64 th General Service Conference Communicating Our Legacies –Vital in A Changing World
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Transcript of 64 th General Service Conference Communicating Our Legacies –Vital in A Changing World
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64th General Service ConferenceCommunicating Our Legacies –Vital in A Changing World
The 64th General Service Conference
Hilton West Chester, Rye Town, NY
April 27 – May 3, 2014
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Conference Committee Meetings Trustee Elections Conference Committee Reports Conference Actions Floor Actions
64th General Service Conference
Our Primary Work:
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Conference Committee Actions:
Recommend an Advisory ActionNo ActionAdditional ConsiderationRecommit to the Trustees Committee
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Our Primary Work:
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“Were it not for Committees it is doubtful that any conference could get over a fraction of the ground it now covers. As the Conference has grown in size and influence the Committee’s importance has grown even more…”
- AA Service Manual
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Two “Delegates Only” Meetings Three Regional meetingsSeven AA meetings 14 Presentations and ReportsGeneral Sharing/Q&A- 5 HoursDelegate Highlights GSC Inventory & Report backDelegate Goodbyes - 48Trustee Goodbyes – 3Stepping Stones
64th General Service Conference
How we spent our time:
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64th General Service Conference
Who makes up the Conference?
93 Delegates 71% 7 Class A Trustees (Non-Alcoholic) 5%13 Class B Trustees (Alcoholic)* 10% 4 Non-Trustee Directors 3%15 GSO and Grapevine Staff 11%
132 Total
*one vacancy due to the death of Trustee Marty Walters from Western Canada earlier this year
Avg. Age: 59 yrs.
Oldest: 78
Youngest: 32
Avg. Sobriety: 21
Longest Sobriety: 41
Shortest Sobriety: 7
Area w/Largest membership: Area 9 Mid-South California
Area w/Smallest membership: Area 85 NW Ontario
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Conference Diversity:
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64th General Service ConferenceSunday,10:00 am
It Begins!
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64th General Service Conference
Board ReportsGeneral Service Board
AAWS Board
Grapevine Board
GSB Treasurer Report
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General Service BoardChair: Terry Bedient
Group Safety
“Serving the Fellowship” Initiative
Work Continues on Original 14
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AAWS BoardChair: Gary Lutz
Over 100,000 copies of 75th Anniversary Big Book sold
Over 1900 New Groups Registered in 2013
Redesign of aa.org
Over 40% of Literature sales are now online
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Grapevine BoardChair: Nancy Haynes
$3 Million Total Revenue - flat
$315,000 Profit – up $100,000
$135,000 from Cost ReductionsExcellent Cost Control by GV Leadership!!
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Subscriptions continue to decline 2013: Declined 6,100 7%
Last 5 years: Print declined 24,000 Online added 5,000
*** Net Decline: 19,000 Subscriptions
Grapevine Circulation
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40,000
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Subscriptions
AA Grapevine Circulation: 1974-2013
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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
104,000 102,300
93,10090,500 88,900
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104,000 102,300
93,10090,500
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77,300
Grapevine SubscriptionsPrint and Total 2008-2013
Subscritions-Average for year (include Online)
Print only Subscriptions
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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013$0.00
$5.00
$10.00
$15.00
$20.00
$25.00
$30.00
$19.96$20.80
$22.50
$25.60$26.39
$27.18
$12.00 $12.20$13.38
$16.26$17.17
$17.91
GrapevineRevenue and Gross Profit
Per Subscription 2008-2013
Revenue per Subscription
Gross profit per subscription
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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013$0.0
$0.5
$1.0
$1.5
$2.0
$2.5
$3.0
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$2.9$3.0
$2.9 $2.9$3.0 $3.0
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$2.3 $2.3$2.2
Grapevine RevenueTotal and Magazine 2008-2013
Total Revenue (millions)
Revenue-Magazines (millions)
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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
-$500,000
-$400,000
-$300,000
-$200,000
-$100,000
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$100,000
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$257,000
$315,000
Grapevine Net Income 2008-2013
NET INCOME
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Audio Story RecordingsGV 70 celebrationsAudio Recording stories for salePublish audio content via 3rd Parties“mp3” format for existing CD items2015 International Convention Publications
Tactical Actions....Also need a Long Term Strategic Plan
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Revenue Generating Programs:
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La Viña circulation increased 9% in 2013 3rd year in a row for an increase 10,100 Subscribers almost back to peak of 2007
