CoDA, Inc. Board of Trustees

Minutes
November 5th, 2022

Day/Time: Saturday - 8-9:30 am Pacific Time

Acknowledging that we are all here for our personal recovery.
The mission of the CoDA Board of Trustees is to ensure the longevity and fiscal health of the organization, to support the Fellowship’s ongoing service work, to promote CoDA unity and to reach the still suffering codependents.

OPENING

Serenity Prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Step Ten: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

Tradition Ten: CoDA has no opinion on outside issues; hence the CoDA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

CoDA Service Concept Ten: When the CoDA Service Conference is in session, the CoDA Board of Trustees is directly responsible to the Conference. When not in session, the Conference assigns its decision-making authority on material matters to the Trustees. The Board of Trustees is authorized to monitor the work of Conference-appointed service committees and may provide assistance or guidelines when necessary. The Trustees serve as the board of directors of CoDA, Inc., the non-profit corporation, are assigned custodial control of all money and property held in trust for the Fellowship, and are responsible for prudent management of its finances.

Attendance and order of round robin – Barbara, Faith, Florence, Joe, Katherine, Lisa, Tina, Yaniv, Gail

*Absent: Steve, Chairs Forum representative

CONSENT AGENDA

Other motions via email or Executive Session:

MOTION TO APPROVE 10-01-2022 Public Board Meeting Minutes emailed out October 19th, unanimous approval via email on October 22nd. This will be posted on CoDA.org at https://coda.org/service-info/board-minutes/

Treasurer’s Report:

MOTION TO APPROVE: Above Consent Agenda.

Moved: Barbara         Second: Katherine     Vote: Unanimously approved

WEBSITE

CoDA.org update - issues being worked on:

• Meeting Search Issues (Time Zone Strategy & F2F/Hybrid meetings): Reported during the last week.

Update: Seems to be better; fielded new complaints this morning. Maybe it's time to get a new meeting search program. Something to consider for the future.

• Member Resources page: New sections have been completed: 1) How to start a meeting; 2) Meeting Materials; 3) What do you think?

Previous Report: Added a 4th box for Service Info. Meeting materials page still needs some work. “What do you think” is for opinions for literature, this is in the process of revision. (No update at this time)

Need to add “40 Questions and CoDA teen materials”. (Are posted for another year of review for approval at 2023 CSC)

• Site map for CoDA.org website: This will be worked on after the Member Resource page. Difficulty accessing the old website which is causing delays. {Update: Still on hold}

TASK FORCES:

• Delegates Relations Task Force DRTF@coda.org: Board Liaison Katherine, Back up Florence:

Report: Had a recent meeting. Board Liaisons were approved: Katherine as primary, Tina as back up. Doing well. Had second meeting yesterday. Approved liaisons. Will meet monthly.

• Alternate Format Meeting Task Force (AFMTF)

AlternativeFormatMeeting@CoDA.org Board Liaison Florence, Back up Faith

Report: They had their first meeting. They are asking for a Zoom licensed account and Webpage on CoDA.org. Florence is now primary, and Faith is backup.

AI: Gail to change liaison spreadsheet (DONE)

• Gender Inclusive Task Force: This is in the process of being created due to the 2021

Canada Voting Entity Issue (VEI) that was submitted too late for 2021 CoDA Service Conference (CSC). Subsequently a 2022 CSC motion was submitted by the Board, of which was later withdrawn. Post CSC discussions, the Board felt it best to create a Task Force (volunteers have already volunteered)

Update: It was pointed out by a Board member that we did not make a formal motion to create this Task Force.

MOTION Barbara: The Board create a Gender-Inclusive Task Force, Second: Katherine VOTE: Unanimously Approved

OLD BUSINESS:

• 2 CSC motions that passed by Simple Majority (did not pass ⅔ vote), thus not binding on the Board:

World Connections Committee (WCC) Motion: 22059

Motion: (Simplified) CoDA approved literature available in the languages of CoDA Fellowship worldwide.

