District 08 Structure & Guidelines Manual

ARKANSAS AREA 04 – Alcoholics Anonymous

1.0 District 08 Committee Membership

1.1 The following shall be full voting members of the District 08 Committee:

• District Committee Member (“DCM”)
• Alternate District Committee Member (“Alternate DCM”)
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Currently serving District 08 General Service Representative (“GSR”) of groups duly registered with the General Service Office in New York.

1.2 The Following shall be full participating, non-voting members of the District 08 Committee except as specified in paragraph 1.1:

• All currently serving District 08 Alternate General Service Representatives of groups duly registered with the General Service Office in New York. The District 08 Alternate General Service Representative shall have full voting rights for their group in the absence of their group’s GSR during voting at the District 08 Committee meeting.
• All members of the fellowship.

2.0 District 08 Committee Meeting

2.1 The District 08 Committee shall meet at 2pm on the first Sunday in March, June, September, and December or at other times deemed necessary by the DCM, provided fourteen (14) days advanced notice is given the district membership.

2.2 The location of the following district meeting shall be selected by the District 08 Committee at each district meeting.

2.3 A quorum shall be the number of voting members present at the current district meeting.

3.0 District 08 Executive Committee

3.1 The following shall be members of the District 08 Executive Committee:

• DCM
• Alternate DCM
• Secretary
• Treasurer

3.2 DCM Duties

• Conduct all District 08 Committee meetings.
• Prepare and publish meeting agendas and provide agenda to the Secretary forty-five (45) days before the next District 08 Committee meeting.
• With the Alternate DCM approval, appoint chairpersons of the District 08 Permanent Committees.
• Work with the GSRs to keep the district membership informed of group concerns.
• Keep groups informed of district actions and needs.
• In general, perform the duties of the administrative officer of the District 08 Committee.
• Deliver new AA Group and Group Change Information forms to Area 04 Registrar following each district meeting.

3.3 Alternate DCM Duties

• Assume the duties of the DCM in his/her absence.
• Coordinate District 08 Permanent Committees
• Maintain contact with all groups in the district, primarily urging new groups and unregistered groups to participate in district functions.
• Insure adequate personnel are available to cover our rotating duties at the Area 04 Assembly for registration and making coffee.
• Attend Area Assemblies to help coordinate the attendance of the District committee members and learn the duties of the DCM.

3.4 Secretary Duties

• Keep minutes of the District 08 Committee meetings.
• Publish and mail the district meeting minutes to the District 08 Executive Committee members two (2) weeks prior to the Area 04 Assembly.
• Mail the agenda and published minutes thirty (30) days before the next district meeting to duly registered GSRs.
• Maintain an updated list of all duly registered District 08 groups including meeting times, addresses, and contact details of each GSR and Alternate GSR.
• Maintain a sufficient number of copies of the District 08 Structure and Guidelines Manual.

3.5 Treasurer Duties

• Receive contributions from groups and other sources.
• Maintain records of monies received, a bank account for depositing all receipts, and make disbursements as determined by the District 08 Committee.
• Report the condition of the District 08 Committee Treasury at each meeting and provide a published statement for each GSR present.
• Prepare an annual budget with the Executive Committee for approval at each December meeting.
• All checks must include two (2) of the three (3) following signatures – DCM, Alternate DCM, and Treasurer.

4.0 District 08 Permanent Committees

4.1 The following set of guidelines is not intended to be all-inclusive. It is the district’s desire that these guidelines be useful as a catalyst to provide much-needed communication between District 08 Permanent Committees and District 08 AA groups.

4.2 Each District 08 Permanent Committee

May consist of a chairperson and a workable number of committee members where feasible. Each District 08 Permanent Committee Chairperson is to attend, or appoint someone to attend, the quarterly Area 04 Assembly meeting. At District 08 Committee meetings, report on literature, workshops, etc. available from their committee. This can also be accomplished with mailouts. Give a copy of all reports to the District 08 Secretary and the District 08 Archives. The DCM, with Alternate DCM approval, will appoint a chairperson for each District 08 Permanent Committee and may remove a District 08 Permanent Committee Chairperson for just cause.

4.3 Each District 08 Permanent Committee

Shall meet at the call of its chairperson.

4.4 The DCM may remove any member of a permanent committee

For just cause if requested by that committee, following a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote by the committee members present and voting at a scheduled committee meeting.

