District 3 – August 2013

DCM Report: Bob M.  Was not present ~No Report

 

Old Business:

4 Corners Workshop Flyer

PO Box $60.00 per year District Voted Unanimously to move forward with obtaining a PO Box, preferably in the District’s boundaries, Sheila will check on availability of PO Boxes at Post Offices.

Mark will be meeting with Darrell W.

 

Voting Items for September 2013 Area 41

 

VOTE: AGENDA ITEM 2013-01-12 #007 Report and Charter

Any literature or service tool, developed in an Area 41 committee that affects AA as a whole, be approved by the Area 41 Committee. Any modification to already approved items would also require approval by the Area 41 Committee.

 

Original Background:

Often Areas develop their own literature or service tools for use in their Area. Some recent examples within our own Area would be our GSR Orientation Packet, Corrections Power Point, and the CPC Working With Professionals pamphlet/envelopes. At times these projects involve the website and a certain amount of financial investment. Even though a Committee may try their best to come up with items that meet all of A.A. criteria, it seems that when others from outside of the Committee look at it, they see adjustments that need to be made. Some of these are self‑adjusting such as limitations put on to the amount of moneys that can be spent and a webmaster who edits what goes onto the website.

 

Printed literature and other such tangibles, however, have no other built‑in check. Although good sponsorship is probably the best way to handle this, our sponsors are not always available while a vote is being taken in a Committee.

 

There are things that we can and should do at the Area level which do not need to be conference approved that can help the still suffering alcoholic right in our own Area. I have seen some items produced by other Areas that are not conference approved and would like some way to check items that are developed within a Committee before they are used within the Area.  One way might be to send these items to i.e. Report and Charter, Finance, Website or Literature to further check the facts etc.  Perhaps this would be a way to find a balance between Concept 3-Right of Discussion and accountability to the Area.

 

Additional Background:

The Report and Charter committee discussed and reworded this item as such to present for a vote of the Area body. It was submitted and approved by the original presenter prior to presenting to the body for vote.

 

VOTE: AGENDA ITEM 2012-03-10 007 FINANCE

Area 41 maintain officer and committee checking accounts at one bank.

 

Original Background:

If all committees and officers had checking accounts at the same bank, trusted servants could use debit cards to access funds no matter where the bank was. It would also be easier to transfer names at the end of a rotation, and the Area Treasurer could make transfers to accounts without writing a check. Research needs conducted to see if it’s logistically and financially feasible to do.

 

Additional Background:

The Finance Committee held this item in committee for an extended period of time gathering information from banks and discussing it thoroughly. After final review of two bank proposals and considering the advice professionals in banking offered, the Area 41 Finance Committee unanimously recommends this proposal to the Area.

 

The two banks consulted were in agreement that our current banking procedure is not secure, and Area has a history nearly every rotation of unaccounted funds. It would be nearly impossible for Area funds to be unaccounted for with the proposed system because the Area 41 Treasurer would be on each committee and officer account with access to an on-line view. There would be one Primary Account with the Area 41 General Fund, and 18 Secondary Accounts, one for each Officer and funded Committee Chair. Secondary Accounts would be operated with debit cards specific to the Officer or Committee, with the Committee Chair or Officer holding the debit card. The Area 41 Treasurer could electronically transfer funds between the Primary and Secondary accounts. Treasurer/Finance Chair and the Alternate Delegate would be the signers on the Primary account, with the Treasurer conducting all online activity. There was a wide variation in banking costs to the Area between the two bank proposals. To make this new system work for the Area, we would need to switch banks to the one with the least (zero) charges. A change in Officers and Committee Chairs at rotation would not require opening and closing of new accounts, like the current system does. The current Area 41 budget includes $360 for banking charges, which could be saved.

 

Under the current system, Officers and Committee Chairs open their own accounts at a bank of their choosing, and the Area 41 Treasurer has to sign on, which sometimes requires physically going to the chosen bank. Banking charges vary from committee to committee. At the end of each rotation, old bank accounts are closed and new ones have to be opened.

 

New Business:

Agenda Items not voted on since the DCM was not present.

 

VOTE: AGENDA ITEM 2013-01-12 #007 Report and Charter

Any literature or service tool, developed in an Area 41 committee that affects AA as a whole, be approved by the Area 41 Committee. Any modification to already approved items would also require approval by the Area 41 Committee.

 

VOTE: AGENDA ITEM 2012-03-10 007 FINANCE

Area 41 maintain officer and committee checking accounts at one bank

District 3 will get a PO Box at the downtown post office.

District 3 is asking Groups and Group members to volunteer to make snacks and Drinks (Iced Tea, Lemmon aid etc.)  for the 4 Corners Workshop.  District 3 will pay for the cost of the snacks and drinks.   Please contact a GSR in District 3, a member of District 3 or email the District 3 Secretary at district3sec@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering to help.  We would also like to ask any groups who would be willing to man the snack table and the Beverages for refilling during the event.

District 3 is announcing that District elections will be held October 1, 2013. 

This will be for all positions:

DCM,

Alternate DCM,

Secretary,

Treasurer,

and Intergroup Rep.

 

Group Reports:

Lincoln Foxhall Group – Sheila H.~ The Foxhall group is a weekly speaker meeting.  One 10 minute Speaker and one 30 Minute Speaker.  The meeting is going well; attendance is fairly consistent and always carries a good message. 

 

Matt Talbot Group – Dave~ Still a small but good meeting.  It’s set up so that you can have a meeting and then eat at the kitchen. We are always welcoming to new comers.

 

Closed at 7:46 pm.   Next Meeting will be held September 3, 2013 at 28^th and “S” streets 2^nd floor at 7:00 pm.