[Businessmtg] FW: Discussion of Motion 4

[Steve Rankin]

Hi Linda,

Regarding your comment labeled #5. . .

My experience is that we could segregate Al-Anon service into two factions:

1.  The casual type of service that we see in our face-to-face groups.  Most
of the service positions at the group level are casual and we often see
trusted servants getting help from other members of the group.  If it's your
job to set the chairs up before the meeting, there's certainly no problem
with asking other members to help.  The same sort of thing applies to most
positions at the group level.  OTOH, if a member gets others to do their
service work more often than not, then they really aren't doing service, are
they?

2.  Most other service positions are not so casual.  The Group Rep is a
service position that someone might experience that does not permit the
member asking for help that results in someone else doing the job.  If the
group elected an Alternate Group Rep, and the elected Group Rep is unable to
attend the District meeting or Area Assembly, then the Alternate Group Rep
may attend in their stead.  However, if the group did not elect an
Alternate, then there is no alternate and neither the District nor the Area
should allow just anyone to attend and have voice or vote.  This is true of
many, if not most, service positions in Al-Anon.  

Consider this example.  Let's say that MaryJane is the Group Rep at her
meeting.  The election Assembly is coming up and MaryJane has other plans,
so she asks her girlfriend to attend the Assembly for her.  The girlfriend
is a new member of Al-Anon that just started attending MaryJane's group.  Is
it OK for MaryJane to ask her to attend the election Assembly and vote for
the new Delegate?  No.  MaryJane is the group's trusted servant, not her
friend.

Another example.  Some years back, we elected a Web Master who designed and
built a new version of ASP's web site.  OK.  Well, not OK because among
other things, it turns out that her significant other actually did the work,
and he wasn't even a member of Al-Anon.  Not OK.

Another example.  Let's say I ask Willie to be my sponsor.  I like Willie
and he talks a good program.  Then, I call Willie and his wife answers and
she tells me that Willie is busy and told her to talk to me.  OK?  I
certainly hope not.  

Another example.  About 25 years ago, I was the Area Treasurer for Northern
California.  There are a number of precautions that an organization should
take to minimize the chance of financial snafus.  One of those precautions
is to separate the income from the outgo.  In other words, the same person
does not have control of both the funds coming in and the funds going out.
Yeah, we don't worry about this at the group level because the dollar
amounts are so small; but at the Area level we're talking about tens of
thousands.  So, at the first Area meeting I informed the Area that I was
appointing David S. to handle and process all incoming funds from the PO Box
to the bank.  David was a friend of mine, but he was also a long-time member
and well trusted by the Area, and the Area was informed before any actions
were taken.  

What about ASP?

Consider that the Secretary is an ELECTED OFFICER of ASP.  Both of those
words are important here.  First, the members of ASP elected the person
serving as Secretary - no one else.  Second, the Secretary is an officer of
ASP and as such has both traditional and legal responsibilities that the
Secretary can not delegate.  

NOTE:  the List Administrator provides the Secretary with the documentation
of the full array of user names and passwords that are critical to the
functioning of ASP.   Why?  Because the Secretary is the primary Alternate
List Administrator.  Should something happen to the List Administrator and
he/she is unable to perform the duties, then the Primary Alternate List
Administrator becomes the List Administrator.  This is what happened when
Jerry resigned as List Administrator - Beverly became the List
Administrator.  

NOTE:  Normally, the Secretary has no need for any of this confidential
information as it is not needed to perform any of the duties of Secretary.
Certainly, the Secretary has no business using any of this confidential
information unless and until it becomes necessary for them to serve as the
List Administrator.  Likewise, the Secretary has no authority to share any
of that information with anyone.  No exceptions.  

In other words, what duty belonging to the Secretary does the Secretary of
ASP have that they have both the right and the authority to delegate to
someone else?  At this time - nothing.  

However, our recommendation is to allow the Secretary to appoint an
assistant creates a formal exception.  Our recommendation is that the
Secretary be allowed to appoint a member of ASP to perform the duties of the
Web Master.  In order to perform those duties, the Assistant must have
access to the part of the web site needing maintenance as well as the part
where polls are set up for voting.  In that case, the List Administrator
would provide the formally appointed assistant with the information (user
name and password) and the instruction on how to access the website.  

This formality is also necessary because we are stating that serving in this
Assistant position qualifies the member to serve on the Steering Committee.
Would we consider casual help as qualifying for an advanced service
position?  No.  

So, while we do learn about asking for help in Al-Anon, we also need to
learn about doing so appropriately.  

Hugs,
Steve



-----Original Message-----
From: Businessmtg On Behalf Of LindaLee H
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 4:31 PM
To: steve at serenitysys.com
Cc: ASP Business <businessmtg at asp-afg.org>
Subject: [Businessmtg] Discussion of Motion 4

Hi Business Friends:
Following is my opinion and comments in regard to the discussion - take what
you like and leave the rest.


  1.   I have no comment on housekeeping.
  2.
  3.   I have no problem with the Secretary position assuming the duties of
Webmaster and the position of Webmaster be eliminated.  It seems to be an
efficient move.
  4.
  5.   I do question the necessity of formalizing 'permission' for the
Secretary to appoint an assistant.  It has been my experience in Al-Anon
that anyone in service is free to ask for help if and when they need and
that someone always steps up until no longer needed - no fanfare or special
dispensation.
  6.
  7.   For me, Group Rep is a 'no brainer' - I assume (yes, I know better),
we will want to participate when the time arrives.  I feel it's premature to
address this at this time since we don't have any specific knowledge yet of
what/when etc.

Hugs, Linda

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