September 2020
District 14 – Guidelines
Preamble
Ever mindful that the reason for the general service structure is to be of service to the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, this body shall always observe the spirit of the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and the Twelve Concepts of World Service. In the absence of specific indication in these guidelines or of direct assembly action, the latest edition of the AA Service Manual may be relied upon.
1. Purpose
1.1 To facilitate interest in General Service work by encouraging involvement in service at all levels as follows:
A. Provide information to GSR’s from NAGSC, the Area Committee, and GSO.
B. Provide a forum for group or District concerns.
C. Conduct periodic service workshops to better inform our membership.
D. Participate in other functions as deemed appropriate by the body.
2. Meetings
2.1 Meetings will be held the third Monday of odd-numbered months at 6:00 PM. Location of the meetings will be the Kings Beach Community House Boardroom, 265 Bear Street, Kings Beach, CA.
3. Voting Members and Procedures
3.1 The following will be voting members of District 14:
A. District Committee Member (DCM) – Can exercise opinion in the event of a tie.
B. Only General Service Representatives (GSR’s) in attendance currently serving registered groups in District 14 or their designated alternate in their absence.
3.2 Each voting member will have one vote.
- Only voting members will be allowed to present motions to this body.
3.3 All business will be decided by a simple majority of the voting members present unless otherwise specified in these guidelines.
3.4 District Elections (qualifications and election procedure per Service Manual)
A. Each group in the district should elect a GSR and an Alternate GSR for a term of two years or until January 1 of the next odd year. These elections should be held in the fall of each year with the term of service to begin on January 1 of the next odd year.
B. The outgoing DCM and DCMC shall notify in writing the Delegate, Alternate Delegate, Area Chairperson, Alternate Chairperson, Area Secretary, and Area Registrar of the name, address, and phone number of their replacements and the alternates.
C. The DCM shall notify, in writing, the Delegate, Alternate Delegate, Area Chairperson, Alternate Chairperson, Area Secretary, and Area Registrar of the name, address, phone number, and group of each GSR at least once a year and as changes occur.
4. Officers
4.1 Officers are elected by majority vote at the District meeting.
4.2 Eligibility for election:
A. DCM: A past or present GSR who has shown leadership qualities and served actively at the District level.
B. Alternate DCM: A past or present GSR who is willing to serve the District and work actively with the DCM.
C. Treasurer: At least 3 years of continuous sobriety and integrity.
D. Secretary: At least 2 years of continuous sobriety.
E. Intergroup Liaison: At least 1 year of continuous sobriety.
F. CPC/PI: At least 2 years of continuous sobriety.
G. Answering Service Coordinator: At least 1 year of continuous sobriety.
H. Schedule Coordinator: At least 1 year of continuous sobriety.
I. Webmaster: At least 2 years of continuous sobriety.
No previous Web managing experience
necessary but would be helpful.
- Grapevine Representative: At least 6 months of continuous sobriety may be adjusted with a group conscience
- Archivist: At least 1 year of continuous sobriety may be adjusted with a group conscience
- All terms of office are for 2 years, except Intergroup Liaison (1 year term),
4.4 All officers are expected to attend the District meeting, held 6 times per year. This body will consider replacement of any and all officers absent for 2 consecutive meetings. Such consideration for replacement will be taken at the end of the second meeting in which the officer is absent.
4.5 All officers are expected to orient the succeeding officer on the duties and responsibilities of the position and be available to assist and advise the new officer as necessary.
4.6 The duties and responsibilities of the District Officers will be as follows:
A. DCM
(a) Act as Administrative Officer of the District.
(b) Prepare the District Meeting agenda.
(c) Attend and Conduct all District meetings.
(d) Appoint ad hoc committees as necessary.
(e) Attend all NAGSC meetings, the Pre-Conference Assembly, and the Area Assembly.
(f) Work with the delegate as appropriate.
(g) Other duties as outlined in the Service Manual and as needed by the District.
(h) Assist the Treasurer.
B. ALTERNATE DCM
(a) Assist the DCM.
(b) Serve as acting DCM in the DCM’s absence.
(c) Actively encourage participation by the groups in District affairs.
(d) In the DCM’s absence, attend all NAGSC meetings, the Pre-Conference Assembly, and the Area Assembly. It is also beneficial to attend along with the DCM.
(e) Maintain an up-to-date version of these guidelines.
C. TREASURER
(a) Attend all district meetings.
(b) Receive, record, and deposit all contributions on a timely basis.
(c) Maintain a complete and detailed permanent log of all monies received and disbursed.
(d) Maintain and balance the District checking account.