4.5 The following shall be permanent committees of the District 08 Committee:

• Archives Committee: Collect the experience, history, and memorabilia of District 08 in as undistorted manner as possible. All articles collected are to be presented to the Area 04 Archives Committee for preservation.
• Cooperation with the Professional Community Committee (CPC): Provide AA information to those having contact with alcoholics through their profession. These groups include physicians, nurses, clergy members, attorneys, social workers, union leaders, industrial managers, and those working in the field of alcoholism.
• Correctional Facilities Committee (CF): Coordinate the flow of information and activities pertaining to carrying the message of recovery to alcoholics in correctional facilities from district, group, and individual AA members.
• Grapevine Committee (GV): Inform groups and individuals in the district of the many benefits which can be derived through a Grapevine subscription. The committee shall encourage broadening Grapevine’s benefits, topics for group discussion, submitting articles for publication, and sharing copies with newcomers, friends, professionals, institutions, etc.
• Group Relations Committee: Improve communications and activities at the District 08 level. The DCM, with the Alternate DCM approval, will appoint the Committee Chairperson and a past DCM to serve on the committee.
• Public Information Committee (PI): Inform the district, group, and individual AA members so the fellowship may carry the AA message more effectively to the still suffering alcoholic.
• Treatment Facilities Committee (TF): Coordinate the flow of information and activities pertaining to carrying the message of recovery to alcoholics in hospitals and alcoholism treatment/rehab centers.

5.0 District 08 Executive Committee

5.1 The following shall be members of the District 08 Executive Committee:

• DCM
• Alternate DCM
• Secretary
• Treasurer

5.2 The District 08 Executive Committee shall have called meetings at the request of the DCM or three (3) members of the executive committee.

5.3 The DCM will select a place and time for the meetings and notify each member ten (10) days prior to the meeting date.

5.4 The DCM shall conduct all meetings, or in his/her absence, the Alternate DCM shall preside.

6.0 District 08 Committee Funding

For the District 08 Committee to fulfill its responsibilities in carrying the message to still-suffering alcoholics and provide for the mailing, publishing, and other expenses approved by the District 08 Committee, necessary funds must be available. Each group in District 08 is asked to voluntarily contribute to the District 08 Treasury. These contributions are not dues or levies, but are voluntary contributions.

7.0 District 08 Executive Committee Elections

7.1 The following election procedures were written using the AA Service Manual, Third Legacy Procedure, as a guide.

• The District 08 Secretary calls the roll of voting members present. This list is the responsibility of each voting member. They are to sign in with the District 08 Secretary as they arrive at the district meeting on election day. Corrections and additions are added to the list at the end of roll call.
• Two (2) non-voting members will be selected as “tellers”. Two (2) other non-voting will be selected as “collectors” of ballots and a non-voting member will record and tally votes on the board.
• All GSRs and District 08 Executive Committee members are eligible for nomination to District 08 Executive Committee positions for the new term. Each member eligible for nomination will be introduced as their name is written clearly for all voting members to view.
• The chairperson asks whether anyone is unable to serve, and if so, that person’s name is removed from the list.
• Paper and pencils are distributed for written ballots.
• Written ballots are cast, collected, and given to tellers to count.
• Each vote will be recorded on the board beside the candidate’s name.
• The first candidate to receive two-thirds (2/3) vote is elected.
• If no candidate receives the necessary two-thirds vote after several ballots, a lot may be drawn to determine the selection.

7.2 Currently serving GSRs, incoming GSRs, and executive committee members shall elect a District 08 Committee Member (“DCM”), Alternate District 08 Committee Member (“Alternate DCM”), District 08 Secretary, and District 08 Treasurer in September of each even year. Their term of service shall be two years beginning January 1 of the next odd year.

8.0 Amendment Procedures

8.1 Any proposed amendment to this structure shall be submitted in writing to the DCM at least sixty (60) days prior to the next District 08 Committee Meeting.

8.2 The DCM shall include the proposed amendment on the next District 08 meeting agenda and a simple majority vote by the voting members present will recommend the proposed amendment be submitted to the District 08 groups for ratification.

8.3 The Secretary shall mail a copy of the proposed amendment to each GSR and District 08 Committee member no later than thirty (30) days prior to the next district meeting. A two-thirds (2/3) approval by voting members present, excluding executive committee members, is required to pass the proposed amendment.

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Notes

Further clarifications, notes, and additional guidelines as applicable to District 08.

Original – March 10, 1993
Revised – December 5, 2004
Revised – December 6, 2008
Revised – June 12, 2011
Revised – September 11, 2011
Revised – January 19, 2014