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SAVANNAH INTER-GROUP ASSOCIATION
BY-LAWS
AND CONSTITUTION
PREAMBLE
In solemn
affirmation of the letter and the spirit of the Twelve Steps and Twelve
Traditions, and placing all our activities under the guidance of a Higher Power,
the various and several groups of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) in the Savannah
and surrounding areas have yet to form an Intergroup Association. These By-Laws
and Constitution serve to fulfill our legal obligation as an incorporated
association, but more importantly to serve as a guide for our successors.
ARTICLE I
Name
ARTICLE II
Objectives
Section
1.
(a)
The objects of this Association are as follows:
To maintain a central business office with paid employees or volunteers
as a clearing - house for A.A. activities in the Savannah and surrounding areas. This
office will be referred to herein as the Central Office.
(b)
To arrange for the sponsorship of those seeking help in connection with
an alcoholi problem.
(c)
To complement and cooperate with the General Service Office, and the
Georgia Assembly Service Office in the effective development of the A.A. program
at the local group level in the Savannah
Central Office Area.
(d)
To serve and function as the communications center for the member group
with respect
(e)
To conduct special events In accordance with, and in the furtherance of
these objectives.
ARTICLE III
(a) The
operation and maintenance of a club or clubhouse.
(b) A.A. matters
of policy at the state, national, or international level, since these are the
functions and responsibilities of the Georgia Assembly Service Office, and
General Service Office.
ARTICLE IV
Membership
Section 1. The membership of the Association shall consist
of those groups in the Savannah Central Office Area, registered, with a
Representative and an Alternate Representative at the Central Office, and such
other groups as shall become members in accordance with this article.
Section 2. Groups which shall have been in existence for at
least three months shall be eligible for membership in the Association, provided
such applying group shall submit in writing: (a) the names of its elected
Representative, Alternate Representative, group officers; (b) a listing of the
dates, times, and locations of it’s meetings; and (C) it’s willingness to
accept Twelve Step Calls. Membership shall be complete upon a majority vote of
acceptance by the Representatives present at a regular or special
Representatives meeting.
Section 3. Traditionally, each member group supports the
Central Office either by monthly pledges or by special contributions; by which
this financial support is the main income for the operation of the Central
Office. However, financial support is not necessary in order that a group
remains, or become a member of the Association.
ARTICLE V
Group Representatives
Section 1. Each group comprising the membership of the
Association shall have a Representative and Alternate Representative.
Section 2. Each group shall file the name and address of the
Representative and Alternate with the Central Office.
Section 3. The group Representative shall faithfully reflect
the “group conscience” and shall act as a liaison between his or her group
and the Association in the following manner:
(a)
He or she shall be a member of the group he or she represents.
(b)
He or she should attend all meetings of the Association.
(c)
He or she communicates to his group the activities, growth, and current
problems of the Association.
(d)
Normally, he or -she is expected to vote and act for his or her group at
each Association meeting without consulting the group on every issue. However,
when it is necessary for him or her to know the feelings of his or her group on
particular problems, he or she shall ask his or her group chairperson to call a
business meeting of the group in order to discuss the issue which is pending.
(e)
From time to time, he or she will be asked to recruit volunteers from his
or her group for Twelve Step work at the Central Office.
(f)
He or she can expect to perform any other services of this nature which
relates to his or her office.
Section
4. Everything covered in this Article relates
equally to the Alternate who performs for the Representative in the
Representative’s absence.
ARTICLE VI
Section 1.
Qualifications
(a)
Representatives
1.
It is suggested that the Representative have at least two years of
sobriety, or a reasonable amount of time determined by the group conscience.
2.
He or she shall be a member of the group which elects him or her.
3.
He or she should be interested not only in the welfare of his or her own
group, but also in the welfare and growth of A.A. in the Savannah Central Office
Area.
(b)
Alternate Representative
1.
It is suggested that the Alternate Representative have at least one year
of sobriety, or a reasonable amount of time determined by the group conscience.
2.
All other qualifications should be the same as those of the
Representative.
(c)
Chairperson
1.
It is suggested that he or she have at least three years of sobriety, or
a reasonable amount of time determined by the Intergroup members.
2.
He or she shall be a member of a group in the Savannah Central Office
Area.
3.