Report: Florence is the liaison. Lisa backup. Katherine was 3rd in attendance. We need to reach out to them to schedule a second meeting. The first meeting was a good meeting. Didn’t know what was going to happen; we deferred to the committee. Had good conversation and John did a great job. He now understands what Translation Management does. Wanted to take the new info to his committee, then move forward after that.

2 x 2 or 3 x 3 definition: equal members of board and committee members meet to discuss issues.

Communications (Comm) Motion: 22049

Motion: (Simplified) Proposed revision of the Communication Committee description in the FSM.

Report: Board had a 2x2 with Comm. Meeting was very productive.

We came up with a cleaned up simplified version of what was passed at CSC MOTION Gail: Motions that the Board adopt the revision of the Communications Committee description in the Fellowship Service Manual (CSC motion # 22049) per the group conscience with the Communications Committee. The revised motion follows:

Communications Motion Revised 10/24/22 (to update the committee description in the FSM)

Background: A Communications Task Force was created at the 2007 CoDA Service Conference (CSC) to address the goal of improving communication within CoDA, both up and down the inverted pyramid. The following year was spent in recruiting people to participate in the effort and in gathering specific issues to be addressed. Starting in early 2009, the task force members began to have regular conference calls and work began in earnest on several of the identified issues. As a result of this work, the 2009 CSC voted to make the Communications Task Force a standing committee to continue to address identified communication issues as they surface.

The Communications Committee (Comm) aids the Fellowship through the Fellowship Forum, email, and phone. Email and calls come into the committee through info@coda.org and the 888 phone line (888.444.2359). Comm provides meeting information, assists members with their search for sponsors, and information to those wishing to start a meeting.

In addition to attending to the responsibilities listed above, the Communications Committee provides administrative support to the CoDA Email Team and the CoDA Phone Team, such as communications with the Board or CoDA Fellowship Service Workers (FSW), reporting to the

Fellowship quarterly through the Quarterly Service Report (QSR), and annually at the CoDA Service Conference (CSC) and other matters helpful to their purpose.

Second: Barbara Vote: Unanimous

NEW BUSINESS:

• New Zealand Wooden Medallions: Requested to create medallions. Had several discussions with the Board. Board contacted CoRe to see if it would have an impact on them. CoRe determined it is not an issue. Royalties would not be needed. We get royalties when other areas are using our materials. The medallions are what they are doing; they owe no royalties. Many countries have their own CoDA literature and pay no royalties. Board is in favor of this.

Motion: Barbara moves to approve New Zealand's request to create CoDA medallions. Second: Gail VOTE: Unanimous

• Process for Committee minutes: Have the committee minutes sent to a new email alias of Minutes@CoDA.org. The suggested distribution would be Webliaison, Board and Geff. Geff would understand that he cannot post the minutes without the review and "approval" of the Board Liaison, subject to any clarification questions that the Board Liaison(s) might have of the committee. Some committees do not invite their Board Liaison to attend the meeting, thus we need to rely upon the minutes.

Unfortunately, not all Board Liaisons are included in the committee email aliases.

Discussion: Create alias minutes@coda.org; includes the whole Board, Geff, web liaison.

Allows for questions and requests for clarification. Who will provide approval for posting?

Board liaison will carry questions to the committee. Once clear, web liaison will notify Geff to post the minutes. Web liaison will send out reminders to the Board if minutes are missing. Each committee has a page with a link to their minutes on the codependents.org site.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

• Email went out to the Fellowship:

Seeking Meetings To Host CoDAthons For The 2022 Holidays.

If you have interest in hosting any portion(s) or questions, please email:

CoDAthon@coda.org

Email blast was sent out.

Next Public Board Meeting – December 3rd, 2022 @ 8 AM Pacific (1st Sat of month)

Next Workgroup Meeting: November 20th, 2022 @ 9:30 Pacific (3rd Sunday of  month)

board@coda.org

2019-2022 minutes: https://coda.org/service-info/board-minutes/

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