[Businessmtg] Response to Linda's response to Steve's response :-)

[Jerry H.]

Biz-Pals,

I endorse the comments made by Linda and can find few specifics to add or enhance her input. I do have some personal input, though, to add to some of comments made in this discussion to date:

~ As regards the Concepts
     While the Concepts certainly were written with our service arms in mind, they are not limited to those arms. Within the Concepts are Principles which can and do apply equally to Groups and our individual recoveries extending, too, to our family business, work circumstances, and outside relationships.
     Yes, our Legacies are but suggested and do not require that we follow them precisely, but the Concepts are not without great merit when applied beyond the scope of service arms, no differently that Traditions can and are applied in our personal lives and families.

~ As regards support of the WSO / World Service Office and etc.
     There can be no doubt that Groups are to support themselves first before sending off funds beyond their immediate and reserve needs to other service arms. But, by Group Conscience, ASP has shut off all donations until our new and undefined Area organization and attached expenses are known. That makes ASP currently non-supporting of Tradition 7.
     Al-Anon Service Manual (2018-2021 - the latest I have): "Group funds are used to support Al-Anon's purpose of carrying its message of help and hope to those who still suffer. Group contributions support all levels of Al-Anon service including District, the local Al-Anon Information Service..., the Area, and the World Service Office...."

     I believe that it is incumbent on ASP to address our decision to not support the WSO - even as a temporary measure until the Electronic Area (and Districts?) get their acts together. We do not know, nor can we estimate, how long it will be until we have the facts regarding these entities become certain.
     Meanwhile we're not supporting the one service arm we are certain about, the WSO. Further, looking back at ASP's history of support/non-support of our WSO, it shows many, many years of neglect. Whatever one's personal opinions of the WSO, Al-Anon and Groups would eventually begin to run into problems without the work they do. A cursory look at Al-Anon's early days makes this very clear.

>>>> I propose that we change our method of determining WSO support <<<<

     Currently (but on hold) we rely on the "excess funds" over our Prudent Reserve amount at the end of each fiscal quarter - all of which (if there are any) are to go to the WSO. Current suggestions are that we set percentages for future distributions of any excess funds.
     Neither of the above assures there will be any excess funds available. Indeed, that is often the history of ASP: little or no money above our Prudent Reserve is available for donations.
     Again the Al-Anon Service Manual: "If a group is not able to support the service levels due to excessive meeting expenses, it may wish to reconsider it choice of meeting locations." Well, we certainly can't change locations, but we can decide to examine why we often offer no support.
     There's no reason we couldn't set a given dollar amount for WSO donations into ASP's monthly expenses. Our reliance on excess funds to support this essential service arm would disappear. Would we have to look at our current Prudent Reserve amount of "one year's expenses"? Perhaps. Are we being prudent using this language, or are we holding more money back than we need - or that we can demonstrate we actually need? I'm not certain of that.
     Again the Al-Anon Service Manual on Warranty One: "The spiritual principle of prudence suggests that groups avoid accumulating money beyond current needs and a small but ample reserve, with just enough funds to pay ... group expenses for a couple of months." Would ASP be in financial danger if we lowered our Prudent Reserve to, say, six month's expenses and added line item donations for the WSO (and new service arms) in its monthly budgets? Our History clearly says no. So are we holding back money we could be donating? Would current group support donations from the membership cover this without creating risk? Six month's of reserve funds would absolutely give us enough time to restructure our monies to eliminate any impending risk. I believe this needs a good look.
     During my years as ASP Treasurer and later LA it became clear to me that the ASP membership is very responsive to ASP's financial needs. Funds became available just by openly asking when passing the basket. My bet is on there being no risk by trying some such change to our financial planning. Further, I know there are some who, if required, would step up were there ever a temporary need.
     In any case, our Prudent Reserve level of "one year's expenses" has proven to be unnecessarily high and is a limiting factor in ASP's ability to reliably support our current and future service arms. 

