached a Quorum.

  1. Minutes: Amelia, OIAA Secretary shared that she is having her 40th birthday today, having participated in many levels of service including Idaho Area 18, the nonprofit community and then OIAA as an IGR and a member of the Bylaws and Guidelines Committees. Amelia reviewed the minutes and noted that she had corrected the minutes to reflect the exact percentages of those elected as well as those voting on motions.  Please review on the website and translate into whatever language you need.  Mark motioned to accept the minutes as amended by Amelia, Greg H. seconded.  Assembly vote: 50-YES  1- NO
  1. Mark M., Technology Chair shared a link to the monthly OIAA website’s Statistics Report. We are getting over 40,000 visits a day including coming in on their phones to get to the Directory.  With the allocation of the $20,000 since we have a very international committee, we are simplifying the website with many translation services. Thank you for your trust!  We are also working on our contact database of over 20,000 people including the contacts for the 9,000 meetings, over 1,000 members, etc.  We have great people, and we need help everywhere.  We are a word press shop, a cloud services team, Google Workspace, and Zoom Workspace.  Please contact Mark M.
  1. Financial Matters: Jennifer B., OIAA Treasurer The financial statements are on the website. Jennifer highlighted the contributions to the end of February that have exceeded our budget projections. Please review the contributions and make sure your information is correct related to your group rather than an individual contribution. Jennifer presented a request to increase the legal fees expense budget by $3,100 for 2025, bringing the total to $8100. This increase is due to a late invoice from 2024 and anticipated legal fees for 2025.  Additionally, there is a corrected calculation for the assembly translation budget line item increasing that for an additional $2,144 for a total annual budget of $5,696. 
  1. Independent Financial Review: Kevin D., background in corporate and public accounting and auditing, gave an independent financial report of OIAA’s internal control ensuring that the inflows and outflows are recorded and accounted for correctly including the balance sheet, Mercury Technologies, Traveling Mailboxes, checking, receivables from PayPal and Stripe (top rating) 7th Tradition, and expenses.  Zero is the accounting system that OIAA uses out of New Zealand, audited by Ernst and Young that takes the information from PayPal, Stripe and Traveling Mailboxes, and deposits it to Choice Financials/Mercury which is FDIC insured. We have a Treasurer that reviews the accounting system, and the Alt Treasurer deposits into Traveling Mailboxes. Being a wonderful AA member he went beyond what a financial review would require and found all of our procedures in compliance with no irregularities. (An outside review could cost $10,000 to $25,000.)  He thanked Jennifer for her exceptional help in giving him everything he needed in such a thorough and timely way.
  1. Unbudgeted Expense Requests:  
  1. The Board is requesting an additional $3,100 to be added to the organizational fees expense budget, which would have a total budget for 2025, of $8,100.  This will address a late invoice for 2024.  The Treasurer motioned to approve this line item and was seconded by Mary M.  Required a simple majority to pass. Assembly Vote: 54-YES  6-NO  2-Abstain  There was a minority opinion expressed from Cam H.  There was no motion from the prevailing side to reconsider.
  2. The Treasurer motioned to increase the budget for translation of $1,110 for monthly board meetings, $222 for quarterly combined committee and board meetings, and $812 for monthly coffee with the board.  The original budget request for interpretation was miscalculated.  If the interpretation is needed for more than an hour, 2 interpreters are needed which was not reflected in the original request. Assembly Vote: 53-YES  2-NO  No minority opinion expressed.
  1. Change in our Bylaws.  Currently 4.08 only addresses Officers when all Trustees have fiduciary responsibilities.  Jennifer motioned to add Trustee so it would read Officers/Trustees. Jeff B recommended to Jennifer that she substitute the word Officer for Trustees, thus including all the Board of Trustees.  Jennifer amended her motion to replace Officers with Trustees, it was seconded by Mary M and approved by Membership.  Assembly Vote: 54-YES  3-NO  1-Abstain 2/3rd Majority achieved. No minority opinion expressed.

The Bylaws will now read:

“Section 4.08. Execution of Documents.  Those Trustees Officers designated by resolution of the Board to sign them may execute contracts, agreements, and engagements on behalf of the Intergroup.  

  1.  Online Convention.  Beth A., International Trustee, presented three themes for the membership to vote in a simple plurality or the one that gets the most votes.  1) Unity at Home and Around the world, 2) Growing Together in Unity and Service, Strengthened by Love, and 3) Recovery, A Journey to the Heart of the Alcoholic.  Receiving 33 of a total 58 votes (57%) the Assembly chose-”Unity at Home and Around the world” as OIAA2025’s theme.   

Carlos D, Unity Chair, shared that there is more participation from many more countries including Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Iran, and Africa.  The Unity Committee believes it will be more exciting than last year.

  1. Announcements:  Requesting volunteers for all of our activities!
    1. IGR Forum, April 26 Hosts a panel of meetings from around the world.  
    2. Quarterly Safety Workshop, May 3rd, presented by Tech Steppers.
    3. Tech Steppers invites members to join them every Wednesday at 1pm Eastern to discuss technical issues.
    4. Barry M. Convention Chair, invites us to the Vancouver International Convention Cyber Suite

Motions Summary

  1. The Membership approved an additional $3,100 to the organizational fees expense budget for a total of $8,100.  Assembly Vote: 54-YES  6-NO  2-Abstained 
  2. The Membership approved an increase the budget for translation of $1,110 for monthly board meetings, $222 for quarterly combined committee and board meetings, and $812 for monthly coffee with the board.  Assembly Vote: 53-YES  2-NO
  3. The Membership approved a change to the Bylaws 4.08 replacing Officers with Trustees.  Assembly Vote: 54-YES  3-NO  1-Abstain 2/3rd Majority achieved.
  4. The Membership, 57%, chose- ”Unity at Home and Around the world” as OIAA 2025’s theme. 

Meeting Adjourned at approximately 4:00pm ET

Signed: Amelia L., OIAA Secretary, May 19, 2025

Secretary@AA-Intergroup.org

Presentation for Approval by Membership: June 21, 2025

Approved by Membership June 21, 2025

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