He or she should be elected on the basis of capability, experience,
leadership, and organizational abilities.
(d)
Vice-Chairperson
1.
All qualifications should be the same as those of the Chairperson.
(e)
Secretary
1.
It is suggested that he or she have at least three years of sobriety, or
a reasonable amount of time determined by the Intergroup members.
2.
He or she shall be a member of a group in the Savannah Central Office
Area.
3. He or she should be elected on the basis of capability and experience for this particular office.
(f) Treasurer
1.
It is suggested that he or she have at least three years of sobriety, or
a reasonable amount of time determined by the Association members.
2.
He or she shall be a member of a group in the Savannah Central Office
Area.
3.
He or she
should be elected on the basis of capability and experience in financial
matters.
Page 3
Section 2.
Officers of the Association
Association Chairperson,
Vice—Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be nominated by the
Association Members. The names shall be submitted to all member groups at least
one month prior to the November meeting of Representatives for confirmation by
group conscience. Elections will be held at the December meeting and there will
be no nominations taken from the floor at the December elections meeting. They
shall each be elected for a two-year period commencing January 1st, in uneven
years. Although the term of office of the Officers is two years, it is suggested
that an Officer should not succeed himself or herself for another two-year term.
In the event of a vacancy of any Officer, a special election may be called by
the Association Chairperson to fill said position.
Section 3.
Representatives
.Although the term of office
of the Representative is two years, it is suggested that a Representative should
not succeed himself, or herself for another two-year term. However, should the
Representative be unable to fulfill his or her term of office for any reason, a
new Representative, possibly the Alternate, shall be elected by the group to
serve out the remainder of the term. If this replacement Representative serves
out a term of less than one year, he or she shall be eligible for election to
the next two-year term. Notice of any change in representation of a member group
must be sent to the Central Office.
ARTICLE VII
Meetings
(a) Regular
meetings of the Representatives shall be held each month, on the first Tuesday
of the month.
(b) Special
meetings of the Association shall be held at any time upon the request of a majority of the Representatives.
(c)
The Secretary must call a special meeting of the Association at the
written request of at least twenty-five percent of the membership.
(d) At
all meetings, the Chairperson shall preside and the Secretary shall act as the
recording secretary.
(e) At any meeting of the Association, the
Presence of at least one-third of the
(f) In the absence
of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall preside.
(g) The Chairperson shall
have the right to address himself or herself on the
merits of a motion before calling for a vote thereon.
(h) The order of business
at all meetings of the Association shall be as follows:
(1)
Call to order. Number of Representatives and Alternates present, and
number of
groups currently members.
(2) Reading of the minutes of prior meeting.
(3)
Report of Treasurer.
(4) Report of Permanent Committees.
(5) Report of Temporary or Special Committees.
(6) Communications.
(7) Unfinished business
(8) New business
(9) Announcements
(10) Adjournment This order may be changed or dispensed with by a
majority vote
of the Representatives present.
ARTICLE
VIII
Functions and Duties
Group Representatives - See
Article V, Section 3.
Section 1.
Chairperson
The Chairperson, or in his or
her absence, the Vice—Chairperson, shall preside at all meetings, general and
special, of the Association, and shall perform such other duties as may be
incidental to his or her office or as he or she may be directed by the
Association Officers.
Section 2.
Vice-Chairperson
The Vice—Chairperson, shall
preside at all meetings, general and special, of the Association where the
Chairman will be absent from this duty. He or she shall perform other duties as
assigned by the Chairperson.
Section 3.
Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be
responsible for the collection of the group contributions, all other
contributions and donations, shall keep the accounts of the Association, and
shall deposit the funds of the Association as ordered by the Association
members. He or she shall report at each regular meeting of the Association as
required.
Section 4.
Secretary
The Secretary shall see that
notice is given of all meetings or the Association. He or she shall keep minutes
of such meetings. He or she shall be responsible for the correspondence and see
to it that the records are kept on file at the Central Association office, or
she shall furnish to the Association members with the names of all groups which
have become members of the Association, and he or she shall perform such other
duties as the Association Officers and Members may from time to time assign to
him or her.
Section 5.
