[Businessmtg] OT Shares - Jerry 2

[Jerry]

Biz -Pals, 
  
ASP adopted the use of Knowledge Based Decision Making (KBDM) some time back. Unlike Robert's Rules this process calls for discussion of a topic, and if a consensus is birthed from the discussion a motion is then formulated. That motion is then voted on by the Business Meeting members. If no consensus is found, no motion is made, no vote taken. I'm beginning to feel a consensus is near at hand for leaving OT as is - not sure, but... 
  
...KBDM can often lead to ideas which wouldn't otherwise come up in a Robert's Rules process. Of all the different thoughts and suggestions which have been expressed so far this month the one about having one of our topic days turned into a beginners'/ESH meeting really made my heart jump. We have the slot. All we'd have to do is designate one of the Open Topic days for the purpose - either on a trial basis or more permanently. 
  
I can even imagine the Topic Chair for that day receiving members' requests for certain OT topics for open discussion. Who knows? Another member summarized a darn fine rational for doing something directly to serve the new and hurting: 
     "Let's give the hurting folks that we serve not only the tools to begin recovery 
      but some compassion and guidance with how to use them..." 
  
A couple of words on the Steering Committee. ASP couldn't operate as a topic meeting if all business were addressed within the topic meetings. Likewise ASP's Business Meeting couldn't operate if all potential topics were open for discussion within the Business Meeting (BM). The role of the Steering Committee is to bring ideas and necessary business to the BM is some sort of priority fashion. All decisions on changes or new business of significant nature is made by the Business Meeting, not the Steering Committee. 
  
Back to the OT topic. Reading Steve's share I agree that maybe we've made too much of this OT thing. I, personally, have a perfectly good way to minimize any impact OT shares may have on my ASP recovery. So I don't need a universal decision in lieu of being self-supporting in this regard. I DO think, though, that this concept of an OT/ESH meeting topic once a week is a good one which broadens our outreach, serves our members, and reflects well on our Mission Statement. 
  
Jerry 
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