(e) Receive and retain all deposit slips until the deposits are confirmed on the next bank statement.
(f) Provide a detailed report at each District meeting of all income and expense and fund balance.
(g) Pay all necessary and approved District expenses on a timely basis, to include:
* District Answering Service
* Special events
* Printing of meeting schedules
* Approved travel or mileage
(h) Receive and retain receipts for all funds disbursed, except contributions to other AA bodies.
(i) Disburse funds to Area 42, NAGSC, and GSO, as determined by the District “after reimbursement of expenses for Spring and Fall Assemblies” while retaining a Prudent Reserve of $1,000. Prudent Reserve shall be based on a 6 month forward rolling forecast effective July, 2020
- Area 42 25%
- GSO 25%
- Northern Area 42 50%
100% (approved Nov, 2019)
D. SECRETARY
(a) Attend all district meetings.
(b) Take detailed minutes of all District meetings.
(c) Distribute minutes to those on District roster at least 2 weeks prior to next District meeting.
(d) Maintain and update District roster and provide Area Secretary with a copy annually or as changes occur.
(e) Send out special District mailings as necessary.
(f) Secretary to start each two year term of office with copies of the prior four years minutes of the District 14 business meetings. These copies will be present at all District 14 meetings.
(g) Once minutes are approved at following district meeting, send them to the Area Delegate and NAGSC Archivist.
E. INTERGROUP LIAISON
(a) Attend all district meetings.
(b) Attend monthly intergroup meetings.
(c) Communicate between the Group, Central Office, and District.
(d) Contribute information to the officers at Central Office on how Central Office should operate.
(e) Be aware of the agenda at Intergroup and District meetings.
F. CPC/PI CHAIRPERSON
(a) Attend all district meetings.
(b) Communicate between CPC/PI Committee and the district.
(c) Act as contact person for professionals in the community to get in touch with local AA groups.
(d) Provide pamphlets and literature at community functions where appropriate or requested (i.e. Hospital or college health fairs.)
G. ANSWERING SERVICE LIAISON
(a) Attend all district meetings.
(b) Obtain answering service record of all phone calls made to Alcoholics Anonymous and share findings at the District 14 business meetings.
(c) Update the answering service with a new meeting list every 6 months.
(d) Update the “Call For Help” answering service list (volunteer list) once per year.
- SCHEDULE COORDINATOR
- Attend District 14 meetings with schedules for GSR’s
- Keep records of any new meetings (suggest 6 months continuous attendance before adding into next schedule), if any meetings being eliminated and update changes to existing meetings ( open, closed, women’s, men’s, speaker, book study, etc.)
- Inform Phone service liaison of any above changes
- Print and distribute new schedules at every district meeting or as needed. Communicate with Treasurer to insure funds are available
- Continue to ask GSR’s to inform you of any changes to their meetings.
(f) Inform NNIG webmaster of schedule changes.
- WEBMASTER
(a) Work closely with District 14 Schedule Coordinator and Phone Service Coordinator to assure consistency in the various published schedules.
(b) Keep up with District and Area events in order to keep the website current.
(c) Stay in contact with District DCM and GSR’s concerning schedule changes.
- GRAPEVINE REPRESENTATIVE
(a) Work with GSR’s to make sure that copies of the magazines are available and displayed at meetings
(b) Encourage individual subscriptions
(c) Encourage the group to buy subscriptions in
the group’s name
(d) Encourage members to submit articles and humor
pieces.
(e) Coordinate efforts with the CPC/PI chair to donate subscriptions to public
and school libraries, hospitals, prisons, doctors’ offices, churches or to the places where the groups meet.
K. ARCHIVIST
(a) Collect local items including documents, books, recordings, and artifacts.
(b) With the archives collection: Organize it, Catalog it, Preserve it and Let people know about it
(c) Ensure the protection of the anonymity of members, and the confidentiality of all A.A. records.
(d) Coordinate and communicate with the Area and NAGSC Archivist
4.7 Responsibilities of the General Service Representative
A. GSR
(a) Responsibilities of the GSR are expected to fulfill the duties as outlined in the AA Service Manual pages S25 and S26 with participation in area service meetings to include Area 42 General Service Assemblies and NAGSC meetings.
(b) Attend all district meetings.
5. Funding
5.1 Expenses for the DCM and Alternate DCM:
A. Expenses to attend the Pre-Conference Assembly and the Area Assembly.
B. Gas expense for NAGSC meetings are reimbursed at each NAGSC meeting.
5.2 Expenses for the DCM to attend PRAASA (funds permitting).
5.3 Whenever prudent, assist GSR’s with expenses to the Pre-Conference Assembly and Area Assembly but never eliminate or discourage the responsibility of individual groups to support their GSR in accordance with Tradition 7.