Total revenue was up only 2% -
Cost of Service to provide La Viña : $144,000
La Viña
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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20137,500
8,000
8,500
9,000
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10,000
10,500
11,000
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9,663
8,741
8,982
9,157
10,145
La Viña Subscriptions Per Year
2008-2013
Subscriptions-Average per year
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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
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$124,600 $122,600 $120,200
$129,300$123,500 $125,300
$76,300
$54,500
$75,500$69,700
$116,000
$142,500
La ViñaRevenue and Cost of Service
2008-2013
Revenue-TotalCost to GSB to provide La Vina
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Treasurer David MorrisClass A (non-Alcoholic) Board Member
Certified Public AccountantOwn Financial Consulting FirmRetired Executive- JP Morgan/Chase Bank
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Board Report: Finance
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Finance Report
2013 Literature Sales: $12.6 million Up 2%
Profit $30,000 vs a budgeted loss of $600,000 Printing, shipping, warehousing costs decreased
Big Book, Twelve and Twelve, Daily Reflections and Living Sober all had small increased sales Pamphlet sales have declined 20+% in last 5 years
Sales are up…Costs are down…all is well in Publishing town!
Literature and Publishing
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$6.9 Million, increased $350,000…..5+%Highest ever!Every category increased
Birthday/Individual ContributionsIncreased 50+% in the last 5 years
42.5% of Groups contributedSame as last year, Down 4% from 4-5 yrs ago
Contributions cover 72% of cost of services per member
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Finance Report
2013 Contributions
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Total ContributionsTotal Percentage of Groups Contributing
CONTRIBUTION HISTORY: 1983—2013
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Finance Report
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2012 $ 10.4 Million
2013 $ 3.6 Million
Reduction $ 6.8 Million
Pension Obligation now 87% funded
2012 it was only 56% funded
Currently not a Financial Concern!! YEAH!!!!
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Finance Report
Unfunded Pension Liability
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Conference Committee Meetings Trustee Elections Conference Committee Reports Conference Actions Floor Actions
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Our Primary Work:
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Eastern Canada: Richard Boisvert, Panel 60 Delegate, Area 90, Northwest Quebec
Pacific: Joel Castellaw, Panel 60 Delegate,Area 08, San Diego/Imperial Valley
Both Elections went to the ‘hat’, Both had received the fewer votes in all ballots
Congratulations to Richard and Joel
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Regional Trustee Elections
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Conference Committee Actions:
Recommend an Advisory ActionNo ActionAdditional ConsiderationRecommit to the Trustees Committee
64th General Service ConferenceConference Actions
Our Primary Work:
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Cooperation with Professionals: Revised “If You Are a Professional” Pamphlet
Corrections: Update “It Sure beats Sitting in a cell” video Finance: Translate Conference Materials Grapevine: motions and Floor Actions on “Right of Decision” and
to remove “Alcoholism at Large” both failed Literature: NEW PAMPHLET! “Many Paths to Spirituality” Public Information: No changes to Anonymity Card; survey and
new video passed Archives: Updated “Markings on The Journey” video Report and Charter: No Action-Warranty III
Details on aanorthcarolina.org next week!
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Conference Actions
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1. Recommended revising the pamphlet, “If you are a Professional”
More inclusive of different professional“Acknowledge” attendance vs sign or stamp
2. Same pamphlet, different sectionAdded sentence to keep responsibility on the alcoholic to make contact with AA
3.Recommended deleting smoking phrase from the Health care pamphlet.
All three passed
Additional Considerations: Added reference material to CPC Kit/Workbook
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Cooperation with the Professional Community
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1. Recommended minor changes to the pamphlet “A message to Corrections Professionals .
2. Recommended that a new video be developed to replace the 25 year old “It Sure Beats Sitting in aCell”
Both passed unanimously
Additional Considerations: Suggested that the DVD. “Carrying the Message
Behind These Walls” be included in the Corrections Kit.
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Corrections
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64th General Service ConferenceFinance
Recommend that because all Conference Members are equal and should have equal access that a plan be created by the General Service Office to translate Conference Material (background material, etc.) into French and Spanish for use during the conference, with a report being presented to the 2015 General Service Conference
Passed unanimously…AA unity at it’s very best!