In service,
Jerry
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> On 03/30/2022 12:57 AM Linda F <afg4linda at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>  
> Hi,
> 
> I have copied and highlighted some quotes from Steve's response to my
> concerns:
> 
> 1) Re: my suggestion that we need a motion that clarifies what if any
> previous motions regarding finances still apply to our decisions about how
> we're allocating our funds:
> 
> "There is no need for a later group conscience to reference a previous
> group conscience on the same topic, nor is there a precedence to do so"
> 
> While there is no precedent for referencing a previous group conscience on
> a topic, that does not mean there is no need for later group consciences to
> clarify where we stand on any particular issue.  The fact that I am
> pointing to how lack of clarity can lead to confusion about how to apply a
> motion does suggest that what we've done in the past may not have been
> sufficient.  Steve later makes this comment when discussing my suggestion
> about setting up a reserve account for separate funds:
> 
> "However, is that kind of arrangement tends to be forgotten and
> lost with new trusted servants, which results in those funds disappearing
> because they went elsewhere."
> 
> If a new trusted servant forgets or loses an arrangement that was agreed on
> by a previous group conscience and set-up, the most likely reason for that
> problem is the new servant did not have access to information or resources
> to be able to continue what was decided in that previous group conscience.
> And that simply illustrates the importance of clear communication, and
> putting clear structures in place so that ASP functions smoothly.
> 
> 2) Re: my use of Warranty 1 to argue for ASP keeping a "prudent reserve"
> that balances both our need to be self-sufficient and our need to make sure
> we're not holding onto excessive amounts of reserves for the wrong reasons:
> 
> "While the Concepts are a valuable resource for Al-Anon groups, it is
> worth remembering what their purpose is and that they were not written to
> have the same degree of influence on individual groups as the Twelve
> Traditions"
> 
> "While ASP is a Group (finally), our structure and our financial affairs
> are more closely related to Intergroups and Areas than the usual discussion
> meeting group."
> 
> This feels like a contradiction to me.  Do we get to disregard the
> importance of the Concepts because we're only a group, or should we in fact
> take them seriously because after all our structure and financial affairs
> are more complicated than a simple group?
> 
> Steve also correctly cites this introduction to the General Warranties "In
> all proceedings the World Service Conference of Al-Anon shall observe the
> spirit of the Traditions".The point of the Concepts is that they explain
> how to put the Traditions into action when it comes to decision-making,
> leadership, and Al-Anon service.  Just as the slogans are a shorthand form
> of many of the spiritual principles we find in the steps, the Warranties
> are a shorthand form of the Traditions.
> 
> The Concepts are equal to the Steps and the Traditions when it comes to the
> Legacies of Al-Anon. They do not contradict the Traditions; they in fact
> exist because of the Traditions.  They and the Service Manual exist because
> they help us put the Traditions in action at the service level.  Just
> because they're understood less and studied less does not make them any
> less relevant.   Therefore, to me it is absolutely appropriate to study the
> Concepts for guidance on how to best make decisions about the functioning
> of ASP, just as much as I consider the Traditions.
> 
> 3) But if we want to hear an argument based on the Traditions that there is
> a need to clarify communication and structures, I will point to Traditions
> 1 and 12:
> 
> " Our common welfare should come first; personal progress for the greatest
> number depends upon unity" and
> " Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever
> reminding us to place principles above personalities."
> 
> ASP is an incredible source of Al-Anon recovery for many, myself included
> (since I now live where online Al-Anon is my only option).  ASP has done
> very well for many years, as we are about to turn 26.    At the moment, we
> are pretty dependent on a personality: Steve, our Founder, to be able to
> explain certain things to us and keep things running.  Steve has done an
> amazing job all these years.  The reality is, he is nearly 26 years older
> than he was when he started ASP. At some point down the road, if we don't
> make an intentional effort to move towards clarifying our principles and
> structures so that there is less guesswork about what ASP intends, we will
> not be able to keep being there for families of alcoholics the way we
> currently are.
> 
> 4)  I want to highlight this quote from Steve, and say that I am in full
> agreement with this:
> 
> "if the members feel that it is necessary to donate a portion
> of our funds to WSO during this interim phase, I feel that we need to
> incorporate strong protections for the funds that we theoretically allocated
> to the Area, and possible District."
> 
> HUGS (Helping Us Gain Serenity), Linda
> ____________________________
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> For assistance with other ASP issues, contact Steve the Founder of ASP, at steve at serenitysys.com