Delegates Report For February 2022

Everyone,

It is so good to see you all here today in person and on Zoom.  So welcome back to Area 47 assembly.

Whew what a roller coaster month, I came here today direct from the Salt city Mid-Winter Roundup and I have to say, there are times zoom looks really good and today is one of them LOL.

The Round up was such a great success and I enjoyed reporting as a delegate on how service enhances sobriety.  During the Ask It Basket meeting, or as I like to call it stump the chump, I had an awesome time and really enjoyed the others that were part of the panel.

Now this month I have had the opportunity to share my story three times and to show share my story as it specifically relates to service.   What a fun session that was.

So now down to the business at hand.  First and for most it looks like the final agenda items have been published and you will be able to get them within my report as soon as I post it to the AACNY.ORG site.  Also because of the equitable distribution of workload my committee (Trustees Nominating) will be getting two or three topics from Literature.

By Feb 15 we should have the back ground materials for all of these items so I will be doing a lot of reading LOL, as Larry gets the folks ready to talk about agenda topics.  This is what we are here to do so let’s do a great job again.

But what else is happening in AA, well, let me tell you.

I got a call from Craig at GSO saying they had calls from some folks about a group that were violating the traditions and if asked, would I go check it out.  You know that I of course said yes.

NERAASA bids will opening soon and if Area 47 want to bid on hosting a NERAASA let me know.  I will get you copies of the SENY bid, the PA bid and the DC bids as well as be of as much help as I can.

Highlights from the Board Weekend

Prudent Reserve:  Our prudent reserve is holding steady at 8.5 months (no secret there, it’s been holding steady ever since the Board voted to return $250,000 to the prudent reserve back in July 2021).

• Literature Sales:  As hoped for, the partial return to in-person meetings and select, though limited, large-scale AA events has led to literature sales in excess ofour budgeted $11,400,000 for the year.  Our actual literature sales, subject to reconciliations and year-end audit, exceeded budget mid-way during December (and we’re still counting).
• “Large-scale” Contributions:  Although there is no specific dollar amount for what constitutes “large-scale” contributions from AA Groups, Intergroups, Central Offices, Areas or Districts; still, for our purposes, “large-scale” is defined as contributions from an AA entity in excess of $10,000 (US Dollars).  During 2021, the percentage of “large-scale” contributions to total contributions was approximately 5.29%.  Inversely, that means ordinary Seventh Tradition contributions represent 94.71% of all contributions to GSO.  Clearly, the funding for GSO is driven by ordinary folk like us (you won’t find that kind of talk in the newly revised AA Service Manual).
• Online Contributions:  The total percentage of online contributions was also a record amount:  23.1%Why is this significant, you might ask?!  Well, this means that by having over one-fifth of our contributions electronically transmitted, our GSO incurs dramatically less costs to open mail, sort checks, research Groups, post contributions, endorse checks, and deposit them).  So, having electronic contributions are kind of a big deal.
• Contributions:  Perhaps you recall, back in October, I made an ice cream bet with the entire Trustees’ Finance and Budget Committee that our 2021 voluntary contributions would exceed last year’s contributions by at least $100,000.
• It’s Not All Dollars and Cents:   Just to show that it’s not all dollars and cents, tucked in the middle of the 2022 budget is a line item for translating our Big Bookinto Haitian Creole.  Because translating literature for the benefit of 180 countries in 102 languages with 71 different language Big Books just isn’t good enough: we want 181 countries, 103 languages and 72 distinct languages for our Big Book!

Trustees Rotation

At the General Service Conference in April 2023, Class B Regional Trustees from the Northeast and Southwest Regions will be elected to succeed Francis G. and James D., respectively.