Additional considerations: No increase in suggested Area contribution for Delegate Expense at Conference. Minor changes to self-support card
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Grapevine
Recommended Actions: The Committee recommended that the AA Grapevine have the ‘Right of Decision’ for all formatting decisions on producing the Grapevine and La Vina. Amendment offered to clarify ‘Spiritual Parity”…FailedVote: 76 in favor, 49 against…Failed by 7 No minority opinion Floor Action on the above Recommendation… Vote to hear Floor Action passed 70 to not hear, 50 to hear, needed 82 to not hear!After much discussion, motion Failed, substantial unanimity, count not necessary!
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Grapevine
Committee discussed the request to reconsider publishing “Alcoholism at Large” section of the Grapevine and took no action.
Floor Action: Discontinue publishing the “Alcoholism at Large” section of the Grapevine.Vote to hear the Floor Action passed. 74 to not hear, 50 to hear, needed 84 not to hear.After much discussion, motion Failed. 70 for 53 against, needed 82.
Additional Considerations:A “New Business Plan” to reduce the La Viña deficit <Cost of Service> be developed by the Grapevine Board, bring back in 2015.
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64th General Service Conference
Literature
Recommended new pamphlet with the title ”Many Paths to Spirituality” be approved.
Introduction to the pamphlet by Bill W., is powerful: "....We have atheists and agnostics. We have people of nearly every race, culture and religion. In AA we are supposed to be bound together in the kinship of a universal suffering. Therefore the full liberty to practice any creed or principle or therapy should be a first consideration. Hence let us not pressure anyone with individual or even collective views. Let us instead accord to each other the respect that is due to every human being as he tries to make his way towards the light. Let us always try to be inclusive rather than exclusive. Let us remember that each alcoholic among us is a member of AA, so long as he or she so declares.” Bill W., AA Grapevine, July 1965…Responsibility is Our Theme
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64th General Service Conference
Literature
Pamphlet very well received except for one part. In the section of the pamphlets with 6 ‘paths’ by a variety of AA members the Jewish person talks about not feeling guilty in saying the Lord’s prayer in order stay sober. There was an amendment offered, then an amendment to the amendment, to change that segment - both amendments Failed!
Motion to approve pamphlet as originally presented Passed with substantial unanimity, no vote counted needed.
Only 3 minority opinions offered.
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64th General Service Conference
Literature
Recommended that “Non-alcoholics are welcome to attend open AA meetings as observers” be added to the Primary Purpose Blue Card.Vote: 123 voted, 82 in favor, 41 against, exact 2/3 vote. Passed
Minority opinion, with vote to reconsiderVote: 123 voted, 62 in favor, 61 opposed, One vote decision. Passed.
Vote: 115 voted; 60 in favor, 55 opposed, needed 77 Failed.
Recommended removing “drug” reference from Living Sober. Vote: 118 voted, 60 in favor, 58 opposed Failed.
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64th General Service ConferenceLiterature
Additional ConsiderationsDiscussed the suggestion to create a pamphlet for alcoholics with mental Illness and took no action. Adequately covered in other literature
Floor Action, same as above: GSC recommended that literature which focuses on Alcoholics in recovery with Mental Illness be developed.118 votes, 54 decline to hear, 64 to hear. Will hear Floor action.
Much discussion. Vote 126, 77 in favor, opposed 49, need 84. FailedMinority Opinion, voted to reconsider, PassedOriginal Motion, more discussion, called the question,Vote: 128, 77 in favor, 51 opposed, Failed
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64th General Service ConferencePublic Information
Recommended that the Anonymity Card(F-20) be revised. Motion to recommit to Trustees PI Committee failed. Motion initially passed, then minority spoke… Motion to reconsider passed unanimously. Relatively short discussion on original motion. Original motion Failed under reconsideration. Recommended numerous classification descriptions on AA Membership Survey be changed. Passed
Recommended that survey be conducted. Passed
New Video, 2 discontinued, Passed.
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Just Ask!!!
The information is available
Other Conference Actions???
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Rocketed into a fourth dimension“We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed. The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God's universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves.”
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p25
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Forever a Panel 63 Delegate!
Thank You Area 87 and AA!
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Atlanta 2015!
64th General Service Conference