[Businessmtg] Initiating an (OT) Subject Line Element

[List Administrator]

Biz-Pals, 

One of the great things about Al-Anon is its commitment to assuring that
everyone gets to speak. Somewhere in the literature there's a wonderful
statement that goes something like, "Nowhere is there is there more
freedom of expression than in Al-Anon." (Paraphrased?) 

And so it should be here in ASP's Business Meeting (BM), too. However,
there also has to be some sense of order to our business discussions.
ASP has a process for arriving at our business discussions. Members
submit ideas, trusted servants list urgent needs, etc., then the
Steering Committee collaborates to set the BM agenda. 

As is evident in recent days, there are those who wish, for various
reasons, to go off-road rather than stick to the business at hand. This
bypasses the role of the elected Steering Committee members and subverts
the role of the BM, but how to accommodate this freedom of expression we
talk about in general? Well, over in our wildly successful Topic Meeting
we use the device of announcing off topic shares in the subject line of
shares, (OT). 

In the future when BM members share OT in the BM include "(OT)" in the
subject line. 

This way BM members can choose to concentrate on the topic on the table
or choose to sit in on the side-bar conversations which may come up.
Al-Anon and ASP has no enforcement arm to police BM members who go off
topic, but ASP has a right and obligation to do its business in an
orderly fashion. I believe this (OT) tool will help with both order and
expression. 

In service. 

Jerry H., Chair 

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