Area 55 Officers

   Delegate  Alternate Delegate/Chairperson  Treasurer  Mailing Secretary/Registrar  Recording Secratary 

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  Area 55 Delegate

The delegate has a demanding job, not only because a large amount of time and work are involved, but because it is the delegate’s responsibility to serve worldwide A.A. As voting members of the Conference, delegates bring to its deliberations the experiences and viewpoints of their own areas. Yet they are not representatives of their areas in the usual political sense; after hearing all points of view and becoming fully informed during Conference discussion, they vote in the best interests of A.A. as a whole.

    DUTIES

- Communicate the actions of the Conference to area Committee members and encourage them to pass on this information to groups and to intergroups/central offices.

- Be prepared to attend all area 55 assembly meetings, state and regional conventions.

- Help area committees obtain financial support for the area and the G.S.O.

- Provide leadership in solving local problems involving the A.A. Traditions.

- Remind G.S.R.s to inform groups and individuals about the A.A. Grapevine and conference-approved literature.

- Cooperate with G.S.O. in obtaining information – for example, making sure that up-to-date information reaches G.S.O. in time to meet the deadline for each issue of the A.A. directory and helping carry out the triennial membership surveys.

- Visit groups and districts in the area whenever possible.

- Work closely with committee members and officers.

- Assume added responsibility if the area chair is unable to serve. Or, if an area committee is not functioning effectively, the delegate may take an active role in remedying the situation.

- Keep the alternate delegate fully informed and active, so that the alternate can replace the delegate in an emergency.

- Chair and prepare for the annual Area 55 Mini-Conference.

    QUALIFICATIONS

- Several years of active participation in local and area affairs, as a G.S.R. and as a committee member.

- Time available, not only for the week-long Conference meeting in April but for all the efforts needed before and after the Conference.

- Five or six years of continuous sobriety.

- The ability to make and take suggestions - and criticisms, too.

- Experience in chairing meetings.

- Knowledge of A.A. affairs, and of where to find the correct information when they do not know the answer.

- Thorough familiarity with the Twelve Traditions and the Twelve Concepts and how they apply to local problems.

- The ability to be open-minded.

    If you are thinking about standing for a term as Delegate:

- How well did you do as a G.S.R.? As a committee member? Did you enjoy the responsibilities? Were you active?

- Have you discussed the possibility with your family and your employer?

- Are you familiar with The A.A. Service Manual? With A.A. Comes of Age? And of course, with the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts?

- Have you talked with past delegates to get an idea of the time and effort required?

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  Area 55 Alternate Delegate/Chairperson

    DUTIES

The Area 55 Alternate Delegate has two service positions, that of the Alternate Delegate, and also the Chairperson of the Area Assembly, which is responsible for the smooth running of the area assemblies, making sure groups are notified of dates and times of assembly meetings.

The Alternate Delegate will attend with the Delegate all Mini Conferences in the state of Ohio, The East Central regional Conferences, The East Central Regional Forum, The Past and Present Delegate’s Convention, and The Ohio State Convention. And also, be available to take over for the Delegate in case of an emergency.

The Alternate Delegate chairs the quarterly D.C.M. meeting, working closely with the D.C.M.s and area Registrar to help keep group information current and reported to the G.S.O. accurately.

    If you are thinking about standing for a term as Alternate Delegate/Chairperson:

- How well did you do as a G.S.R.? Did you enjoy the responsibilities? Were you active?

- Have you discussed it with you family and your employer? Will the time be available to do the work required?

- Are you familiar with The A.A. service manual, A.A. Comes of Age and of course with the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and the Twelve Concepts?

- Have you talked it over with past Delegates to get an idea of how much time and effort required and the sort of work you will need to do?

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  Area 55 Treasurer

    DUTIES

- Update signature cards at bank and Post Office.

- Attend GSR meetings, DCM meetings, and Mini Conference planning meetings.

- Collect checks and mail from Post Office.

- Collect checks and bills from Central Office.

- Pass baskets at Assembly meetings, Alternate Delegate recounts collection.

- Write checks as voted by assembly, as part of past practice, or as ordered by Delegate or Alternate Delegate. One of latter must also sign checks.

- Collect and keep receipts.

- Keep checkbook and prepare monthly financial reports for Assembly meeting, Copy Max does 100 copies for $3.50, or for Mailing Secretary in non-meeting months.

- Prepare reports and write checks, as above, for Mini Conference.

- Prepare final December report showing incoming Treasurer how to present in January, and how to prepare and present subsequent reports.

    REGULAR CHECKS OR AMOUNTS

- Typical $3500 minimum Balance - $2000 General Fund plus $1500 Mini Conference.

- Delegate’s and Alternate Delegate’s expenses, including all Conferences, Conventions, Mini Conferences (in Ohio), Forums, or Region, including International, for the Delegate.