Committees
The following Committees, and
others deemed necessary, shall be appointed by the Chairperson:
(a)
Public Information Committee
Chairperson of the Public
Information Committee shall be responsible for matters of public information and
public relations at the local levels. Among other duties, he or she shall
arrange for speakers to acquaint non-alcoholic organizations and groups of
individuals with the nature of A.A. He or she shall select his or her committee
members- from the groups in the Association, choosing those with public
relations experience, and those who are members of A.A.
(b)
Group Relations Committee
The Chairperson of the Group
Relations Committee shall be responsible to see that the Association members are
well informed of the services afforded by the Central Office. He or she shall
make recommendations concerning membership applications of new groups.
(c)
Volunteers Committee
The Chairperson of the
Volunteers Committee for the Central office shall be responsible for securing
volunteers from the member groups of the Association to operate the telephone at
the volunteer desks at the Central Office. It is suggested that he or she
provide new volunteer workers with a pamphlet
(d) Institutions Committee
The
Chairperson of the Intergroup Association Institutions Committee shall be
responsible for seeing that meetings at Institutions in the Savannah Central
Office Area are covered by local groups.
Section 6. Salaried
Staff Members
A staff of salaried employees, whose number shall be determined by the Association Officers, shall discharge the business and administrative functions of the Central Office. An Executive Secretary, a member of this staff, shall be in charge of the Central Office, and shall be responsible for the efficient, faithful, and loyal discharge of the staff’s duties. The salaried staff does not determine policy and it is under the supervision and control of the Association Officers. The Executive Secretary, or in his or her absence, another member of the staff, shall therefore attend the monthly Association meetings. It is suggested that the Executive Secretary review with the Association Officers at it’s June and December meetings, the current duties of the staff. The Executive Secretary, not being a member of the Association, does not have a vote at meetings. However, because of the Executive Secretary’s daily supervision of the Central Office and involvement in all activities of the Association, his or her advice and opinion shall be sought by the Association Representatives in matters of policy and business.
(a)
Compensation
1.
Vacations. All full time salaried employees shall receive
two weeks vacation after one year of
Continuous employment.
2.
Salaries. Salaries shall be determined by the Association
Officers and the members. It should
be remembered that the paid staff employees are individuals of special
skills, and
compensation should be on a par with what their skills would justify in
the employment
market.
(b)
Office Coverage
The Central Office shall be
open from 10:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M., Monday through Sunday. The salaried staff
shall cover the office Monday through Friday. The Executive Secretary shall be
responsible that a sufficient number of qualified volunteers, under the
direction of a Senior Volunteer, shall serve as staff at all times throughout
weekends and holidays, from- opening to closing of the Central Office.
(c) Anonymity
All salaried employees shall
zealously guard the anonymity of all members of A.A. and shall never, and under
any circumstances, break any individual’s anonymity unless directly authorized
to do so by such individual.
ARTICLE IX
Finances
Section 1. The financing of the activities of the
Association shall primarily be voluntary pledges and contributions by the groups
and interested individuals or organizations within A.A.; and secondarily by
income derived from such projects or activities as may be authorized by the
Representatives.
Section 2. The acceptance of bequests or unusual donations
or of other offerings from any source is prohibited, whether for general or
specifically designated purposes. However, a donation of up to $30~0.00 by an
individual A.A. member is not considered an unusual donation.
Section 3. The Association shall not act as a trustee of any
trust set up outside the Association; nor shall any manner whatsoever
participate in such trusts or in any fund or funds.
ARTICLE X
Incurrence of Debt
Section 1. No debt shall be incurred and no continuing
obligation entered into without the consent of two-thirds vote of the Intergroup
Committee. No funds of the Association shall be appropriated for any use or paid
out without the like consent of the Intergroup Committee, unless payment be
directed by a two-thirds vote of a quorum of the member group Representatives.
ARTICLE XI
Fiscal Year
Section 1. The fiscal year of the Association shall commence
on January 1 and shall end on December 31 of each year.
ARTICLE XII
Amendment
Section 1. These By-Laws and Constitution may be amended at
any time by a two-thirds vote of the Representatives present at any regular
meeting of the Association provided a copy of the proposed amendment was
submitted to -each Representative and his Alternate at least thirty days before
the meeting at which action is taken on the amendment.
These By-Laws and Constitution
were read, reviewed, amended, and approved by the Savannah Intergroup
Association Members on this 5th day of March, 1991
Leo
Rae, Chairperson
Sue Burns, Secretary