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Download as PDF: Procedures and Guidlines for GTA Intergroup
In the event of any discrepancies between the PDF above and the text below, the PDF shall be taken as correct.
The object of this operating procedure is to provide for the continuing successful operation of a united Intergroup effort in the Greater Toronto Area to further the AA program in accordance with the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. This operating procedure sets out what the groups have agreed upon, not what has been imposed upon them.
An AA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AA name to any related facility or outside enterprise lest problems of money, property or and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
All committees and subcommittees and those employed in the Intergroup Office will scrupulously observe this AA tradition and ensure that neither the endorsement, expressed or implied, nor the name, goodwill, property or finances of AA in Toronto are under any circumstances ever lent or given to anything of a public nature.
The Name of the Organization shall be Greater Toronto Area Intergroup (“GTA Intergroup”).
Greater Toronto Area Intergroup is a coordinating body that supports the 12 Step Work of AA groups in the Toronto area, providing a point of contact between Individual groups, the public, and the still suffering alcoholic.
GTA Intergroup is composed of
· Intergroup Representatives from AA groups in the Greater Toronto Area,
· Members of the Executive (hereafter “EC”).
Each group shall be entitled to representation by one Intergroup Representative on GTA Intergroup. A second member from a group may also serve on the EC, but at no time may a group have more than one representative on the EC. Upon election to the EC an Intergroup Representative shall cease to be the Intergroup Representative for his/her group, and the group shall elect a new one.
The role of Intergroup Representatives are
o to represent and communicate their groups’ conscience at GTA Intergroup,
o to make such recommendations as they deem proper for the consideration of and action by the EC, and
o to keep their groups advised of the work of the EC and GTA Intergroup.
If, for any reason, the Intergroup Representative cannot attend meetings of the GTA Intergroup, an Alternate may attend in his/her stead.
The Alternate, when representing the group, shall have the same voting privileges as the Intergroup Representative, but an Alternate may not serve on the EC.
Each group shall notify the Office Manager of the name of the Intergroup Representative upon election.
An Intergroup Representative (or, in the absence of the Intergroup Representative, the Alternate) has the following rights:
· to speak at GTA Intergroup meetings as the representative of his/her group,
· to move motions before GTA Intergroup
· to second motions before GTA Intergroup
· to vote on motions before GTA Intergroup
· to nominate candidates for the EC.
· to stand for election to the EC.
Members of the EC have the following rights:
· to speak at GTA Intergroup Meetings
· to attend all subcommittee meetings of GTA Intergroup and all Joint Service Committee meetings.
GTA Intergroup shall meet monthly at the time and location indicated in the agenda for the meeting to receive and discuss the reports of the EC and Subcommittees and any other business that it shall deem fit to consider.
GTA Intergroup shall hold semi-annual meetings at which, in addition to the regular order of business, the Intergroup Representatives shall consider amendments to the Operating Procedures. The Semi-Annual Meetings shall take place no later than the last days of April and October in each year, and they shall be reckoned among the regular monthly meetings of GTA Intergroup.
In the month following a Semi-Annual Meeting a Regular Meeting shall be designated as a Workshop Meeting, at which time Intergroup Representatives shall receive detailed information regarding the activities of all committees from their respective chairpersons. Intergroup Representatives will also receive an explanation of and orientation to the Procedures and Guidelines of GTA Intergroup at this Workshop Meeting.
The EC, at its discretion, may call Special Meetings of GTA Intergroup for any special purpose.
The Office Manager shall give written notice to all groups of the time, place and agenda for all meetings.
The Rules of Order at Meetings shall be those adopted by GTA Intergroup in its Operating Guidelines.
The Office Manager (or someone acting in his/her stead) shall record the minutes of all Intergroup Meetings. The Office Manager shall distribute these minutes to all registered Intergroup Representatives and all members of the EC. These minutes shall also be available on demand to all members of AA.
The maximum donation any individual may make to Toronto Intergroup is $3000.00
The EC is composed of ten persons:
o The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson
o Seven committee members
o the Treasurer (a.k.a. - the Chair of the Finance Committee)
Members of the EC must have a minimum of two years of sobriety.
The office of Treasurer is held by the current Chairperson of the Finance Subcommittee. The Treasurer, in turn, is a member of the Executive Committee by virtue of holding this office.
Members of the EC shall be nominated and elected at the January general GTA Intergroup meeting by the voting members of the Intergroup Floor from the total membership of Alcoholics Anonymous in the Greater Toronto Area including serving Intergroup Reps and/or Alternate Reps. Members of the EC serve 2 one year terms that can be repeated once to a maximum of 3 continuous years. This would be followed by 2 years of abstinence from participation on the EC.
