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District 71 Rotating Position Schedule

Rotating in: 2024 (January)

DCM

ADCM

Web Administrator

Central Office Rep

Events

Corrections

Grapevine

CPC&PI

Treatment &BTG

THE DISTRICT

A district is a geographical unit containing the right number of groups — right in terms of the committee member’s ability to keep in frequent touch with them, to learn their problems, and to find ways to contribute to their growth and well-being.

The number of groups per district varies widely, from as few as five in a rural district to 90 or more in a metropolitan district. Population density and the geographic size of the district, which will affect the ability of the D.C.M. to communicate with the groups, would be key factors determining the number of groups a district will have.

LINGUISTIC DISTRICTS: To encourage participation of the maximum number of groups, some areas have incorporated linguistic districts within their structure. These districts are made up of groups that conduct meetings in a language other than English. They usually have a bilingual D.C.M. or liaison. Their boundaries may be independent of the conventional geographic district boundaries.

District Committee Member (DCM)

Purpose:

The DCM’s job is primarily that of two-way communication. The DCM gets reports from the group level through GSR.s and through frequent personal contacts with the groups of the District. He/she helps the Conference Delegate

cover an area that the Delegate could not otherwise cover (on a group-by-group basis). See, also, pages S31-33 of the Service Manual and the pamphlet

Your DCM.

Duties:

1. Regularly attends all district meetings, area quarterlies, and area assemblies.

2. Receives reports from the groups through GSR.s and through frequent personal contacts with groups in the district.

3. Holds regular meetings for all GSRs and standing committee chairs in the District.

4. Updates, with help of the Secretary, the District 71 Service Handbook as appropriate, including Guidelines, in a timely manner.

5. Helps the Conference delegate cover the area, which would be impossible for the delegate to do on a group-by-group basis.

6. Assists the delegate in obtaining group information in time to meet the deadline for A.A. directories.

7. Keeps GSR.s informed about Conference activities; this includes setting up opportunities for the delegate’s Conference report, occasionally making the Conference report if the delegate cannot be present, and inviting the delegate to regular District meetings.

8. Makes sure that GSR.s are acquainted with The A.A. Service Manual, the Twelve Concepts for World Service, the G.S.O. bulletin Box 4-5-9, workbooks and guidelines from G.S.O., and any other service material.

9. Helps GSR.s make interesting reports to groups, and encourages them to bring new A.A.

10. Organizes workshops and/or sharing sessions on service activities.

11. Regularly keeps in touch with the Alternate DCM and the delegate; sends district minutes to the delegate and alternate, and exchanges them with other districts.

12. Makes a regular practice of talking to groups (old and new) on the responsibilities of general service work.

THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE MEMBER

The district committee member (D.C.M.) is an essential link between the group G.S.R. and the area delegate to the General Service Conference. As leader of the district committee, made up of all G.S.R.s in the district, the D.C.M. is exposed to the group conscience of that district. As a member of the area committee, he or she is able to pass on the district’s thinking to the delegate and the committee. (The pamphlet “Your D.C.M.,” available from the General Service Office, provides basic information on this service job.)

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: Current experience indicates that many districts provide financial support for their D.C.M.s to attend service functions. Invariably, this pays off in increased activity, interest, and group participation.

Qualifications

• The district committee member has usually served as a G.S.R. and is elected by other G.S.R.s to take responsibility for district activities. If the person chosen is a current G.S.R., a new G.S.R. should be elected to fill his or her position.

• A D.C.M. should have enough sobriety (generally four or five years) to be eligible for election as delegate.

• He or she also needs to have the time and energy to serve the district well.

Duties

The D.C.M.’s job is primarily that of two-way communication. The D.C.M.:

• Regularly attends all district meetings and area assemblies.

• Receives reports from the groups through G.S.R.s and through frequent personal contacts with groups in the district.

• Holds regular meetings of all G.S.R.s in the district.

