Delegate’s Report to Area Assembly, Nov 12, 2017
Delegates Report to Area Assembly: Period of October 9, to November 12, 2017
Thank you to our host district, 0400’s!
DCM Summit
On Saturday, November 4 the DCM Summit, was held in Penn Yan. Barb C, Alternate- Delegate, and Carrie C, Area Chairperson and myself were the organizers, and presenters. Thank you very much to Barb and Carrie for all their assistance.
There were 17 attendees and it was a very productive meeting. Everyone was assigned pre-meeting work, so that we could more effectively work through the agenda items. Over the course of five hours we:
- Reviewed the qualities of leadership from Concept IX, “Leadership in A. A.: Ever a Vital Need”
- Shared ideas and experience with how best to support the work of a GSR
- Everyone shared their experience with efforts to increase participation in general service in their district
- During lunch everyone answered a randomly drawn question regarding sobriety so that we could get to know each other a little better
- Participants were given an opportunity to begin to formulate a follow-up plan
- The participants completed a meeting assessment survey and the feedback was very positive. They also strongly indicated that they would like to have regular summit meetings. And there were several excellent suggestions on how to improve the meeting
Originally, it was my intention that the meeting would be a one-off. However, based on the feedback, I along with Barb and Carrie will begin the process of planning another DCM Summit meeting for next year. We have a great group of DCM’s in Area 47 and I am honored to be a part of the team.
Empire State Convention of Young People in AA (ESCYPAA)
I attended the ESCYPAA 4th annual convention in Albany on November 10-12. Patty S, my wife, Panel 63 past-delegate also attended. We enjoyed the convention – the young people in A. A. are very enthusiastic and energetic! Although this is not one of my “assigned” conventions, I wanted to attend because I have seen firsthand their commitment to general service. For the record, the area did not share in my cost to attend.
At the Friday night speaker meeting Bill W, the Panel 66, Area 48 HMB Delegate and I were introduced to the convention attendees. And on Saturday night, before the speaker meeting, Bill presented on general service and introduced the HMB Panel 68 delegate-elect, Don S. Also, on Saturday afternoon, I presented at the “Safety in the Rooms.” panel.
The convention confirmed for me that YPAA groups are strongly committed to doing service, including general service. For example, the bid process they use to select the location of next year’s convention includes an open session where the selection committee questions the committee from the city making the submission. Right from the start, the questions were related to general service. Did they understand what general service was? Were they serving, or had they ever served, as a GSR? Were they a DCM or did they serve in some other capacity at the area assembly? Did they attend district meetings? They were also polled on their participation at the Intergroup level including participating on service committees such as treatment or corrections, etc.
At the convention I was thanked for my service numerous times. In fact, I have never been thanked so many times in my life! It was obvious to me that it was very important to them that a delegate would attend their convention. And, I think it has some benefit to the area but before I make any recommendation to the assembly about codifying a role for the delegate going forward, I want to follow-up with members of YPAA, including sharing with them a concern of mine. Overall, I am very glad that I attended and plan on attending next year, in Buffalo.
Where Have I Been?
Rochester District’s Meeting (RDM) Day of Sharing on October 14. I shared on a panel regarding how general service has helped me personally. Kudo’s to the RDM for placing a spotlight on the character building aspects of doing general service.
Where am I Going?
Corrections Connection, Friday December 1, Wende Correctional Facility, Alden, NY. This is a day of sharing between A.A. members and NY State correctional facilities staff. The event which is being organized by the Rochester Intergroup corrections committee with the participation of Area 47, with our Corrections chair, Michele S-F, and Area 50, WNY.
Ovid Young People in A.A. group first anniversary meeting on December 15. I will be one of the speakers at the meeting in Ovid.
A note about the minutes
The minutes which are submitted by the secretary for approval by the assembly are the record of the business portion of the assembly. The reports are not the minutes. The assembly is not voting to approve/not approve or making a motion to “correct,” my report or any other report.
