[Businessmtg] GR Report. Comment on Cleaning House.

[Jerry]

Thorough report Steve. Thanks.

From your report:
 "Cleaning House.  On ongoing project has been ridding D53 of inactive groups and/or groups that we’ve been unsuccessful communicating with.  We are now down to 16 groups in D53.  In March, we discussed the possibility of merging with District 54.  I’m sure that this will take considerable time to resolve, one way or the other."

In reviewing recent Service Manual policy changes as approved by the WSC regarding service entities not having the authority to close or punish a group:

"...local, Area, or WSO service entities have no authority to close a group or engage in punitive actions against a group because they disapprove of the manner in which a group practices the Al-Anon program."
---
- SM, p.110. Autonomy of Groups, Policy Update of Dec 18, 2024.

How can our District justify delisting or eliminating a Group just because they don't communicate? They may well be out there doing their Al-Anon thing detached from the service entities except for being registered and having a CMA - the only requirements for being a meeting?

~ I understand the difficulties when they are being unresponsive, but wherefrom comes the ability to officially drop them?
~ By dropping them from our District's information does this not break the links of service from the WSC, the WSO, our Delegate on "down" to dropped groups?

Seems to me this is an overreach and against approved Al-Anon Policy. Can you get a clarification from the Policy Committee please?

Hugs,
Jerry
-