• Helps the Conference delegate cover the area, which would be impossible for the delegate to do on a group-by-group basis.

• Assists the delegate in obtaining group information in time to meet the deadline for A.A. directories.

• Keeps G.S.R.s informed about Conference activities; this includes setting up opportunities for the delegate’s Conference report, occasionally making the Conference report if the delegate cannot be present, and inviting the delegate to regular district meetings.

• Makes sure that G.S.R.s are acquainted with The A.A. Service Manual, the Twelve Concepts for World Service, the G.S.O. bulletin Box 4-5-9, workbooks and guidelines from G.S.O., and any other service material.

• Helps G.S.R.s make interesting reports to groups, and encourages them to bring new A.A. members to service events.

• Keeps groups informed about Conference-approved books and pamphlets.

• Organizes workshops and/or sharing sessions on service activities.

• Regularly keeps in touch with the alternate D.C.M. and the delegate; sends district minutes to the delegate and alternate, and exchanges them with other districts.

• Brings Traditions problems to the attention of the delegate.

• Makes a regular practice of talking to groups (new and old) on the responsibilities of general service work.

Term, Eligibility, and Election Procedures

The D.C.M.’s term of office is two years, coinciding in most areas with the terms of the delegate, committee officers, and G.S.R.s. Some areas, however, rotate half their committee members each year. D.C.M.s are generally elected in the fall of the year. The election should take place after the G.S.R. election and before that of the area delegate, because the D.C.M. is chosen either from among currently serving G.S.R.s or from a combination of past and present G.S.R.s. In most areas, a candidate for an area committee officer or Conference delegate must be a committee member before being eligible for election. While district meetings to elect committee members are most often held in advance of area assemblies, and separate from them, occasionally travel distances make this impractical and/or a hardship. (This usually means more districts should be set up.) If necessary, therefore, meetings to elect committee members can be held immediately before area assemblies at the place where the assembly meets. The committee member who is finishing a term sets up the election meeting and, in most districts, notifies the G.S.R.s who have just been elected and those who are going out of office. The method of election should be decided by the area assembly or by the district committee.

Some options are:

• Most district committees allow all current voting members of the district committee to vote in district elections.

• Some committees also allow newly elected G.S.R.s a vote, even though they might not take office until some time after the election. Many district committees include alternate D.C.M.s, a secretary and/or treasurer, and other officers or service committee chairpersons in addition to the D.C.M and G.S.R.s. Sometimes, these jobs are held by the G.S.R.s already on the committee; sometimes, they call for additional voting members, who are eligible to stand for D.C.M. Election is either by written ballot or show of hands, with a majority needed to elect. A district may also choose to follow Third Legacy Procedure (see page S21), which requires a two-thirds majority.

Inactive District Committee Member

A.A. relies on the autonomy of each district regarding the period of time and involvement that constitutes inactivity. While the district needs to establish its own practices or guidelines, it is generally suggested that a service worker be asked to resign if he or she is unable to carry out the responsibilities of the position.

Alternate District Committee Member (Alt.DCM)

Purpose:

The Alternate DCM is a backup for the regular district committee member. If the latter resigns – or for any reason is unable to serve – the alternate steps in and should be kept up to speed by the DCM on all issues pertaining to our District. See, also, page 33 of the Service Manual.

Duties:

1. Acts as the District Registrar by maintaining current records of the District Groups, group contacts (usually GSR and Alternate GSR) and working with the Area 92 Registrar (Alternate Delegate) to maintain currency with Area and GSO.

2. Assist, participate, and share in the DCM’s responsibilities, attending district and area meetings where feasible, depending upon local needs.

The Alternate D.C.M.

The alternate is a backup for the D.C.M. If the D.C.M. resigns or is unable to serve for any reason, the alternate steps in. Usually, the alternate is elected at the same time as the D.C.M., by the same procedure. Alternate committee members should be encouraged to assist, participate, and share in the D.C.M.’s responsibilities at district and area meetings.

