[Businessmtg] Linda's Questions #3

[Steve Rankin]

Hi Linda,

#3.  All Al-Anon "Groups" have the right to elect a GR who is the Group's voice and vote in the Al-Anon service structure.  No other position in Al-Anon has a vote regarding: (a) the election of officers at the District & Area levels, (2) no other position has a vote in the election of an Area Delegate that represents the voice and vote of the Area at the World Service Conference.  Al-Anon entities that are not "Groups" do not have the right to elect a GR and therefore are not represented by a GR in the service structure.  This would include the District itself, the Area itself, and any Intergroup or Literature Depots, etc. that may exist.

What we do not know is how the administrative details of this will be put into effect.  

Nor do we know how this new Virtual Area will decide to organize itself.  That will be determined by the GR's from the various electronic groups.  

Job Description of the GR.  The job description that I included in the list is something that I put together.  It is very generic and intended to describe the GR job in very broad terms, but just as importantly, to inform the members that the Group Rep position is different from anything else we have done at ASP.  I believe that it is important for everyone to understand that this new Area will be starting from scratch with nothing but a assembly of newly elected GRs, and no structure, no officers, nothing.  These new GR's will have to create all of that from scratch.  It logically follows that some of them will be elected or appointed to serve in some position at the new Area.  

If anyone is interested in the official description of the Group Representative position, please refer to the current 2020-2021 Service Manual https://al-anon.org/pdf/P2427_online.pdf 

==============

Duties of Assembly Members
Group Representative (GR)
A GR is a vital link in the continuing function, growth and unity of
world Al‑Anon. He is a member elected by his group for a three-year
term. He attends Assemblies, maintains contact between the group
and the District and between the group and the Area World Service
Committee. He should also make himself thoroughly familiar with
the Al‑Anon/Alateen Service Manual (“World Service Handbook,”
“Al‑Anon and Alateen Groups at Work,” “Al‑Anon’s Twelve Concepts
of Service” and the “Digest of Al‑Anon and Alateen Policies”).
GRs should be members with experience, stability and an understanding
of the Traditions and how they work, as applied in the
142 al-anon.org
World Service Handbook
“Digest of Al‑Anon and Alateen Policies.” It can be a challenging job.
Ample time is needed for GRs to perform their many duties.
If a group also has an Alternate GR, the following duties may be
shared:
• The GR and the Group The GR should be allowed regular
time at group meetings to convey information concerning
Al‑Anon in his District, Area and World Service affairs. The GR
has the responsibility of seeing that correspondence from
the World Service Office is reaching his group. If correspondence
is not being brought to meetings by the person who is
listed as the Current Mailing Address (CMA), the GR consults
first with the CMA and, if a change is warranted, contacts the
District Representative and the WSO to provide an up-to-date
CMA (possibly his own), a phone listing, emails and other
pertinent group information. If the group has a PO Box, or if
for any other reason the GR is not the group’s CMA, all correspondence
should be referred to him. Although he does not
replace the Group Secretary, he can explain communications
in light of his understanding of the world Al‑Anon picture.
• The GR and World Service Through the contacts he makes
with other GRs and the Area World Service Committee members
at Assembly, the GR can gain knowledge of Al‑Anon
world service and the purpose and work of the Conference.
This will enable him to explain these to the group.
• The GR and District Meetings The GR is expected to attend
all meetings of his District. The GR or the Alternate GR, in the
GR’s absence, votes at the District meeting. Each group has
one vote. Communicating at District meetings, the GR can
bring his group’s viewpoint on any situation or problem concerning
Al‑Anon to the attention of the DR. In turn, he informs
his group of the outcome of the meetings.
• The GR and the Area Assembly In addition to attending the
election Assembly, the GR is expected to attend all scheduled
Assemblies (and any interim Assembly the Chairman or Delegate
considers necessary) and to report back to the group.
The GR or Alternate GR, in the GR’s absence, votes at the
Assembly. Each group has one vote.
• The GR and The Forum The GR is also The Forum representative.
He encourages the group to subscribe to at least one
copy, acquaints members with its value and urges them to
al-anon.org 143
World Service Handbook
subscribe. He also suggests stories of interest be sent to The
Forum at the WSO.
• The GR and Public Outreach (Public Information, Cooperating
with the Professional Community, and Institutions)
Local public outreach activities in the immediate community
may be spearheaded by the GR, who may recommend forming
a committee within the District, using material available from
our WSO. If there is an Information Service, public outreach
work affecting all the groups within its area of activity may
be its responsibility. Liaison and cooperation should be maintained
between the Information Service, the Districts and the
Area Public Outreach (Public Information, Cooperating with
the Professional Community, and Institutions) Coordinators.
• The GR and the World Service Delegate’s Report If the DR
or the Delegate cannot personally give the Conference report
to the group, the GR may do so and explain the functions and
purpose of the Area Assembly and the Conference. The GR
encourages group discussion of these matters and relays
group concerns to the Delegate.
• The GR and Appeal Letters to individual members The GR
should be mindful of Al‑Anon and Alateen’s principle of selfsupport.
He makes sure the appeal letters to individual members
for support of the WSO, sent four times a year (February,
May, August and November), are read to the group. He may
personally present to his group the appeal letters sent by the
Area Treasurer for support of the Assembly and provide to the
Group Treasurer the name and address of the Area Treasurer,
if necessary.
• The GR and Conference Approved Literature (CAL) The GR,
recognizing the importance of CAL, makes sure that the pamphlet
Why Conference Approved Literature? (P-35) is always
available at the meeting. He encourages use of a variety of
CAL for meeting topics.









-----Original Message-----
From: Businessmtg On Behalf Of LindaLee H
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2021 5:27 PM
To: steve at serenitysys.com
Cc: ASP Business <businessmtg at asp-afg.org>
Subject: [Businessmtg] Business - Motion 4 (My comments and/or questions

Hi Friends,

I apologize if I'm out of order, but I decided just to plunge in with my comments and questions.  I don't think any fall under Mary's request for sticking with the 4 Statements, and that is not intentional on my part.  I simply wasn't able to do that.

Using the numbers in Steve's explanation, these are my questions and comments.  I guess my comment falls under "my statement of my Opinion."

3/ Do we know that we will now have a G.R. or are we assuming?  I noticed there is a job description for GR at the end of the side-by-side link.  I am assuming this has all come from WSO with the good news presented by Steve?

4/ List Administrator - the "new" side says there is a single word change.  What is the word?  I could not find it.

5/ Would it be more advantageous to the Board to keep the Web Master position separate?  Later in #7 it states that the Web Master's duties are minimal.  If this is true, I wonder what would be a good reason to then create a separate position of Recording Secretary to handle it.  What would be the difference between that and just keeping Web Master?

7/ See #5.

10/ Are we anticipating this position or has it been confirmed by WSO?
 What meetings would our online meeting GR attend?  (This curiosity probably inappropriate in this forum - perhaps to be determined).

11/ I wondered if this meant that the request by Steering Committee for Founder to assume any position was as a temporary fill-in.  The description for "Founders of ASP" at end of the link provided clarifies this for me.  Perhaps wording should match. (housekeeping?)

Under List Administrator in recommended changes, it states "Online meetings are not Groups and therefore do not have GR's.  This appears to no longer be the case.

Thank you, Hugs,
Linda


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