Reno, Nevada
Western States Zonal Forum
July 28-29, 2001
Reno, Nevada
Opened Friday at 5:13pm
In attendance were:
Arizona, California Mid State, Central California, Northern California, Pacific Cascade, Rio Grande, San Diego Imperial, Sierra Sage, Southern California and Southern Idaho Regions, Washington/Northern Idaho Regions. California Inland, Region 51 were not in attendance.
Vince made arraignments for rides to and from the airport as well as rides to meetings.
We went around the table and introduced ourselves.
Listed and prioritized topics, will prioritize tonight and then again tomorrow after lunch.
9 Initiating Issue Discussion Topic
9 Website and Internet Issues, & FIPT
9 Fund accountability and theft of funds at the Regional level
6 WB Travel policy
6 Apathy towards service
5 Regional & Area inc
5 Lack of fund flow did not get to anything below this line
4 Groups compromising traditions
3 Area / Regional / World Directories
3 NAWS World wide workshops
3 Regional Offices (RSO’s)
2 Use of the 7th Traditions
2 Liability Ins
2 Instituting “Guide to Local Services”
2 Scheduling of major events
1 Standardized Regional reports to the WSC
A lengthy discussion on the process of the sharing session. We finally agreed on thus: The people who voted on the topics will share first, with a 3 minute time limit per person, followed by open floor sharing from the others. An hour suggested limit per topic.
A discussion on how we are becoming more structured in this meeting. Some expressed regret that we are becoming more structured and less informal. Some expressed the need for structure to level the playing field
We started regional reports with the 4 which were written and ready to give. The rest will be given later.
Rio Grande, Pacific Cascade, California Mid-State, Washington-Northern Idaho
Rex, RD from WNI, volunteered to give the WSZF report to WSC.
Saturday
We agreed that after lunch we would hear a report from Bob Jordan, WB member, followed by more regional reports, followed by re-prioritizing issue discussion topics.
Issue Topics
Most of the day was given over to discussing the issue topics. A summary of those discussions follow at the end of this report.
World Board report
A summary follows the issue discussion summary
Regional reports – 4 more, last 3 will be given tomorrow morning
Southern Idaho, Southern California, Northern California, Arizona
Bid accepted for 2002 Western States Forum
August 2, 3 & 4, 2002 – Portland OR, Pacific Cascade Region
Sunday
Discussed and agreed to revise WSF Guidelines to include the prioritization of topics procedure, which includes brainstorming a list, voting for topics, 3 min per person, 1 hour per topic.
Remaining Regional reports
Central California, San Diego Imperial, Sierra Sage
Open Forum / Closing remarks
Greg says he will come up with a “standardized” list of items to include in reports.
Don hopes we can have some discussion time at WSC to continue the discussion topics we did not get to this weekend.
Discussion Topics:
This is a summary of what discussion occurred on these topics.
Initiating Issue Discussion Topics-Discussions have occurred at Regional Assemblies. Pascific Cascade purposed a project plan (like the way literature development has been done) to discuss these, have not done it yet. How do you get people interested in discussing these topics beyond regional assemblies. Fellowship is not interested anything beyond what happens at meetings. Possibilty of taking Regional Assemblies on the road quaterly. Brainstorming session, make a list of topics and then vote on topics and break into small groups. WB thinks the current process sucks. Last confernece cycle WB only got 1 paper that wasn’t from a conference participants. The current process doesn’t seem to work well, discussion at WB meeting to change current process. The process has no end to the means, could be what creates some of the apathy, no end product. Washinton/Northern Idaho discussion at the convention, open mic style, RSC has asked areas to let them a meeting at their events, working well this way. Give away dinners and dance tickets to those who attended. Small break out groups at the RSC. Door prizes during, raffles, marketing. Evaluation forms at regional assembly.
Website/Internet Use (FIPT)-The regional webpage has area pages that include meetings list, areas have access codes to get to their pages. NAWS has asked us to not post any literature on our web sites until the web copyright issues are sorted out in the courts. Posting literature comprimises our copyright, do not do it. Bulletin from NAWS about this issue is posted on na.org. Groups can produce up to 25% of our literature for their use, this does not apply to internet, WB is in discussion with lawyers on this issue. Possility NAWS could post our literature and provide a link to our literature, this would protect our copyright. Moving towards posting IP 1 How, What, How and Why first. Copyright is dicated by law not by our policies, there are some differences existing already between countries. Encourage professionals in this field to submit their world pool resumes. NAWS doesn’t have resourses to police this, we as a fellowship need to help protect our copyright by informing people how we protect our copyright. Internet used to get people to our meetings, where the message is carried. Not using the internet to replace that.
