[Businessmtg] Steering Committee service positions

Fri Jul 28 12:37:14 PDT 2017

I would like some direction about this: Why is this particular discussion a
part of this business meeting?
Thank you all,
Kristen

On Fri, Jul 28, 2017 at 1:03 PM List Administrator <
list_administrator at asp-afg.org> wrote:

> The Steering Committee approved the website in June of 2017.
>
> We have been over and over this..
>
> From my perspective only.
>
> Through the last many years I have "suggested" additions to the website
> sent to all of the webmasters.  I was told at different times that they
> would be incorporated but they never were.  It never occurred to me that
> the Webmaster did not have the "authority" to change or add anything to the
> website.
>
> Since Jane assumed the duties of webmaster we have seen a nice clean
> website with most information easy to find.  I was not on the Steering
> Committee when the new website was approved.  However at that time Jane
> also introduced it to the recovery meeting and I took the time to go
> through it.  I also made some suggestions for "improvements" which were the
> same ones I had sent to previous webmasters.
>
> My suggestions were to add links to the Al-Anon World Service Office
> website and it add links to the newcomer/first steps podcasts and the
> Sponsorship podcasts and also to CAL.  All of these were due to the many
> questions that I saw from newcomers and also from the questions that I
> received as List Admin. From newcomers,. None of these are major changes..
> the issue of the Sponsorship page was discussed in a Business Meeting and
> the majority of the members wanted the page from a former member deleted..
>
>
> Sandie
>
>
> Please join us at Al-Anon's Sixth International Convention
>
> http://www.al-anoninternationalconvention.org/sixthInternational.html
>
> > On Jul 28, 2017, at 1:09 PM, Jane Anon <happynjoyousnfree at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > I feel the need to respond to just a few things.
> >
> > Anne said that "although permission was granted to update the site to a
> > newer version, there were decisions made by one or two people that were
> > never discussed (to my knowledge) with the larger group."
> >
> > This is accurate.
> >
> > When I transferred the old member site to the new one, I reorganized
> things
> > a bit to fit in smoothly with the Wordpress format. I also added some
> > content. Anne said, "For example, decisions about nesting the acronym
> table
> > behind a page that identified and defined acronyms should
> > have been a project approved and reviewed by the business meeting."
> >
> > Sure. But here's the thing: I was BRAND NEW in my role as webmaster when
> I
> > created the new website out of the old site. When I presented it to the
> > Steering Committee, they had the opportunity to review it and let me know
> > if they thought the changes I made (which I think are pretty obvious)
> > should have been discussed, reviewed and ultimately created via group
> > effort. NO ONE TOLD ME THIS AT THE TIME. NOT EVEN STEVE.
> >
> > Steve objected to the changes I made 2 years later. 2 years. At the time,
> > he was very complimentary, both privately to me and in front of the
> > Steering Committee.
> >
> > With respect to both Jerry and Anne, I don't feel that I "attacked"
> Steve.
> > I shared my experience honestly. I was reluctant to put his name to it,
> but
> > I concluded that it would be dishonest to do otherwise.
> >
> > Anne also said, "I suspect there are more big changes that should have
> been
> > called out for review."
> >
> > I disagree, and Anne, you don't have to "suspect." I put everything--all
> > changes and everything that stayed the same--into a document it took me
> > many hours to complete. I presented it at the last business meeting. You
> > and anyone else are welcome to review it:
> >
> http://asp-afg.org/members/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Members-Only-Websites-Old-versus-New.pdf
> >
> > Copy and paste into your browser if it doesn't link.
> >
> > Jane
> >
> > "It is easier to put on slippers than to carpet the world." ~Stuart
> Smalley
> >
> >> On Fri, Jul 28, 2017 at 7:33 AM, Anne OHara <aohara77 at comcast.net>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Good Morning,
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> I'd like to piggy back on to some of the responses to bus meeting member
> >> inquiries about the Steering Committee, the personal growth
> opportunities
> >> service brings,  the open positions and the feedback from two current
> >> members of the steering committee.  It is a lot and I am not sure I
> will be
> >> able to articulate my observations and experiences clearly.  This
> medium is
> >> VERY difficult to work in.  You don't have inflection, facial
> expressions
> >> or
> >> the ability to correct an impression or misunderstanding quickly.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> .         I have been a member of ASP for a very long time, at least 15
> >> years.  During that time, I participated in the server move and
> >> establishment of business meetings and the steering committee.  I
> served as
> >> Webmaster from 2006 to 2011 and then Treasurer from 2011 to 2014.  I
> most
> >> recently was voted in as Archivist in January.  Moving the website from
> >> Steve's ownership and location to its current home took the greatest
> amount
> >> of my time.  But beyond that, the role of webmaster and treasurer are
> truly
> >> administrative.  They require a few hours a month.  The steering
> committee
> >> time commitment has been the same.  At no time in those first 8 years
> were
> >> any of us trying to make big changes.  All changes went through the
> >> business
> >> meeting and there was never more than one (sometimes 2) items on the
> >> agenda.
> >> The work was manageable.  I learned a lot about patience, collaboration,
> >> and
