2009 Business Meetings
April 2009
The business meeting was delayed because of considerable problems with our list serve at that time (Binhost). The server went up and down repeatedly during the meeting. Because of the difficulty with the server and the distractions that caused, there were no minutes posted. The following summarizes the group's decisions.
- Treasurer and PayPal Account: Each Treasurer will setup a paypal account that would be for the duration of the treasurer's term and that each subsequent treasurer open a new PayPal account.
- Having an either / or signer for account: It was decided that we will keep it simple by having one signer for account.
- Frequency of Treasurer reports: It was decided that the Treasurer will every 6 months to the Business Meeting and monthly to the Steering Committee.
- Treasurer as sole signer and controller of bank account: It was decided that the Treasurer will be sole signer and controller of the bank account.
October 2009
===================================
GROW BUSINESS MINUTES, Oct. 19, 2009
===================================
The meeting opened October 15, 2009.
Three Trusted Servant reports were filed:
* Treasurer report
* OIAA report
* Listkeeper report
At opening, there was only one item on the agenda:
Background information:
As some of you remember, we had to change service providers for our email list and web host in 2008. At our last business meeting, we agreed on a sum of $20 per month - the amounts that we paid for our past email list and web host monthly. Lori, our treasurer reports the following:
"On August 4 I sent a check for $72.00, for July through December, 2009. We originally decided to pay $20.00/month and I sent OSO a check (I actually write it out to R. Dean Collins, who runs the show) for that amount. He e-mailed me and said that was too much, and suggested $12.00. TS ladies agreed. So, since I like saving time, I pay 6 months at a time. "
What Lori has done is the "bank" the amounts that we would have paid OSO (aka Dean) because she was caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, our past group conscience decision was to pay $20 a month. On the other hand, Dean refused that much and asked for $12 a month. So the Steering Committee decided that we would satisfy Dean, but would need to come to the group to ask for further guidance.
We still have in place the previous decisions about maintaining a prudent reserve and splitting the remainder between the General Service Office and Online AA.
For the sake of discussion, I suggest the following:
============== That we amend our past group conscience decision to pay OSO $12 a month and keep our other guidelines about how to deal with funds as they currently stand.
==============
It appears to the business chair that we have a consensus; in order to be sure that we do, the business chair will call for head-nods or head-shakes over the next 4 days.
Another item was recommended for the business list. Although usually the chair does not entertain new items of business during the meeting (logistically, it can play havoc with the meeting if there is a lot to do), in this case, the chair believes it is an essential topic - that of what we do since there are three openings that have been posted multiple times, with no nibbles.
Respectfully submitted,
Laura Brendon, acting GROW business chair
===================================
GROW BUSINESS MINUTES, Oct. 25, 2009
===================================
We asked for head nods (agreement) or head shakes (disagreement) with the following: Proposed: That we amend our past group conscience decision to pay OSO-AA $12 a month and keep our other guidelines about how to deal with funds as they currently stand.
All responding nodded "yes" in agreement, so it is now official; we will pay OSO-AA $12 a month.
================= A second agenda item was added:
Annette, our secretary wrote asking that we discuss the lack of volunteers for the positions of
Secretary OIAA Representative GSR/Alt OIAA Rep
She's posted the positions several times, with no takers. Annette would really appreciate our brainstorming about what can be done. ~~~ The comments focused around the OIAA representative, as laid out by two of our members who are (or have been) an OIAA rep:
-- Susan G. wrote:
"As the current OIAA Rep, I would like to share about my experience as the representative for the past few months. I was quite frankly shocked at the amount of what seems like bickering and in-fighting that went on. I do not know all the players or the issues, but it seemed that the discussions were limited to a few and there seemed to be a lot of time spent sorting out whether someone had spoken inappropriately or not. I struggled with trying to sense my role and basically decided to simply observe. I came away from the experience scratching my head and not really clear about how our group could or should fit in that group. I am sorry but I am really not interested in continuing as the OIAA rep. The discussions and weekly meetings were just unsettling to me and I find I need to spend my time in more positive pursuits. I would appreciate input from others who have served as the OIAA rep because it may help to identify how we could best recruit a member to volunteer for this position. "
-- Laura G. responded:
" Thank you, Susan, for sharing your experience as the OIAA Rep with us. Your experience was very much like mine was when I held the position before you. I also found that there was so much negativity, back-biting and in-fighting going on that I really couldn't seem to 'separate the wheat from the chaff', so to speak, and couldn't figure out what messages I should be relating to our GROW group. I didn't think that belonging to that group was a healthy place for me to be so I resigned half-way through my term and volunteered for another position which I thoroughly enjoy doing today.
"Based on Susan's and my own experience, I would suggest that we do not seek a volunteer for the OIAA Rep's position."
--- Questions then came up as to whether or not we should financially support OIAA. Jean L. responded:
" I am attaching my post to that of Susan and Laura. I have never held the position of Intergroup Rep so I am not talking from personal experience. I have, however, had experience in the workings of local f2f Intergroup and it has not been pleasant. Intergroup is *not* AA and therefore does not have to abide by our traditions. Our local intergroup here holds fund raisers, does dances, raffles etc. When forming my current home group I wanted us to have all service positions filled so we got ourselves an intergroup rep. She had 2 years of sobriety, went to 2 intergroup meetings and returned to our business meeting saying that if we sent her there again she would quit our group. We asked the reason and she said it was like being in a bar fight where everyone was yelling and fighting with each other and she didn't get sober for that
"I realize that OIAA is responsible for keeping us alive on line and I believe that we should support them financially but I don't think it necessary to have our members subjected to the bickering and fighting that goes on. Therefore I suggest that we eliminate the position and continue the financial support."
=========== Based on the comments, the Chair will post two topics for further consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
Laura Brendon, acting GROW business chair
===================================
GROW BUSINESS MINUTES, Nov. 7, 2009</p>
===================================
We had headnods to see if we had consensus on the issue of continuing to support OIAA financially. We do have consensus on this issue! Thank you all for your participation in the business meeting,
Laura Brendon, acting GROW business chair