Pending legal matter: Printer’s Copy Manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous
On November 8, Rich P, the Northeast Regional Trustee and Chairperson of A. A. World Services, Inc. board, conducted a conference call with the Northeast Regional Delegates and Alt–Delegates. It was explained to us that because the litigation is still pending there is no new information that can be shared by the board. Because we have several new GSR’s last month and this month I believe a recap of the matter is appropriate, although there is much repetition from my previous reports.
In late May of this year, the General Service Conference members were informed by an email from by Greg T. General Service Office, General Manager of actions taken by the General Service Board and A.A. World Services, Inc.
He wrote: “I am writing to inform you of recent actions taken by the General Service Board and A.A. World Services, Inc. Board of Directors to secure the 1939 printers copy of the manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous, our Big Book. The printers copy (also called the working manuscript) has handwritten notes from Bill W. and others and shows the evolution of what became the first published edition of the big book.
The manuscript was gifted to A.A. World Services by Barry L. an A.A. member who had received the manuscript from Lois Wilson, the widow of Bill W., a co-founder of our Fellowship. Although A.A. World Services possessed the letter in its files at the time of Barry L.’s death. No one within the organization was aware of the gift or of our right to ownership until the letter was found in our archives in 2007.
We recently learned that the manuscript is going to appear at public auction in June. Because the manuscript undeniably belongs in the G.S.O. Archives, we have requested and were granted a temporary restraining order by New York State Supreme Court to prevent the manuscript from being sold.
Pursuing litigation is not something to be taken lightly. As you know, within our Traditions and Concepts, and expressed succinctly in the Preamble is the principal that we shall do nothing to incite public controversy. We focus strictly on carrying the message of recovery to still-suffering alcoholics and serving the A.A. groups. However, as a part of the General Service Board’s and A.A.W.S.’s fiduciary responsibility and to protect and preserve the manuscript and our archives – for A.A. groups, individual members and for future generations – the board took the action described above.”
The email concludes with the following request: “We ask that all inquiries you may receive concerning the Printers Copy of the manuscript of the Big Book be forwarded to the Public Information coordinator, Clay R. His direct line is 212-870-3119 and his email is publicinfo.org.”
On August 9, I received an email, which was sent to all members of the General Service Conference, from Michele G, Chair, General Service Board. Her email updated the status of the pending legal matter. I quote from it:
“The manuscript is now in secured storage. The auction house, and the gallery, where the manuscript had been displayed, have been dismissed from the matter.”
“Discussions of the legal situation within the Board and with counsel, however, remain confidential and privileged, so this is as much as can be shared at this time.”
“Thank you for your ongoing engagement, all your questions and expressions of concern, and your love for our A.A. fellowship and the legacy of A.A. unity. While some of you may disagree with our actions from time to time, please be assured that each board member loves A.A. and is acting in good faith as a trusted servant in accordance with Tradition Two, as discussed in the Concept Seven essay.”
“The Public Information desk at the General Service Office continues to be the primary source of communication about this legal manner, both within and outside the fellowship. We ask that you direct your comments there, so that we can gather your thoughts in an orderly manner. All communications about this matter received as of July 27 have been provided to all Board members”
Still with me? Onward we go.
On August 24, Rich P, the Northeast Regional Trustee and Chairperson of A.A.W.S., Inc. conducted a conference call with the Northeast Regional Delegates and Alt-Delegates. Most of the conference call was devoted to a discussion of the pending legal matter.
On September 1, 2017, Rich P sent a letter (electronically) to all General Service Conference members. Following are selected highlights from the letter.
“Regarding the litigation underway concerning the Printers Copy Manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous, we feel that a response is in-order to the various concerns and comments sent to the office and to the General Service Board, as well as those not addressed directly to us but communicated within the Fellowship.”