Secretary/Alternate Secretary

Purpose:

To maintain accurate meeting minutes of District business meetings, and to keep accurate and up-to-date listings of District officers (GSR’s, committee heads, DCM, etc.). See, also, page S43 of the Service Manual.

Duties:

1. Taking minutes of the District 71 business meeting, and any other business (such as yearly District inventory) being conducted at those meetings. Special care should be taken to note motions made and whether they pass or fail.

2. Typing of minutes from the business meetings, and making copies for distribution. Minutes should include an attendance list from each business meeting.

3. Distributing completed copies of the District’s business meeting minutes within two weeks following the meeting to all District Officers and GSRs.

4. Maintain an up-to-date record of all District 71 service committee members (name, address, phone number) to include DCM, alternate DCM, secretary, treasurer, GSRs, and all Committee chairpersons.

5. Creating a compilation of prior year’s motions no less than two (2) weeks prior to the first district meeting of every district rotations for inclusion in District Service Handbook, and updating corresponding sections as necessary

6. Passing prior year’s minutes onto Archives as directed.

7. Maintain (on disk) and keep updated the District 71 Service Handbook with the help of the DCM, and/or their Alternate, having copies available to all new voting members of the District committee.

8. The out-going district secretary provide an updated/current revision. Printed District 71 Service Handbook to each Home Group, each GSR and each elected District 71 officer no less than two (2) weeks prior to the first district 71 meeting of every rotation. Printing would be funded by district.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The secretary should have a “reasonable period of sobriety,” which might mean two years in an area where A.A. is still young, four or five years in an older area. Some service in group or central office or general service is useful. So is some background in general office work — more and more, computer knowledge is helpful. An effective secretary needs to have a sense of order, and the ability to capture the essentials of what is happening at a meeting. The job is time-consuming and needs to be carried out on schedule, and the secretary needs to be sure that ample time is available.

Treasurer/Alternate Treasurer

Purpose:

Treasurer is responsible for receiving, dispersing and reporting on funds for the District. These revenues are generated by donations from the groups. Funds are dispersed as directed by the District Service Committee. See, also, page S44 of the Service Manual.

Duties:

1. Maintain an accurate, balanced and up-to-date checking account.

2. Prepare a monthly treasurers report (including checking account balance, and itemization of groups donations and outgoing funds) for the District business meeting, making copies to be distributed to all voting members.

3. Provide receipts to groups for their donations.

4. Reimburse trusted servants as they present receipts for budgeted/approved expenses.

5. Check post office box weekly and distribute the mail appropriately to committees, officers, etc.

6. Organize and participate in a Budget Committee to prepare budget for upcoming year.

7. District treasurer will prepare an estimated yearly budget and submit at a business meeting at least 2 months prior to the beginning of the upcoming calendar year.

8. Maintain a $250.00 prudent reserve.

9. Distribute funds to Standing Committee Chairs for approved Budgeted Needs.

10. Pay all bills

QUALIFICATIONS:

The treasurer should be a responsible person with a solid period of sobriety. He or she should be organized enough to keep good records, and some accounting or bookkeeping experience is useful. Otherwise, the person elected may need help in setting up a system, and possibly some clerical assistance. Persuasiveness, firmness, and diplomacy will help the treasurer do the job. If the committee includes a finance chairperson, the treasurer is free for record keeping and financial controls.

(One year sobriety recommended)

Be Tech savvy enough to navigate our new website and be able to post the monthly treasurer report, Be teachable!

check the website donation page weekly and transfer the funds appropriately. Remain teachable!

Any over budget requests/items must be presented to the officers and GSRs in a motion then, open for discussion. If no discussion, proceed to vote with the quorum present.

Corrections Committee

Purpose:

To facilitate taking A.A. meetings into the various district correctional and facilities. See, also, page S46 of the Service Manual.

Duties:

1. Recruiting volunteers that will take meetings into the facilities, and making applications available to members who are interested in volunteering; recruiting other Committee members as needed from the AA groups of the district, and appointing an alternate chairperson.

