Business Chair – Ask for someone to chair the business meeting, if a designated chair is not present.
Chair Opens the meeting with the ‘We’ Version of the Serenity Prayer
Recording Secretary – Ask for someone to take minutes at the business meeting, if a designated secretary is not present
******READ SECRETARY DESCRIPTION, IF NEEDED:
The Secretary jots down a few notes, so we have a record of any actions taken at the business meeting. The Secretary emails the notes – known as “minutes” – to the GSR. (A copy may also be sent to others in attendance and/or to the next month’s business meeting chair.)
Names and other identifiers, including initials, are not recorded in the minutes.
Minutes do include:
- What time the business meeting opened and closed.
- How many people attended.
- Exact wording of motions made and whether or not they were seconded.
- Exact breakdown of votes on motions (how many ‘yeas’ and ‘nays’ and ‘abstentions’)
- Minority Opinions are recorded after voting on a motion is complete.
- If a motion was tabled and why.
- Topics discussed and topics brought up for future discussion.
Minutes do not need to include:
- any details of the Previous Minutes that are read or of the GSR Report
- the breakdown of votes on procedural meeting motions where the chair just asks if any are opposed without taking a full, formal vote (simply record that the motion was made, seconded and passed/failed)
- any or all of the details of discussions on motions and topics (brief highlights or summaries may be recorded, if desired, to capture info that might be useful for future reference)****************************************************
Roll Call – Ask for everyone on the line to announce their presence, even if they are just listening in.
Business Meeting Preamble – Ask for someone to read it
Previous Business Meeting Minutes – Ask for someone to read them
After the previous minutes are read, Chair asks…
“Are there are any questions or corrections that need to be made to the minutes?”
- If no corrections are made, then the Chair may declare the minutes “accepted as read” without taking it to a vote.
- If there are corrections, the minutes can be declared “accepted as amended” after taking it to a vote.
(NOTE: For procedural meeting votes such as this, a shortened form of voting is often used and goes like this: After someone motions to accept the minutes as amended and someone else seconds the motion, Chair will just ask if anyone is opposed, and, if not, then Chair declares that the motion passes.)
(If someone is opposed, then Chair takes it to a full vote by asking how many people are in favor, how many are opposed and how many are abstaining.)
Reports – GSR (and any other trusted servant reports, if needed)
After a report is given, Chair asks…
“Are there any questions or comments about the report?”
- Allow the giver of the report to respond to questions and comments.
(NOTE: The reports do not need to be approved or voted on.)
Positions (Fill if Vacant)
NOTES:
- Your meeting might fill some or all of these positions on a popup basis.
- Your meeting might have fewer or additional positions.
- Position qualifications are determined by group conscience.
- Term lengths are determined by group conscience and/or by the willingness or availability of each person volunteering.
Positions:
- Meeting Chair –
(Term Length = )
(Qualifications = ) - Business Meeting Chair –
(Term Length = )
(Qualifications = ) - Business Meeting Recording Secretary –
(Term Length = )
(Qualifications = ) - GSR (Group Services Representative: attends monthly Fellowship Wide Group Conscience (FWGC) meetings to represent the group) –
(Term Length = ) FWGC suggests a 1 year term limit for GSRs.
(VA’s Suggested GSR Qualifications = The person is working the VA steps with a VA sponsor and is past Step 5. The person has the awareness to know when they are triggered, regularly uses the Processing Triggers tool, and has done so for a minimum of 1 year. )
For face-to-face meetings you may want to elect a
- Treasurer
- Hospitality
- Literature Person
- Greeter
Old Business
- Any tabled motions from previous business meetings.
(Read the motion, Discuss and Vote.) - Any tabled topic discussions from previous business meetings.
(Read the topic, Continue discussion.)
(NOTE: Full Voting is generally done on motions in this section.)
(NOTE: A topic can be turned into a motion by any member present. Someone else must second a motion in order for it to go to a vote.)
(NOTE: If the person who originally brought up a topic is not present when it is up for discussion, the topic may be tabled or entirely removed from the agenda unless sponsored by someone else, according to the group conscience.)
New Business
- Any topics that were previously put on the agenda and not discussed yet.
- Any new topics that anyone would like to bring up for discussion at this business meeting.
(NOTE: Full Voting is generally done on motions in this section.)
(NOTE: A topic can be turned into a motion by any member present. Someone else must second a motion in order for it to go to a vote.)
Future Agenda Items (optional section)
- Any topics that anyone would like to bring up for discussion at the next business meeting or at a future business meeting.
Closing
“Would anyone like to make a motion to close the business meeting now?”
“Would someone like to second the motion to close the business meeting?”
“Is anyone opposed to closing the business meeting now?”
If no one objects…
“The motion passes. We will close the business meeting now.”
Chair closes the meeting with the ‘We’ Version of the Serenity Prayer.
(NOTE: For timed business meetings that have run out of time, a motion may be made, seconded and voted on to extend the business meeting by a specific length of time, if someone wishes – for instance, if a topic/motion is close to completion/resolution or if it is time-sensitive.)