The Chairperson shall be the Executive Officer of the Intergroup office and shall perform such other duties as are incidental to this office. The Chairperson is automatically a voting member of all Subcommittees of GTA Intergroup that he/she attends. The Chairperson presides at meetings of GTA Intergroup and the EC.
The Vice-Chairperson shall assume the duties of the Chairperson in the absence of the Chairperson and shall act as liaison officer between the EC and such Subcommittees as the Chairperson may designate.
At the end of their term of office, members of the EC will be ineligible to serve on EC for a period of 24 months.
Note: The
EC will create a policy that lays out the conditions and mechanisms for the
removal of EC members for non-performance of duties, being disruptive, refusing
to resign etc.. The new EC will also create a grievance policy for complaints
against GTA Intergroup. Such complaints would be sent to the EC for Due
consideration.
All members of the EC have the duty to attend meetings of the EC. Should a member be absent from two consecutive meetings of the EC, the EC may remove the member and declare the position vacant with a 2/3 majority vote of the members of the Committee.
The EC shall designate one of its members as the Reception Co-coordinator, who shall be responsible for arranging set-up, registration and clean-up at Intergroup Meetings.
If a vacancy occurs in the office of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall become the Chairperson. An Election to replace the Vice-Chairperson shall be held the following month. Similarly, an election shall be held in the month following any other vacancy in the EC. In each case the newly elected member will complete the remaining time of the vacating member and have the right to run for re-election and to then serve the allowable term of a newly elected member of the committee.
Note: At
the time of the initial adoption of this new EC (January 2010), 5 members from
the current Operating Committee should be retained for one year. One of these
five retained Operating Committee members would be elected, by the Committee as
the first Chairperson of the new EC for one year. Another would be elected as
Vice Chair of the new EC. The Vice Chairperson would become Chairperson the
following year for a period of one year. Subsequent years would see the
retirement of those members who have served 2 years on the EC. Those wishing to
serve a further, and allowable, 3rd
year would stand for election along with the required number of new candidates
needed to attain the full complement of nine members, including the Chairperson
Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held monthly, and the minutes of these meetings shall be kept in safekeeping by the Office Manager.
The minutes of the EC, except for portions of such minutes, which contain confidential or privileged information relating to employees of GTA Intergroup, shall be available to members of Alcoholics Anonymous upon written request to the GTA Intergroup Office.
Five members shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of the EC, and one of the five members making up this quorum must be the Chairperson or the Vice-Chairperson.
The Subcommittees of GTA Intergroup are
o The Ontario Regional Conference
o Archives
o Finance
o Carrying The Message (Twelfth Step Committee)
o Access Ability
o Institutional Services Committee
o Special Events
o Communications
The Committee Designates are:
o Office Administration (Finance)
o Literature
o EC Secretary
GTA Intergroup may also create other subcommittees as it sees fit from time to time.
The subcommittees of GTA Intergroup shall meet as often as they are directed to do so either by GTA Intergroup or by the Executive Committee. If there is no direction from GTA Intergroup or the Executive Committee on the frequency of meetings, the subcommittees shall meet no less than six times per year.
The subcommittees shall keep minutes of all of their meetings and deposit these minutes for safekeeping with the Office Secretary within thirty days of the meeting.
The minutes of all subcommittees, except for portions of such minutes, which contain confidential or privileged information relating to employees of GTA Intergroup, shall be available to members of Alcoholics Anonymous upon written request to the GTA Intergroup Office.
The Executive Committee shall appoint chairpersons of the GTA Subcommittees to perform the service functions required, and the sole criterion (aside from a sobriety requirement identical to that for an Intergroup Representative or an Alternate) for selecting GTA Subcommittees chairpersons shall be their ability to perform the duties and tasks of the office. Chairpersons of all GTA subcommittees hold their appointments at the pleasure of the Executive Committee and may be removed before the expiry of their term by a 2/3 vote of the members of the Executive Committee.
The Chairpersons of the GTA subcommittees bear the responsibility for maintaining policy established by the Executive Committee as a whole.
The Chairperson of each GTA subcommittee is responsible to ensure that the effective strength of the subcommittee does not fall below three persons.
