[Businessmtg] Group Representative Report

[travelynne2]

Thank you Anne for both agreeing to serve as the GR and for the summary of what has happened so far! 

Is there a next meeting scheduled? I look forward to hearing how this area organized themselves as time goes on. 200 virtual meetings is really impressive! Is that a large number of meetings to be in one Area or is that pretty normal? 

Hugs,
Lynne

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 8, 2022, at 5:50 PM, aohara77 at comcast.net wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> 
> 
> As one of the founders of ASP, I was asked to step in as the ASP Group
> Representative until we have a volunteer from the ASP group step forward
> into the role.
> 
> 
> 
> Since I was asked to fill the role in early January, I have attended two
> Assembly meetings that were organized by members of the WSO.  Both meetings
> used Web Ex technology, and as many as 200 virtual meeting groups sent GR's
> to the meetings.  It was quite an experience. I have never participated in
> this type of an Al-Anon event, I gained new perspective on the challenges we
> experience at an ASP Business meeting - managing the discussions, and
> staying on task both by the leaders and attendees.  
> 
> 
> 
> At the first meeting on 1/22, little was accomplished due to some technical
> and organizational difficulties, the intent was to have elected all officers
> at that meeting.  Instead the meeting went for 4 long hours and we only
> elected an Area Delegate.   Kudos to the leaders of that meeting,  because
> the next meeting on 3/5 was very smooth!   During the second meeting,
> leaders referred to our area as Non-Georgraphic/Non-Panel - I am not sure
> what Non-Panel means and have requested that information as well as the
> minutes from 3/5  meeting.  I was only able to stay for about half of that
> meeting.
> 
> 
> 
> The election process:
> 
> *    Each individual answered a series of questions in writing.  At the
> first meeting, we got the responses during the meeting.  At the second
> meeting, those responses were shared ahead of the meeting and presented in 3
> languages.
> *    During the meeting each prospective candidate spoke briefly and
> given a time limit.  At the first meeting, translation services did NOT work
> - and so the narrative appeared in the chat box, first in Spanish and then
> in French, and there were oral translators standing by to assist during
> discussion.  At the second meeting, closed captioning was enabled - allowing
> the meeting to progress in a timely manner.
> *    Once the prospective candidates had finished speaking, they were
> removed from the meeting and the assembly could ask questions.  At no time
> were we able to speak directly with anyone standing for a position.  It
> seemed odd because there were some really good questions that of course the
> WSO couldn't answer.
> *    Then the election took place but we were never given the tally, just
> the end result of the vote.  The voting poll was built into the Webex, those
> on smartphones could vote through the Webex, those on landlines or mobile
> devices that weren't "smart" emailed their votes to dedicated email address.
> *    I was able to stay long enough to vote for all but the Area
> Secretary.
> 
> 
> 
> I do believe all Area positions are now filled.  Area Delegate, Area
> Chairperson, Area Treasurer, Area Secretary.  This elected group  has a lot
> of work ahead of them.  It was clear to me that WSO is going to let this
> group define their own processes - and their role at these initial meetings
> was simply to facilitate getting this structure in place.  I will be most
> interested to learn more about how they manage determining their operating
> costs and prudent reserve as well as how they will manage the treasury.
> As soon as that is defined and shared, we will be able to define how we want
> to distribute our excess funds.
> 
> 
> 
> Please let me know if you have any questions.
> 
> 
> 
> Yours in service,
> 
> 
> 
> Anne O.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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