[Businessmtg] Participation Requirements for Topic Chairs

[Jerry H.]

Biz-Pals,

Currently ASP requires 6 months of prior ASP membership before a member can serve as one of our daily Topic Chairs without consideration of past Al-Anon recovery and service experience.

During my recent term as LA it was, by policy, necessary for me to also fill the roll of Secretary who is normally responsible for soliciting and training ASP's Daily Topic 
Chairs. Over two or three cycles I found that we did not always get at least seven qualified members volunteering for these positions.

ASP's prior service requirements are in general sound and wise. But when too few qualified ASP members volunteer for our Daily Chair positions the Secretary, perhaps with Steering Committee approval on a case-by-case basis, ought to have some discretion to fill open Topic Chair positions with significantly experienced and willing Al-Anons even though they may be a few days or weeks short of 6-months of ASP membership.

Asking sitting Topic chairs to extend their service to fill the gaps, as has been necessary in the past, when members with long and varied Al-Anon recovery and service experience outside of ASP have volunteered for the vacant positions doesn't make sense to me. I suggest we consider allowing some reasonable latitude in such circumstances.

In grateful recovery,
Jerry H.
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