The Chairpersons of all GTA subcommittees (except the Archives Committee) are appointed for terms of twelve months. Chairpersons of all Subcommittees (except the Archives Committee, where the term is indefinite, and the Finance Committee, where the term is limited to one year) may be re-appointed at the discretion of the Executive Committee to a maximum (including the initial appointment) of three terms. These appointments are reviewed annually at the first meeting of the Executive Committee following the October Semi-annual Meeting of GTA Intergroup.
The Chairperson of the Archives Committee holds his/her position for an indefinite term at the pleasure of the Executive Committee.
The Chairperson of the Finance Committee holds his/her position for the term prescribed in section 9.4.3.2, below.
Members of the Executive Committee, with the exception of the Executive Chair, shall sit on subcommittees in a non-voting, liaison capacity unless requested by the subcommittee to take an active part in its operations.
The Annual Celebration/Ontario Regional Conference Subcommittee is responsible for the organization of the Annual Celebration/Ontario Regional Conference sponsored by GTA Intergroup and financed by a reserve fund maintained by GTA Intergroup to provide start-up financing for each new conference and to cover any losses.
The Chairperson of the Annual Celebration/Ontario Regional Conference Subcommittee is responsible for presenting a set of financial statements to GTA Intergroup no later than 90 days after the close of the Conference.
A past Chairperson of GTA Intergroup becomes a member of the subcommittee upon leaving office.
Note: The Ontario
Regional Conference has always operated independently of GTA Intergroup,
although it reports to the GTA Intergroup floor on a regular basis.
The Archives Subcommittee is responsible for collecting records, documents and memorabilia from Alcoholics Anonymous and maintaining them at the GTA Intergroup Office.
The Finance Subcommittee is responsible for
§ the financial soundness and well being of the operations of the Intergroup Office
§ the presentation to the EC for approval of a draft annual budget for the Intergroup Office, including recommendations regarding compensation for employees
§ the presentation to GTA Intergroup for approval of an annual budget for the Intergroup Office previously approved by the EC
§ the presentation of monthly statements of income and expense and monthly balance sheets to GTA Intergroup
§ the presentation of quarterly budget variance reports to GTA Intergroup
§ Making available, upon request, a yearly total of donations / commitments from individual groups for their records only
§ the implementation of Gratitude Month
§ the obtaining for every calendar year evenly divisible by four of financial statements audited by independent external accountants
§ obtaining for every calendar year not evenly divisible by four of financial statements reviewed by independent external accountants.
The Finance Subcommittee is composed of 5 voting members: (4 members with a minimum of five years continuous sobriety and a business or accounting background), and the EC Chairperson. The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the EC may attend the meetings of the Finance Subcommittee and take part in the deliberations. Other members of the EC may attend the proceedings.
Each year the Executive Committee appoints two AA members to the Finance Subcommittee to serve a term of two years. In making its appointments the Executive Committee will consider the recommendations of the current members of the Finance Subcommittee and will annually call for résumés and review the qualifications of persons seeking the office. The Executive Committee shall designate the Chairperson of the Finance Subcommittee. The one-year term of office of the Chairperson begins January 1.
The Chairperson of the Finance Subcommittee shall, by virtue of holding the office of Chairperson, serve as Treasurer of GTA Intergroup and be one of the signing officers of GTA Intergroup, 2 others to be the Chair and Vice Chair of the Executive Committee. Two signatures are required on all checks.
Should a member of the Finance Subcommittee resign, the Operating Committee will appoint a replacement to the subcommittee who meets the qualifications for the office. The Executive Committee will consider the recommendations of the current members of the Finance Subcommittee regarding suitable candidates. The replacement shall serve the balance of the term of office of the member who resigned.
The Twelfth Step Subcommittee is responsible for Phone Greeters, Schedules, training and for updating the 12 step greeter lists as deemed appropriate by the EC
While there are no special A.A. members, many members have special needs. A.A. as a whole defines AA’s with special needs as persons who are blind, visual impaired, having limited mobility, deaf or hard of hearing, chronically ill, homebound and those with limited reading skills. The challenge: How do we active A.A. members carry the message of hope to those alcoholics with special needs? This is the primary purpose of the Toronto Intergroup Access Ability Committee.
Responsible for maintaining the Web Site and Better Times and local requests for information on A.A. (e.g. the Press etc.). The committee will provide information if appropriate or act as a liaison, or will refer such requests to the appropriate local service entity (i.e. one of the 9 districts serving the GTA).
The committee oversees requests for institutional serves (i.e. Treatment Facilities & Correctional Facilities). The committee will act as a liaison and will refer such requests to the appropriate local service entity (i.e. one of the 9 districts serving the GTA).
