[Businessmtg] Service Discussion

[List Administrator]

On 2019-09-20 15:22, Kim C wrote:
> Thanks Jerry for your service and share.   I found it thoughtful and a 
> fair
> assessment.
> 
> Conflict resolution is the Al-Anon way, not personalities digging in 
> with
> controversy.
> Perhaps the Tradition meeting or special business meeting focused on
> conflict resolution.
> 
> Why does a none vote count?  What purpose does it have in KBDM process?
> Yes, No, Abstain, tells the group conscience.
> Business meetings using KBDM process coming to a motion and not passing 
> I
> believe is a deterrent for participation.  The process is not meant to
> cause disharmony.
> 
> Kim
> 

Hi Kim,

I'm very glad you asked. I don't know your Al-Anon background so I'll 
answer your questions as if you're relatively new to Al-Anon service 
because we probably do have some members here who are newer and this 
will help them to understand some of Al-Anon's practices and procedures. 
Please don't be offended by my simplistic explanations...:

"Why does a none vote count?
>   ASP elected to use Area and WSC business practices as examples for 
> its administration and business meetings.
     Area Assembly meetings are attended by the Group Representatives 
(GR's) of all the Al-Anon Groups (AFG's) in a designated Area (often a 
State, but also in some cases parts of States or occasionally across 
State boundaries), the Area officers, Committee Chairs, and certain 
other official positions - all of whom have voting rights. A required 
percentage of "yea" votes by the qualified voters are required to pass 
any motions - often 2/3rds or greater (called the "substantial 
unanimity" requirement.)
     Attendees sign in to the Area Assemblies and note whether they are 
eligible to vote. If a motion comes to the floor and moves to a vote my 
Area has all eligible voters stand and count off so the "substantial 
unanimity" minimum can be calculated.
Say hypothetically that there are 100 eligible voters present. The 
substantial unanimity would calculate to 67 "yea" votes. Now say that 66 
voted "yea" and 30 voted "nay", 3 abstained, and one chose not vote but 
was in the room. The result would be that the motion would fail because 
there were not the necessary 67 "yea" votes to reach the "substantial 
unanimity" level. Al-Anon does not have the means to force someone to 
vote. {"There are no "must's" in Al-Anon.]
     I should say that this has never happened in my Area on the many 
occasions I've attended. That it happens often here at ASP is, I think, 
a matter of the online medium we exist in. When a member joins ASP's 
Business Meeting (BM) without F2F service experience they are often not 
aware of the importance of casting a vote, or the spiritual aspect of 
seeking a Substantial Unanimity. I have received notes from a few ASP BM 
members who have said they had joined the BM to find out how it works, 
but didn't feel they were experienced enough to cast a vote. This could 
well attach to a lack of understanding of Tradition 2 which asks all to 
participate to the best of their abilities - that our Higher Powers' 
guidance, whatever our collective experience levels, will express His 
will for the group when all participate. And this could also attach to a 
lack of having or using sponsors, personal or service sponsors, who 
could help newer members get up to speed.
     Bottom line is - if we don't reach the Substantial Unanimity levels 
our policies require, motions fail.

"What purpose does it have in KBDM process? Yes, No, Abstain, tells the 
group conscience."
>   Not exactly. A Substantial Unanimity of "Yea" votes states the group 
> conscience. As unfortunate as it may seem that non-voters seem to 
> sometimes determine the outcome of motions, Tradition 2 tells us that 
> God's will is expressed when a substantial unanimity is reached. If it 
> is not reached, does than not also let us know what His will is?

"Business meetings using KBDM process coming to a motion and not passing 
I believe is a deterrent for participation."
>   Okay, it might at that. But does this mean that His will has not been 
> expressed? My noggin tells me that I and perhaps others just may not 
> understand what that will for us is. Sometimes the answer is, "No." Now 
> could we jimmy the process - say alter the number of eligible voters in 
> the BM by ignoring the "did-not-votes?" Why sure. Or we could read our 
> approved practices very literally and determine outcomes based only on 
> those who voted, but we'd have to first have that discussion and 
> affirming action in the appropriate body.

"The process is not meant to cause disharmony."
>   The disharmony I've noted is not attached to ASP's business 
> practices. We had a few members in service who did not follow ASP's 
> existing group consciences. Some of us successfully resisted their 
> attempts to alter ASP without going through a group conscience 
> procedure to do it. Some members who were emotionally attached to those 
> who then left ASP as a result sure didn't think much of those of us who 
> resisted those changes. Following the approved Group Conscience process 
> promotes harmony. It's when the approved processes are not followed 
> that disharmony follows.
     Acting according to ASP's Group Consciences (our Higher Power's will 
for us) is essential to our recoveries at ASP; changes to our Group 
Consciences need to be made through the accepted Group Conscience 
process, not by autonomous action by someone in service to the group.
     I've spoken previously about personality conflicts. We do have some 
strong-willed members around here - not afraid of stating their 
positions and disappointments. There's a line in the suggested Closing 
for Al-Anon meetings which I believe applies here: "After a while, 
you'll discover that though you may not like all of us, you'll love us 
in a very special way - the same way we already love you."


I hope this answers your questions and possibly helps some of our newer 
BM members.

In service,
Jerry H., LA
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