[Businessmtg] Convention Discussion

[logmark at comcast.net]

Biz-Pals,

Should the motion on Beginners Packets be passed, further
discussions of items that would require funding are, for all
intents and purposes, moot. There will be no money unless
increased donations precede increased expenditures.

You will recall that I distributed data on ASP's generation
of funds over those required to pay expenses and maintain
our prudent reserve. Currently our reserve is one year's
expenses ($1,280.) We generate about $50 a month over
that, thus the discussion about what to do with that money.
Using a rough guess based on discussions we've had here,
we may be sending 10-15 packets out per month (at $1.40
+ 7% or 8% shipping) + ($1.00+/- postage) = $25-$38
per month.

Remember that if the motion passes our prudent reserve
increases to accommodate the additional expenses, or from
$1,280 to $1,740(+/-.) In other words we will be immediately
short of our new PR goal. Our end-of-February balance was
$1,583. Assuming that future donations remain steady and
my rough monthly additional expenses hold up, we will have
$25 to $12 per month (after literature expenses) to apply
toward our PR. That means we won't have funds over our
expenses and PR for 6-12 months at the very minimum.
Because we have to pay for a chunk of literature and postage
up front, the figures will actually look even more short and it'll
take much longer to reach our new PR.

Jumping to the Traditions (without my trusty 12&12
at hand) the readings on (I believe) Tradition 2 states that
groups agree to keep their expenses within the amounts
their membership receives through donations and fund-raising
efforts. Folks, we're going to have to encourage more of our
members to donate if we want to do more things. We're
about topped out on what we can add to our expenses
until income increases.

Now, I assume that this dual-member thing came up here because
of the discussion of sending someone to the International Convention.
Aside from the lack of funds to do so (see above,) I see no reason,
were a dual member attending on their own already, that they could not
participate in any available discussions, and even identify themselves as
as a member of ASP. Should such a person step forward here, we could
agree to name them as "Group International Communications Chair" or
some such title for the duration of the Convention. What's the harm?
If ever we arrive at a point where there is an official service avenue outside
the group for on-line meetings, then is the time to have this discussion. 

However, because there "ain't no money, honey" I not only cannot
support any amount of funding for individual scholarships to attend
the International Convention, I also can not conceive of using group funds
to send representation to a function where there is no stated agenda item
which would focus on the on-line Al-Anon community's contributions,
benefits, or needs - even if we had the money. As we'd say here in the
back woods, "Ain't no reason to buy a gun if there ain't no ducks."

Jerry in Michigan