“All of us understand that it would be inappropriate to discuss legal matters outside the context of the case and outside the attorney-client relationship. The issue that has arisen for us, of course, is our traditional practice of full and open disclosure of the board’s handling of the business of Alcoholics Anonymous guided by the Twelve Concepts for World Service, which has served us all for six decades.”
“At every step of this matter we are taking great pains to consider all elements, majority and minority viewpoints, prior facts and actions.”
“We very much look forward to a time when we can report out to the fellowship in keeping with our Third Concept.”
“We recognize that the Concepts advise that consultation is almost always desirable. However, the timing and procedures that exist for action may not always allow wide and thorough consultation. It is at such a time that delegated authority must be used with great deliberation and caution.”
“The Board is listening to all perspectives, and, in accordance with our principles, we are making decisions through careful debate and deliberation, with substantial unanimity, always seeking to obtain an informed group conscience.”
“Our hope is that this [the discussions on this matter] eventually leads to a full policy-level discussion about the Board’s role in protecting the A.A. name and intellectual property (i. e., Copyrights and trademarks); and we are proceeding with caution, recognizing the potential benefits and liabilities to the Fellowship as best we can, based on ongoing informed discussion and consultation. The general service conference will certainly have the opportunity to express its group conscience when you receive the Board’s full reporting upon the resolution of the legal action.”
Personally, I have no comment on the matter. As I have told the assembly over these last several months, I am your conduit of information to and from the General Service Board, and I believe it is important that I maintain a neutral position, to better serve the interest and viewpoints of our assembly members on this matter. At each assembly since May I have provided you with the opportunity to comment or initiate a discussion on the matter, to the extent that we would be able to do so. I want you to know that you can contact me at any time if you have any questions regarding this matter.
A.A. World Services Inc. (AAWS) Update
This information was provided by Rich P, on the November 8 conference call mentioned above. The last board meeting was in late October. The next meeting is in December.
- An audio recording of the 12 Concepts for A. A. World Service in English, French, Spanish will be available for streaming on AA.org in the near future
- The process of receiving candidate resumes for non-trustee directors is being revised primarily because of concerns with the low number of submissions to both AAWS and the Grapevine boards
- Annual Intergroup/Central Offices (ICO) Conference Meeting was recently held in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Feedback to the General Service Office included:
- For some ICO sales of literature are falling or flat, and consequently the offices are having operating deficits. I asked the assembly if this was true in any of the CNY ICO’s and was told that it is not
- There were requests to offer volume discounts in addition to quantity discounts. Some ICO’s can’t order the 200 minimums to meet the discount level
- E-books: the perception is that there are a lot of sales and consequently ICO’s are shut out from the revenue stream. However, E-book sales are only 2% of AAWS revenue. The AAWS board is researching what percentage of literature sales are to ICO’s and how it impacts AAWS’s bottom line
- A new auditing firm has been hired. This was way overdue (in my opinion), as the board had been using the same firm for many years
- The General Service Board and AAWS have begun a research project on intellectual property, copyright and trademark infringement. It includes a review of policies, practices and the history of past litigations. This will provide background information for discussions by the board as part of a planned presentation/discussion session at the General Service Conference in April 2018
- The AA.org and the Grapevine websites will be redesigned
- An AA app is under consideration
- The recently published Safety Card is, of course, not a mandatory requirement for groups to use in their meetings. There has been some confusion on this and a revised card will be issued to clarify that it is optional
- AAWS financial (un-audited) results as of September 30. In $ Millions:
Sales 10.7
Contributions 5.9
Total Revenue 16.6
Costs 15.3
Overage 1.3
Contributions are now funding 86% of group services provided by GSO.
Closing Remarks
I want to thank the assembly for conducting a rigorous and reasoned debate regarding the printing of the minutes. I believe viewpoints from both sides were well-presented based on our principles, Traditions and Concepts.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve. – Joe S, Delegate, P67/A47 CNY