- Expenses for Mailing Secretary, Recording Secretary and Treasurer for one Conference, Convention, Mini Conference, or Forum, per year in Area, State or Region, except International.

- $100 each for past Delegates for annual Past Delegates’ Forum.

- $25 to Senior Center when meeting there - put check in Julie’s slot in office.

- Rental to other entity, if hosted elsewhere.

- Amounts over $3500 go to GSO NYC quarterly: January, May, July, and October, either to General Fund or to Delegate Conference fund in memo portion of check.

- In January we hold off until after the Mini Conference.

- Delegates mileage .34¢ per mile (out-of-town only).

- Every other year pay bulk rate permit of $75.00 for mailing. Rotating with Intergroup Association.

- On the first of each month pay Central Office $30.00 for the Web Site.

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  Area 55 Mailing Secretary/Registrar

    DUTIES

    General Assembly Meetings:

- Attend all Area 55 General Assembly meetings.

- Bring extra copies of last month’s minutes and place on sign-in table.

- Distribute copies of A.A. Service Manual to all new General Service Representatives.

- Bring group information change forms and writing utensils to General Assembly. Changes must be conveyed in writing; do not accept verbal changes.

- Be present after the meeting to accept change forms from General Service Representatives.

    DCM Meetings:

-Prepare group lists according to individual districts for D.C.M.s.

- Prepare complete group list by districts, for Delegate and Alternate Delegate, on a quarterly basis.

- Attend all DCM meetings.

- Maintain district assignment system according to geographical location of group meetings.

    Between Meetings:

- Update Area 55 mailing list as an Excel spreadsheet, as soon after monthly meeting as possible.

- Mail-merge from Excel mailing list to a Word document, to print Avery 5160 white address labels, in zip code order. Purchase Avery 5160 labels at Office Max, showing our tax-exempt number.

- Take a good original of the minutes to Copy Max for printing, front and back, on white paper, stapled in upper-left corner, 600 copies – enough to mail out (approximately 500), and to take to General Service meeting (75-100). Allow 1-2 days for printing. Present tax-exempt card when ordering and paying. Pick up check for printing from Treasurer, made out to Copy Max.

- Maintain supply of P.O. Box 401 envelopes. Rich R. is our liaison to the printer. Allow a couple of weeks for printing (approximately $95/case, 5 boxes of 500 envelopes) and delivery. Envelopes carry our return address and bulk-mail permit.

- Fold minutes and stuff envelopes.

- Affix mailing labels, maintaining strict zip code order.

- Separate into four post office trays, 434--. 435--, 436--, and all others in 430--.

- Count number of pieces in each division, and prepare worksheet to take to post office.

- Take the trayed mailing to the Downtown Toledo Post Office, to the Bulk-Mailing area at the back of the building. It is suggested that this process by completed by no later than 1 week after the General Service Assembly meeting.

- Select more postal trays for the next month’s mailing.

- Stay aware of how much money is in our bulk-mailing permit account. Each month costs $70-$80. From time to time, pick up a check from the Treasurer, made out to “Postmaster,” and deposit it into our permit, either in the Bulk-Mailing area, or up front at the general clerk windows.

    Registrar:

- Maintain communication with New York GSO, by email, by individual Group Change Forms, and by annual group information updates. NY GSO uses this information to update and publish National and International Directories of meetings.

    Other Responsibilities:

- Attend all State Planning Committee Meetings when hosted by Area 55 in order to be an informed officer.

- Attend Mini-Conference Planning Meetings in order to be an informed officer.

- Attend and participate in annual Area 55 Mini-Conference.

- Attend one conference, representing the area, with costs reimbursed by Area 55 Treasurer.

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  Area 55 Recording Secretary

    DUTIES

    General Assembly Meetings:

- Attend and take minutes at all Area General Assemblies.

- Responsible for sign-in sheets and writing utensils at General Assembly.

- The day following General Assembly, fax copy of group attendance to Central Office for submission to Area Newsletter.

- Type and proof minutes of General Assembly meetings and get to mailing secretary within 5-7 days.

- It is strongly recommended that minutes be typed immediately following the General Assembly so that meeting is fresh in mind.

- Email/mail copy of minutes to Delegate and Alternate Delegate.

- Mail copies of sign-in sheets to Delegate and Alternate Delegate.

- Responsible for keeping copy of minutes in archive binder.

    DCM Meetings:

- Attend and take minutes at all DCM meetings.

- Type minutes of previous meeting

- Responsible for sign-in sheets and writing utensils at DCM meetings.

- Type and proof minutes of DCM meetings.

- Mail copies of sign-in sheets to Delegate and Alternate Delegate.

- Responsible for keeping copy of minutes in archive binder.

    Other Responsibilities:

- Attend all State Planning Committee Meetings when hosted by Area 55 in order to be an informed officer.

- Attend Mini-Conference Planning Meetings in order to be an informed officer.

- Attend and participate in Area 55 Mini-Conference.

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