> >> the application of the traditions and concepts.  It forced me to step
> >> outside of myself, so that I was thinking and working towards the good
> of
> >> the group.   Bus meeting topics many times lasted for many months before
> >> working their way through the KBDM process, the chair and the LA did not
> >> try
> >> to force solutions in those days.
> >>
> >> .         The positions I have chosen in the past have not been time
> >> consuming, I believe the LA and then the Secretary spend the most
> amount of
> >> their time, followed by the Greeter chair.  I am always willing to step
> >> forward for a new position, but I hope that others will do so too.
> >>
> >> .         Fast forward to today.  I stopped attending the bus meetings
> soon
> >> after a new rotation of Steering Committee members entered the picture
> >> (2015).  I couldn't keep up with the agenda topics, there were more than
> >> one
> >> on a regular basis and a need to come to a decision quickly.  There was
> a
> >> lot of what seemed to be 'pressing' issues that  in my opinion were
> >> personal
> >> preferences that weren't urgent.
> >>
> >> .         With the current website it is a much cleaner and more modern
> >> visual, however, all the rewriting of content and how nested some
> important
> >> info is, has become something of a problem too.  The website is not a
> blog,
> >> and although permission was granted to update the site to a newer
> version,
> >> there were decisions made by one or two people that were never discussed
> >> (to
> >> my knowledge) with the larger group.  For example, decisions about
> nesting
> >> the acronym table behind a page that identified and defined acronyms
> should
> >> have been a project approved and reviewed by the business meeting.  No
> one
> >> person should decide which acronyms are worthy of display.  I still
> haven't
> >> gone through the pages, because of time constraints and time commitments
> >> but
> >> I suspect there are more big changes that should have been called out
> for
> >> review.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> I have never been in favor of making big changes to ASP, I have a deep
> >> respect for what has developed through the Al-Anon process and so when
> I do
> >> read resumes for the positions, I vote specifically with that in mind,
> >> anyone that wants to change ASP is a red flag to me.  The service
> positions
> >> are limited to 3 year rotations and so any quick changes can be
> disastrous.
> >> We are unique as an online meeting, we have an obligation to the meeting
> >> members to keep things simple so that we can all work on our recovery.
> >> Making change for the sake of change or because one person doesn't like
> >> what
> >> is in place makes no sense and threatens the health of the group.  This
> is
> >> what I am seeing now and what I believe has created the internal
> conflict.
> >> I mean no disrespect to those who have felt attacked by Steve, I don't
> know
> >> how or when things started to sour between he and the LA, Secretary and
> >> Webmaster, I have been told it has been going on for 2 years.  There
> was a
> >> most recent push to ban him from ASP when I joined the SC in January,
> that
> >> failing, the next was to just ban him from SC and Bus Meeting
> meetings.  It
> >> didn't happen but I do know that he was put on moderated status and
> >> censored
> >> for some period of time.  I have seen Steve voice his concerns and
> >> corrections over the years, I get that feedback from him now as the
> >> facilitator of the Newcomers group, I don't always agree but I respect
> what
> >> he has to say and I take it into consideration.  We should all be humble
> >> enough to take direction as we learn.  I know I had to!  Email is harsh
> >> because of what it is, I try hard not to take things personally and that
> >> has
> >> contributed to my growth.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> With that said, the roles of each SC position are posted on the
> website, I
> >> encourage you to apply, even in conflict we can learn a lot.   This
> >> conflict
> >> will pass, there are opportunities for a fresh start and for healing.
> The
> >> concern as always is that we can't see each other and develop the
> personal
> >> relationship that can get us through some of the rough spots.   The
> month
> >> is
> >> coming to a close, but I do encourage you to reach out to the SC members
> >> for
> >> more info about the jobs and the principles and not about the
> >> personalities.
> >> With rotation, personalities come and go, the principles stand.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Hugs, and if you read all of this, thanks!
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Anne
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> The ASP Instruction page is
> http://asp-afg.org/members/asp-instructions/
> >>
> >> The ASP web site for ASP members is http://www.asp-afg.org/Members/
> >>
> >> For assistance with other ASP issues, contact the List Administrator, at
> >> list_administrator at asp-afg.org
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> http://www.asp-afg.org/mailman/listinfo/businessmtg
> >>
> > _______________________________________________
> > The ASP Instruction page is http://asp-afg.org/members/asp-instructions/
> >
> > The ASP web site for ASP members is http://www.asp-afg.org/Members/
> >
> > For assistance with other ASP issues, contact the List Administrator,
> at  list_administrator at asp-afg.org
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> _______________________________________________
> The ASP Instruction page is http://asp-afg.org/members/asp-instructions/
>
> The ASP web site for ASP members is http://www.asp-afg.org/Members/
>
> For assistance with other ASP issues, contact the List Administrator, at
> list_administrator at asp-afg.org
>
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