2. Holding and chairing monthly Corrections Committee meetings.

3. Attending each District 71 business meeting (or sending an alternate) and presenting a report to that body about current Corrections committee business, needs, and budget report.

4. Attend Area 51 Corrections Committee quarterlies and give a report. Takes notes on the Quarterly meeting and presents the information back to the District.

5. Educate fellowship about opportunities to carry the message into the correctional facilities.

6. Educate fellowship about Bridge Program, Correspondence Program, and Bridge the Gap.

7. Encourage the Corrections Committee to put on workshops to educate members of the home groups.

8. Be available to speak to home groups about Corrections.

9. When necessary, work with Correctional Facility Coordinators to resolve any issues at their facilities.

Treatment Committee

Purpose:

Carrying the message of recovery by bringing A.A. panel meeting (Bridge The Gap) into our District treatment facilities. In addition, demonstrate to the administrators and staff of those treatment facilities “how it works”; and to provide information about A.A. To offer informational programs for professional staff at inpatient and outpatient facilities in the district as needed/requested. See, also, page S46 of the Service Manual.

Duties:

1. Recruiting committee members as needed from the A.A. groups of the district, and appointing an alternate chairperson.

2. Organizing and holding regular monthly Treatment Facilities committee meetings.

3. Regularly attending the monthly District business meetings to report on Committee business and activities.

4. Attend Area 51 quarterly Treatment Facility Committee meetings.

5. Create and maintain a Bridge the Gap program, including making Bridge the Gap presentations within the facilities at appropriate intervals.

6. Put on informational programs for the professional staff at the facilities, both inpatient and outpatient; invite professionals to AA workshops on treatment facilities.

7. Put on workshops to better inform the Fellowship about various aspects of carrying the message inside treatment facilities.

8. Being familiar with the Treatment Facilities Workbook and related materials.

Grapevine/Literature

Purpose:

To maintain and manage Grapevine and AA Conference approved literature for availability to the groups and members of District 71. See, also, page S46 of the Service Manual.

Duties:

1. Maintaining an adequate literature inventory, to include Conference approved books, pamphlets, service manuals, etc.

2. Organizing and holding regular monthly Grapevine and Literature Committee meetings.

3. Takes literature orders and disperses literature to home groups, committees and individual members of the district.

4. Making Grapevine subscriptions available to the District fellowship.

5. Regularly attending all monthly District business meetings and providing a Committee report at that time.

6. Accurately managing the Literature Budget.

7. Attends Area 51 Literature Committee meetings.

8. Being available to set up displays and sell literature at District functions.

9. Educating the District members on different literature available.

10. Being available to attend District home groups and speak about our available literature.

Public Information Committee

Purpose:

Carrying the message of recovery by informing the general public about the Alcoholics Anonymous program; by getting in touch with the media, schools, industry, and other organizations to report on the nature and purpose of A.A. and what it can do for alcoholics. See, also, page S46 of the Service Manual.

Duties:

1. Recruiting committee members as needed from the A.A. groups of the district, and appointing an alternate chairperson.

2. Organizing and holding regular monthly P.I. committee meetings.

3. Regularly attending the monthly District business meetings to report on Committee business and activities.

4. Placing literature racks in high schools, libraries, police stations, hospitals, colleges, etc.

5. List open meetings in the newspapers.

6. Place PSA’s (public service announcements) on the radio

7. Put meeting schedules at hotels/motels

8. Attend the Area 51 quarterly Public Information meetings

9. Participate in District and Area seminars and conventions

10. Work with local TV, newspapers, and radio to practice the traditions of anonymity

11. Let the Fellowship know how to reach the hearing impaired

12. Make presentations in the community

13. Hold workshops to better inform the district Fellowship about Public Information issues.

Cooperation with the Professional Community Committee

Purpose:

The CPC Committee informs professionals and future professionals about A.A. - what we are, where we are, what we can do, and what we cannot do. They attempt to establish better communication between A.A.’s and professionals, and to find simple, effective ways of cooperating without affiliating. See, also, page S46 of the Service Manual.

