[Businessmtg] Excess Funds

[Emee Arthur]

Hi All,
Thank you Jerry for displaying your thoughts again, in order of your preferences. 

In Knowledge Based Decision Making (KBDM) I express my thoughts after researching and gathering knowledge on the topic of discussion.  I share these thoughts with everyone else.  I try to listen to the message, not the messenger.  I am NOT being asked to cast my vote at this time...only to share how I feel, using knowledge I have.  If everyone feels the same way then we would not need a motion or vote. It is important for me express my own thoughts and then ask more questions if I need to...until I understand.

*** I believe I did ask a question of our Steering Committee earlier about how abstain votes will effect the percentage and outcome of the final vote in this business meeting. Maybe I missed it but I haven't seen a reply to my question. This question is part of the topic because abstain votes could have an affect on the 3/4% outcome. I believe we as a group need to know how this works before voting on an important topic like this.

I  gather Knowledge on a topic in several ways: 
# 1.  Through Experience in the business end of Al-Anon by participation 

# 2.  Reading the Service Manual, Guidelines, and Traditions & Concepts

# 3.  Asking questions.

# 4.  Listening to others' ideas and running these ideas through the Traditions; doing the same with my own ideas

# 5.  Being flexible with all the suggested ideas but never bending the Traditions so far that it could compromise our program

# 6.  Sharing my own honest feelings, letting go of any negative opinions that may be tossed my way because of it. I try to
        remember that I have a right to be right as well as the right to be wrong...I can only do the best I can.  I never just blindly 
        agree with someone's ideas because he or she is a longtimer or that the majority feels a certain way.  I consider everyone's  
        ideas and always use the principles of the program and my HP as a guide for my own decisions.

# 7.  When I am still not sure..I ask more questions and repeat #2 - #6  again.


So far my decision is to send 100%  of our excess funds immediately to WSO and to continue sending 100% ....UNTIL WE HAVE HAD TIME TO DISCUSS & COME TO A MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE DECISION ON THESE OTHER ISSUES.   I am OPEN to change but only after we have had further discussion on  the seed money the other "service entities" that we are thinking of supporting. These sound like good ideas but for me, I need more information before I vote on these other things.  I cannot do that right now. 

My thoughts are these:  By the time we have had a discussion and vote on these other issues (OLAOC, GSOs, and seed money & percentages) our excess funds will be replenished again and there will be no problem if we decide to support them.  I am still confused about what Jerry is talking about with not wanting percentages?  

I just feel that it is morally wrong that we have held back funding to WSO for so many years. I think we need to let WSO use the money now ... this money is not helping families of alcoholics by sitting in our account. I do not feel right about 'splitting-up' these donations until we have had more KBDM discussions on these other possibilities.

Emee