- Direct expenses will be reimbursed to make it possible for them to best serve District 14.
B. $100.00 allowable each to attend Area 42 Assembly, funds permitting and after prudent reserve is met
(Approved July 16, 2013)
C. All requests for funding for GSR’s should be submitted to the DCM for approval.
D. In order for a group to receive funding, it is expected that the group will have been represented at two of the three District 14 meetings prior to the funding being disbursed. Exceptions will be made for new officers.
F. The home group will fund its GSR and/or Alternate GSR for PRAASA and Area Assemblies. In cases where funding from the home group is insufficient, voting officers can receive funding from NAGSC and Area 42. A maximum of $50 (fifty dollars) is allowed from each entity.
5.4 Assist CPC/PI Chairperson to NAGSC and Area 42 meetings and PRAASA as funding permits.
6. Amending the Guidelines
6.1 Any proposed amendment to these guidelines will be submitted in writing and presented at two consecutive meetings of the District. A two-thirds (2/3) approval vote by members present at the second presentation will constitute adoption of the amendment.
7. Quarterly Speaker Meeting Guidelines
7.1 The attached District 14 Speaker Meeting Guidelines – January 2016 were approved January 19, 2016 by District Representatives and incorporated into these Guidelines.
Approved: January 19, 2016
DISTRICT 14 SPEAKER MEETING GUIDELINES
JANUARY 2016
District 14 has elected to support a quarterly speaker meeting. It is the hope of the District that these meetings will allow all cities and communities that comprise District 14 to broaden their knowledge of other groups and members within the District, foster fellowship throughout the entire district, and to carry the message of strong and positive recovery. These meetings are also a vehicle to provide opportunities for groups, as well as individuals, to be of service to the District. It is the goal of this event to be self-supporting, not a fundraiser for the District. Below are the guidelines for this event:
- District Speaker Meetings shall be considered a District event and promoted as such.
- District Speaker Meetings shall be held quarterly and scheduled as close to every 3 months as possible. It is understood that some flexibility in the schedule is required.
- In order to encourage the highest level of attendance, it is the desire of the District that the meetings be held in as central a location within the District as possible to allow as many members as possible to attend. The District would also encourage the meetings to be held on a Saturday night so that it does not interfere with other heavily attended major meetings within the District throughout the rest of the week. Our preference is that the Biltmore (cost of $100 including coffee service) be utilized and that the meetings be designated a dessert pot luck. Many members have expressed their approval of this venue and food offering. These are suggestions only to the host group, not requirements.
- Each group comprising the District 14 membership shall be asked to volunteer to host the Speaker Meeting. It is not mandatory, but in the interest of expanding fellowship and service opportunities throughout our district we ask that each group seriously consider being of service and saying “Yes” to AA.
- The format of the District Speaker Meeting shall be up to the host group. Format examples include, but are not limited to, a single speaker, panel of presenters, and workshops. Speakers and presenters must be in active recovery and members of AA unless approved by a group conscience of the current District Committee members.
- Speakers and presenters do not need to be members of District 14. It is cautioned, however, that outside speakers or presenters expenses may not be fully covered by the District or the 7th Tradition collected the evening of the event. If the host group wishes to cover these expenses they may. If there are excess 7th Tradition funds collected the evening of the Speaker Meeting that exceed the approved expenses (See #9 below), these funds can possibly be applied towards these additional expenses, but it is not guaranteed.
- Many host groups have chosen to utilize group funds for some expenses such as taking the speaker(s) and their guest(s) to dinner prior to the meeting.
- The District Treasurer will be responsible for all monies associated with this event.
- The District will provide up to $100.00 towards the rental of a venue and coffee service. In addition the District will provide up to $25.00 towards the copying of fliers for the event. If any additional monies are requested (such as speaker transportation costs) a request must be submitted to the District Treasurer who will then seek a majority group conscience through email of all other currently serving District Committee members.
- Host groups will be required to submit an email request to the District Treasurer to disburse funds to the venue directly. A request and/or receipts for other expenses that have been approved by the group conscience of the District Committee members should be submitted promptly to the District Treasurer for payment. The District Treasure will ensure that all payments are made in a prompt manner so as to not encumber the host group in their process.
- The District Treasurer will receive the funds collected by the host group through the 7th tradition at the speaker meeting immediately after the collection. The District Treasure will count the funds with another District representative present. The Treasurer will then ensure that these funds are deposited in the District checking account promptly.
September 2020