Duties:

1. Recruiting committee members from the district’s A.A. groups, and obtaining the services of an alternate Chairperson.

2. Holding regular Committee meetings at monthly intervals, or as needed.

3. Regularly attending the monthly District business meetings to report on Committee business and activities.

4. Attend four area quarterly meetings to share experience with other districts in this service area.

5. Following the guidelines as outlined in the Cooperation with the Professional Community Workbook from G.S.O.

6. Coordinating efforts to provide information to the professional community, and to those who have contact with alcoholics through their profession, regarding where we are, what we are, what we can do, and what we cannot do.

7. Seeks new ways of carrying the message and sets an example of leadership for the group CPC’s representatives (committee members).

Web Administrator

Purpose:

To make available, on the Internet, basic information about District 71, including meeting schedules, as approved by the Alt DCM, and district events. See, also, page S46 of the Service Manual.

Duties:

1. Be able to read & edit HTML (hypertext markup language)

2. Know how to include file formats such as JPEG and PDF on the site, and manipulate them when they are sent by members.

3. Know how to move files up and down from a server using FTP

4. Know how to install utilities, e.g., FileZilla®, on a computer (able to use admin access on a PC)

5. Understand how a web server uses a client directory to produce a website

6. Keep the passwords organized (FTP login, web counter site, etc.

7. Edit the HTML main page(s) on the site, make HTML hyperlinks to files on the site and the Web, and oversee the overall design of the site

8. Implement the site changes approved by the District Committee, e.g., use of counters, links, graphics layout, location and type of information

9. Report on the site activity level (quantity of hits), quantity of files requested to be posted by district members, and other changes, e.g., hacking attacks, etc.

10. Have access to a computer with FileZilla® (or equivalent) to access the site with FTP

11. Keep the email aliases updated.

12. Liase with the ISP

13. Post the latest version of the schedule, once the approved version is received from the alternate DCM

14. Keep files on the site organized, e.g., deleted when the event they announce is past

15. Post event notice files and items on the site and remove them when they expire

16. Add district information to the site as appropriate

17. Update the date on the website when changes are made

18. Train up elected successor, making the introduction to the ISP, be available for questions and support for a time, and transfer any and all appropriate passwords

North Carolina District 71 Central Office Trustee Duties and Responsibilities

Be a liaison between the Mountain Central Office in Asheville and the District 71 groups

By attending the (permanently) online Central Office Board meetings every two months on the 2nd Thursday at 6PM.

By attending the (currently) rotating online (1st and 2nd month of the quarter) and face to face (3rd month of the quarter at St. John’s in the Wilderness) GSR meetings every month on the 2nd Saturday at 8:30AM.

By sharing GSR meeting information with the Central Office board members and the Central Office meeting information with the District 71 GSRs Description goes here

Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful.”

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 102

“Nearly 70 years ago, Warden Clinton Duffy asked A.A. members to bring an A.A. meeting into San Quentin. Today there are over 38,700 A.A.s in confinement and 1,555 prison groups throughout the United States and Canada. These meetings answer only a fraction of the need for more groups in correctional facilities all across the country. Many there reach for, but don’t find, the hand of A.A. Carrying the A.A. message into jails, juvenile detention centers and prisons is an important and rewarding service, and one where there is a constant need for volunteers.”

From: F-108 Carrying the Message Behind These Walls; Copyright 2001, AA World Services, Inc

North Carolina Mountain Central Office wants to provide a listing space for Correction Facilities, Mental Health Facilities, Shelters and any other institution that wishes to have the AA message brought inside of its walls. Please contact NCMCO at 828-254-8539 of info@ncmco.net. For information on Inside the Walls service opportunities in Districts 70, 71, and 80 see https://aancmco.org/index.php/inside-the-walls/