Such as Info AA, Winter Season Open House and other planned special events for the purpose of raising awareness and/or fund raising.
The hiring of the Office Manager and all other staff will be the responsibility of the EC and its agents; the Chair of the Office Administration Committee and the Chair of the Finance Committee. Their decisions will then be presented to the GTAI floor for ratification, in accordance with the laws of Canada and Ontario.
This position, Office Manager, will be reviewed annually. Renewal of the contract will be dependent on the results of this review.
To work with office staff on updates of meeting books and other printed material.
Responsible for minutes of the EC and its
sub-committees.
The hiring of the Office Manager and all other staff will be the responsibility of the EC and its agents; the chair of the EC and the chair of the Finance Committee, and their decision will then be presented to the GTAI floor for ratification.
The EC will determine and approve salaries for such staff and (these salaries are to be kept confidential as per section 8.2) shall exercise the authority accruing to it as employer in matters relating to employer/employee relations.
The Office Manager shall:
o supervise the daily operations of the GTA Intergroup Office
o report to the Finance Subcommittee on all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the GTA Intergroup Office
o hold in safekeeping all files, records, and minutes of all Intergroup meetings
o notify all groups of the names of the two senior members of the EC available for the offices of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson prior to the Semi-Annual Meetings
o record the minutes of Intergroup meetings and distribute these minutes to members of GTA Intergroup and the EC
o perform any other work designated by the Chairperson of the EC
The Office Manager shall be responsible for seeing that inquiries are properly attended to in accordance with instructions issued by the EC, shall refer all matters dealing with the various subcommittees to the appropriate subcommittees, and shall keep all information in respect of individuals in the strictest confidence.
Amendments to these procedures require a 60% majority of the votes cast by individual members of affiliated AA groups in a referendum conducted as outlined below.
Motions to amend these procedures may be moved and seconded at any meeting of GTA Intergroup.
Such a motion will not be debated on the floor of GTA Intergroup until a period of at least (3) three months has elapsed from the time it was moved and seconded. The months of July, August and December will not be included in the calculation of this (3) three-month period
Once the (3) three-month period has elapsed, the motion may be debated in the same manner as any other motion. If the motion receives a simple majority on the GTA Intergroup floor, it will be forwarded to the groups to be decided by referendum.
All proposed amendments to these procedures will be sent to the groups on the form found in Schedule A.
The Office Manager will mail this form to all Intergroup Representatives on the mailing list within two weeks of the date of the motion receiving a simple majority on the GTA Intergroup floor. The form may also be requested on demand by any group in GTA Intergroup
Each group will consider the amendment at a business meeting, then record the vote of its members in attendance for or against the amendment. Abstentions will not be counted.
Each group will then return the form, duly signed by the Chairperson of the group business meeting and by the Group Secretary (or, in the place of the Group Secretary, by another officer selected by the group) to the Intergroup office within 90 days of the date when the motion received a simple majority on the GTA Intergroup floor.
The decision in the referendum will be announced at the meeting of GTA Intergroup immediately following the end of the 90-day period and will take effect either when announced or on the date indicated in the motion to amend.
The Guidelines may be amended by a simple majority vote of members of GTA Intergroup
A motion to amend the Guidelines must be preceded by a written notice of motion presented to the Office Manager by an Intergroup Representative. The notice of motion will be read aloud at a Meeting of GTA Intergroup and then tabled until the next Regular or Special Meeting of GTA Intergroup.
At the next Regular or Special Meeting of GTA Intergroup the motion will be moved, and if it is seconded, it will be debated and disposed of as GTA Intergroup sees fit.
All members of AA are welcome to attend GTA Intergroup meetings, but under normal circumstances only Intergroup Representatives or members of the EC may speak or address the meeting.
When addressing the meeting an Intergroup Representative or a member of the EC should go to a microphone, be recognized by the chair, state his/her first name and last name, state whether s/he is the Intergroup Representative or Alternate, and state the name of the group which s/he represents. Speakers should limit their remarks to no more than two minutes, and nobody should speak for a second time until all who wish to participate have made their remarks.
1. Call to order and introduction of the Chair
2. Moment of Silence followed by the Serenity Prayer
3. Reading of the Traditions
4. Motion to Adopt Minutes of last meeting.
5. 7th Tradition
6. Subcommittee Reports
7. Old Business
8. New Business
9. Close
The outgoing chairperson shall give a final report with any recommendations for future consideration by GTA Intergroup.