Fund Accountability (Theft of NA Funds at regional level)-We are way beyond a lot of regions in this. Some regions still don’t required recconciled bank statements attached or do audits. Surprise to us. Theft polices discussed, some regions implementing these. Standardized policies (guidelines) about how you handle NA money if you need to handle it differently you must ask for a waiver. We are responcible for setting up that structure that prevents this from happening and how to deal with it when we do let it happen. Personal responsiblity as leaders to ask the questions, follow the bank statements to get the information today. Theft polices must include what to do when it happens and the legal procedures that could follow. The fellowship is relucent to enforce the policy and scantions we do put in place. RSO has an umbrella of area accounts and pays taxes through the RSO for area sales.
WB Travel Policy (Room sharing) -The WB having separate rooms due to issues such as smoking. Policy of the room sharing of NAWS. Clarity in the policies. Bob J from WB said the standard is shared rooms, the executive committee makes the discison to do otherwise.
Apathy Toward Service -Major problem in other regions. Better to have a body than no body syndrome. If there is no one to step up, shut the service down. When the consquense of not having the service hits, someone will get impassioned and do something about it. Ask people personally to help can sometimes work. The fellowship has gotten soft, attitude that do it if you want, changed from how it used to be. Service is a requirement not an option. Rotation of service, leaving a vacumn for somone else to get involved. Mentoring new people. Serve by your example.
Regional and Area Incorporation – How to do it, when, what is the best way, differnet in different places. Seek out the help of professionals. Regions have incorportated their conventions. The corp to handle all funds for the entire region. RSO’s responsible to the law of the state they are in before they are responsible to the RSC. We struggle with this concept, it doesn’t fit in what we understand our service structure is. Reasons for the incorportation is protection from lawsuit, personal protection, sales tax issues. Set of rules to sheild you from personal liability, this is why you should incorportate. State Attorney General is a resource is to use.
Lack of Fund flow – Raffles. Need timelines of banking money. Like our preaid expense account. What our core services cost and what it costs each group in order to keep these services intact. San Deigo has area tshirt committees to raise money, region is fond of fundraiser. Events divert money from the fund flow. Core services are funded thru lit sales, basic text cost $11.40. No donations from 7th tradition, all donation to RSC come from event donations. Putting more than $1 in the basket. Spilting donation between WSC and RSC has affected donation the region. Educate the fellowship about how much things cost. Area conventions have affected amount of money made on regional conventions. Streamline services, H&I and PI committees at the regional level duplicate services and cost more money. Ask areas to pay what their insurance costs are, let them know how much they cost is. Talk to drug court/PO’s do PI presentations. Personal EFT donations to WSC. If others don’t see you putting money in the basket how do they understand how this works. Groups that don’t participate in the service structure, where does the money go. Buck in 1953 now and a buck now, only a 14% increase. $1 a meeting a week direct donation to the to the RSC and WSC. In our region that = $4800 a month. A penny a day on your anniversry for your clean time, direct donation. Prudent reserve, pools of money around the fellowship. Evaportation of funds through theft. Business/spiritual principals the balance in between. News Flash about what the money is spent at the WSO. Should the basket be expected to be the sole source of funding when you take into account the the single highest money maker in our fellowship is the sale of the basic text. Groups ask that the basket be only for 7th tradition not court cards, because new people don’t understand what the basket is for. WSC donation at NCCNA pre reg and reg onsite.
NAWS Report – Bob Jordan represented the WB. The WSO has very limited staff resourses, money and staffing. Staff changes at the office, Becky M on medical leave. George H has resigned his position as executive co director. L The WSO Canadian office has been operating as an alien corportion, is working to become a Canadian coporation. The WSM will be happening in a month, topics of discussion will be about the publication com. Progresss on basic text and sponsorship material. The WB has come to the agreement that there isenough material to produce and 100 page booklet. Process on the fast track to have an evaluation ready in 2004. The basic text evaluation process is to begin after that in 2004. The process in complicated there are different camps along what our goals are. WB spent half of there July meeting discussing how to do this. Worldwide workshops will be held in United Kingdom in Sept, New Zealand Oct.-Nov, Brazil Jan 02, Chicago in Feb 2002. WSC 2002 the regional CAR motions and issue discussion topics Sept 26, issue discussion paper submissions deadline Oct 15, regional seating deadline April 27, 2001 7 regions submitted, 2 were late. World pool resume due by Sept 1, CAR will be published the Nov 29, translation will be Dec 29 WSC April 28-May 4 2002. Issue related to funding and RD travel will be discussed at WSM. Additional informaiton to follow. Seven weeks after WSC is WCNA 4th of July weekend in Atlanta the convention starts on Wed- Sun, Thursday evening meeting will be held a couple of hours early for fireworks display. The executive com was reelcted for another year in July. Database is a black hole. Part of what has occurred the contrractor was bought out and during downsizing eleminated the staff that knew the coding. This project is way above budget and beyond the scope we ever imagained. Due to these problems the mailings to groups and areas that allow us to update online have been put on delay indiffently. RD funding to WSC logistics will be discussed at the WS meeting.