• Each area in your Region may nominate a Regional Trustee candidate, and the suggested procedure for this is outlined in the enclosed, “Procedures for Electing Regional Trustee Candidates in the U.S. and Canada.”
• Since much is asked of the Trustees with respect to their time, please be sure your candidate understands the commitment.  Trustees are expected to attend the following:
• Three Quarterly Board weekends (Summer, Fall & Winter) – meetings typically run from Saturday morning through Monday noon.
• A fourth Quarterly meeting (Spring) combined with the General Service Conference (seven days) in April-ish or May-ish.
• Special meetings of the Board (but sometimes these are Virtual).
• Trustees serve on committees of the General Service Board and may also serve on Trustees’ subcommittees involving multiple tele and videoconference calls.
• Regional Forums in their own Area.
• Rotational attendance at Regional Forums in other Areas.
• May be asked to serve two years on either the A.A. World Services Board orthe A.A. Grapevine Corporate Board, which meet more frequently than the General Service Board and also include possible corporate board subcommittees (but, again, some of these are virtual).
• Frequently invited to participate in Regional or Area activities such as service conferences, Area Assemblies, and even plain ordinary whoopee parties.
• As soon as possible after your Area has elected a candidate for Regional Trustee, the General Service Conference Delegate only must send to the Secretary, Trustees’ Nominating Committee, nominating@aa.org, the name and contact information of the candidate. The Secretary, Trustees’ Nominating Committee will forward a link to a Resume Sheet (which is under construction) or email a PDF form, for the candidate to complete. The candidate completes the Resume Sheet and submits it electronically to nominating@aa.org ; or by fax 212-870-3003; or by snail-mail General Service Office, 475 Riverside Drive Suite #1100, New York, NY 10115; to be received before the January 1, 2023 deadline.
• After a wide-ranging discussion, it was decided that, in the event that the Secretary for Trustees’ Nominating does not care for your Area candidates, on an experimental basis, Francis G. and James D. would play “rock, paper, scissors” to decide who would continue their Board service for an additional one-year term.

I just had to include the joke from Francis.

Want to work for GSO

Applications are once again being sought for a G.S.O. Staff Member. G.S.O. Staff are members of Alcoholics Anonymous who rotate through the various assignments such as Corrections, Public Information, Cooperation with the Professional Community, Literature, Conference, etc.

They also correspond with A.A.s on all aspects of recovery and service. Additionally, they represent the General Service Office at A.A. functions throughout the U.S. and Canada and provide the primary staff support for the General Service Board and the annual General Service Conference.

Desirable qualifications include excellent communication and organizational skills, good computer skills, as well as the ability to work independently and as a team member. A.A. service experience will also be taken into consideration in addition to a willingness to relocate to New York City, if necessary. Fluency in French and/or Spanish (written and verbal) is preferred.

A minimum of six years sobriety is required. This opening is currently available. A.A.W.S. is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified candidates eligible to work in the United States are encouraged to apply at https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/620691/Alcoholics-Anonymous-World-Services-Inc/GSO-Staff-Member. We will welcome applications up to April 30, 2022.

Please address any questions regarding the nature of the job to Jeff W., Staff Coordinator at staffcoord@aa.org. Questions regarding benefits and related matters should be directed to G.S.O.’s Human Resources Department, at humanresources@aa.org For additional information regarding the General Service Office staff member position, please see the Feb/March 2005 Box 4-5-9 article, “G.S.O. Staff Member – A Job Like No Other” (page 3) at https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/newsletters/en_box459_febmar05.pdf.

We hope you will share this notice with members who are interested in serving on our staff and meet the requirements outlined above.

Additional Information on the North/South Connections Special Forum:  As an addendum to page 3 of 15, the theme is scheduled to be:

• “Beyond Language, Culture and Geography: Sobriety Within Everybody’s Reach.”

SMF-209 Safety Material:  A working group was formed at GSO to review and revise SMF-209.  Said revision was received by the Chair of the Board and General Manager and sent to our Counsel for review.  It’s possibly, quite likely in fact, that a follow-up Board meeting may be called in February to develop/form a group conscience around the revised materials.

Of course, scheduling a follow-up meeting depends on how smoothly the process proceeds for gathering, compiling, and translating the 72^nd General Service Conference’s Background Material.  When I know, you’ll know.

Online Groups Participation in Our General Service Structure:  The ad hoc committee on Participation of Online Groups in the General Service Structure submitted a lengthy report of its discussions. There we will receive a formal progress report and (pretty sure) a PowerPoint presentation at Conference.

I don’t know why I forget to mention Online Groups in my Report.  I must be getting “old and in the way.”

Reconnaissance on GSO’s Finances:  Although still unaudited, this just in:

• Our 2021 Payroll and Benefitscame in at an estimated $9.3 million or approximately 98% of budget (i.e., a favorable variance of around 2%), and
• Our 2021 Total Operating Expensescame in at an estimated $15.6 or $15.7 million (depending on rounding) or approximately 99% of budget (i.e., a favorable variance of around 1%).
• Overall, within a 1-2% margin, we’ve been trending at budget which, given the uncertainty brought on by COVID, is extraordinary (but, then again, that’s easy for me to say since I’m one of the folks tasked with keeping an eye on such things ).  Notwithstanding my assertions, don’t take my word for it – we’ll all be receiving the results of our financial statement audit at Conference which will be published in our Final Conference Report (or, the ice cream is on me)!

Agenda Items As Of Feb. 10, 2022 Click Here

Filed in: AA General Service, From Our Delegate