The meeting will follow the standard agenda (see above). One standard item of new business in this agenda will be elections to the Operating Committee.
The sole function of the biannual Workshop Meetings (would) be to thoroughly orient the Intergroup reps and the EC to the Procedures and Guidelines, the GTA Intergroup structure, and the general functioning of the Office/Literature Department. All the attending EC members and reps will be given written histories and summaries of the Subcommittees of GTA Intergroup.
All meetings shall be conducted according to the Procedures and Guidelines adopted by GTA Intergroup. Should any matter not be covered by the Procedures and Guidelines, then the matter will be decided by reference to Robert’s Rules of Order, 9th edition, newly revised.
The Minutes of Meetings of GTA Intergroup will begin with a listing of each motion (including the names and groups of the mover and seconder) presented at the meeting along with a note as to whether the motion was carried, defeated, tabled or otherwise disposed of. The minutes will also include a list of groups represented at the meeting and a summary of the reports presented.
All liaisons shall write or type their reports and present copies of them to the Executive Secretary at the Intergroup meeting.
The past chairperson will continue on the EC for 6 months following his/her term of office in a non-voting, advisory role.
1. A member of the EC may decline to stand for election to the post of Chairperson of the EC.
2. The names of the members shall be posted on the blackboard.
3. Each person shall have a maximum of two minutes to address the meeting.
4. The Chairperson will then be elected by the Representatives by a simple majority in a secret ballot.
5. The Vice-Chairperson shall be elected in a separate election carried out in the same manner.
If vacancies should occur in the offices of the vice-chairperson, the Chairperson shall continue by him/herself.
If there should be vacancies in both positions, an election will be held at the next Intergroup meeting. All members of the EC so elected or promoted will serve out the balance of the term of the position to which they have been elected or promoted.
An outgoing Chairperson of the EC (or in the event of the incapacity of the Chairperson, the outgoing Vice-Chairperson of the EC) will become a member of the ORC Subcommittee for the following year.
At least two names will be considered by the EC for vice chairperson of the conference. No person who has been a previous chairperson will be eligible. The successful candidate will serve one year as a vice-chairperson before serving as chairperson in the following year. Names must be submitted to the EC by the end of December.
The Chairperson of the Archives Subcommittee holds his/her position for an indefinite term at the pleasure of the EC. The Chairperson should have an understanding of the historical background of AA in and around the Toronto Area.
The Finance Subcommittee shall act as the internal auditor of the day-to-day operations of the Intergroup Office. It shall recommend salaries and benefits to the EC. The Finance Committee shall report in writing to the Executive Committee its assessment of the performance of the employees. The report will include its opinion of the results of operations and of the methods and procedures in place.
The EC, with the advice and report of the Finance Committee, will evaluate and assess performance of the Office Manager.
All members of the EC may attend meetings of the Finance Subcommittee. Since the EC is a phased-in training experience of three 6-month periods, it is recommended that members attend. Only the Chairperson of the EC may have a voice and a formal vote at the meetings unless the Finance Subcommittee decides otherwise.
The 12-Step Subcommittee is responsible for insuring that the GTA Intergroup phone lines are staffed by trained volunteers with a minimum of one year sobriety, who can assist callers during the hours of:
§ 9:00 am to 11:00 p.m. Monday to Friday
§ 9:00 am to 10:30 p.m. Weekends and Holidays,
Responsible for maintaining a volunteer list of available members for 12-Step calls.
Work with other committees on projects where responsibilities of carrying the message overlap.
The Office Manager shall have administrative experience, bookkeeping experience and an understanding of the fellowship and will be responsible to the EC which will review the position of Office Manager annually.
To the members of the [Insert the name of AA Group here] group:
Greater Toronto Area Intergroup has resolved to amend its procedures as follows:
[Insert
the text of the motion here]
To take effect this amendment must be approved by 60% of the members of Greater Toronto Area Intergroup’s constituent groups voting on the question.
Please present this motion to your next business meeting and record the results of the vote in the space below. This form should be signed and returned to Greater Toronto Area Intergroup offices at 234 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 202, Toronto, Ontario, M4P 1K5, by [insert the date by which the form must be returned].
To Greater Toronto Area Intergroup:
The members of the [insert group name here] group have met at their business meeting and have considered the motion set out above. The members of the group have voted as follows on the motion:
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Number voting for the motion |
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Number voting against the motion |
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Date |
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Signature of Chairperson of Group Business Meeting |
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Signature of Group Secretary or other group officer. |
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